This Monday, May 6, Bernard Pivot left us at the age of 89. To pay tribute to him, Hep Taxi delves into its archives and invites you to rediscover Bernard Pivot’s passage in Jérôme Colin’s taxi.
This jovial and lively man, who loved wine and was passionate about football, was more destined for sports commentary after his journalism studies. Due to lack of space in the sports editorial offices, Bernard Pivot found himself at Figaro Littéraire. His knowledge of literature was not great, but he got into the game and books became the great passion of his life. To prepare for his show “Apostrophes“, he read up to 12 hours a day.
His broadcasts had such influence on book sales, that he was accused of monopolizing the sector, of making rain or shine, of popularizing too much, of desecrating, of mixing the mediocre with the sublime, of putting everything on an equal footing. However, Bernard Pivot imposed strict discipline on himself in refraining from making friends with writers. Even if he admits to having been impressed, proud to have carried out interviews with writers like Albert CohenMarguerite Yourcenar, Vladimir Nabokov, Alexandre Soljenitsyn and Marguerite Duras.
During his visit in 1984 to “Apostrophes”the latter had confided to Bernard Pivot: “I find you completely charming.” And yet, despite this compliment, Bernard Pivot remained faithful to his method.
I interviewed writers but I didn’t become their friend. I remained ethical. […] It was the same for Marguerite Duras as with the others.
At the time, the writer even called Bernard Pivot at two in the morning to have him reread a text. A situation he found instantly “a little strong coffee” even if with hindsight, he admits to being “a little touched” that Marguerite Duras thought of him.
The world’s most famous literary journalist, creator of the broadcasts “Apostrophes”, “Culture Broth”from the magazine “Read” and “Dicos d’Or”left this May 6, 2024. In this Hep Taxi from 2009 Bernard Pivot explains all that “in two strokes of a spoon” to Jérôme who was driving his taxi “all the time” in Brussels. A Hep Taxi to be found at 11 p.m. on La Trois this Monday 6 and now on Auvio.
