“I never chased Le Bigdil”
Why did you want to reactivate Le Bigdil?
Vincent Lagaf’: I never chased Le Bigdil. I was offered to do it again three times and I always refused. The first didn’t have the funds, the second just wanted to make a move, and the third was a myth. The fourth time, I accepted because I was given the means and the possibility of recording it as I wanted. It’s Antoine Henriquet from Ah! Production who called me and told me that he had the possibility of taking over the rights to Bigdil. I called his partner, Arthur, who told me I could go with my eyes closed. I said: banco, we’ll do it!
How did you feel when you found the set and the decor of Bigdil?
An emotion rarely achieved. Laurent Pelois managed to recreate the set of the show identically, which moved me. But the craziest thing was the reception from the public when I came to greet the spectators before the recording. I felt like I was at the Cannes Film Festival. I had five minutes of standing ovation before I even had time to say hello. I told myself that I was still in the hearts of the French.
“The word “gafette” is demeaning and we can no longer say it…”
Will we find the old emblematic characters of Bigdil?
Gilles Vautier obviously takes over the role of Bill, the CGI alien. Ramuncho (Hervé Budin, editor’s note) is 67 years old, and he told me: “At my age, I’ve done enough stupid things! » So he will participate in a special “1998” (year of launch of Bigdil) with DJ Aspé and two former “gafettes”, Nadia and Fanny.
Will there be new “gafettes”?
So yes, there will be two, but they will no longer be called “gafettes”, in order to avoid any comments which would claim that women are taken for objects. Around me, there will be “stage collaborators”, young, beautiful, dynamic, good dancers, and who have a comeback. The word “gafette” is demeaning and we can no longer say it…
“Before, I could say to a lady, “I have trouble looking you in the eye!” » because she had a beautiful neckline“
You really can’t say everything anymore, like in the early 2000s?
I’m used to saying what I want, but today we are judged by a certain intelligentsia who wants to exist and who destroys. So we don’t give them that opportunity and we’re careful about what we say. Before, I could say to a lady, “I have trouble looking you in the eye!” » because she had a beautiful neckline. Today, you come across as a sex freak. So, we no longer give women compliments on their physique. Through tolerance, as the writer Dostoyevsky said, one day we will forbid intelligent people from speaking so as not to offend imbeciles…
Do you have other plans?
In March 2023, I published my autobiography titled My name was Frankk (XO éditions), in which I recount my journey. As it worked well, I would like to get back on stage to do a one-and-a-half hour and a half one-on-one film adapted from this work. One morning, as for the book and The BigdilI’m going to get up, call a producer, and we’ll do it!
Le Bigdil, Thursday January 2 at 9:01 p.m. on RMC Story
