Accused of anti-Semitism after a tweet associating Cyril Hanouna and the word “gas”, Jean-Michel Aphatie explains: “I did not think of Hanouna as belonging to this or that community”

The controversy gained importance yesterday on C8, Europe 1 and especially on social networks. Jean-Michel Aphatie in fact yesterday associated the name of Cyril Hanouna and the word “gas” in a tweet, writing that “Cyril Hanouna is visibly on the verge of gas”:

Here is his entire tweet: “I just listened to half a lunar hour on Europe1 Cyril Hanouna and his columnists denounced the “morality” and “condescension” of France Inter. “I can’t take it anymore” said Hanouna visibly on the verge of gas, a listener even threatening to leave France if the radio does not change Half an hour on the planet Mars, it was quite funny. Let’s say that Europe 1 has changed. ?”

“On the verge of gas”, an expression that surprises, and for many Internet users to say that a Jewish presenter is on the “edge of gas” is an ‘anti-Semitic’ remark:

“Hanouna and gas in the same sentence, is that intentional?” thus writes an Internet user. Another adds: “If Le Pen had written the same tweet as the anti-Semite @jmaphatie on Hanouna, the French media would be on fire and blood. Down with the masks! We must hold the activists who use a map accountable for their responsibilities press for advocating “gas” for a Jew”.

For the journalist from CNews and Europe 1, this expression is in line with “Durafour crematoire” which was pronounced at the time by Jean-Marie Le Pen.

This Saturday noon, Jean-Michel Aphatie spoke in a very long tweet to explain and not apologize:

“Since my tweet is causing discussion, let’s chat.

When I wrote it, I didn’t think of @Cyrilhanouna as a citizen belonging to this or that cultural community. I thought of him as a vindictive host of a mediocre radio moment.

Here is the context.

When I’m in my car, I listen to radio programs with curiosity. I love radio, its diversity, the surprises it delivers, the joys it grants. I skip. It amuses me. (…)

Thursday afternoon, I land on @Europe1 Cyril Hanouna, at this moment, mentions the editorial of @PascalPraud in the morning on @CNEWS.

This post, hostile to @franceinter, denounces “leftist” columnists paid by our taxes. He delights Hanouna.

And it is in this context, still stupid, that Cyril Hanouna said for his part, still about France Inter, that he could not take it anymore.

Here are the elements that constituted my feelings when writing the tweet.

This one transcribes the emotion that was mine, an amusement in the face of so much accumulated stupidity.

The accusation of anti-Semitism came from there. I do not grant a particle of sincerity to those who formulate it.

I noted the rage of @GauthierBret who I understand is capable of going very far to please his boss.

I also heard @Dartigolles rediscover the old accents of the communist family to bring artificial lawsuits. I have read and heard a lot of other nonsense. (..).”