Radio-Canada invited a comedian to treat 400 French service executives to their annual RC3 event on November 9. In the video circulating on social networks, we hear Pierre-Olivier Forget making fun of the executives and journalists of the state-owned company.
PO. Forget – a comedian from Quebec who graduated from the National School of Humor with an excellence scholarship in his pocket in 2019 – was invited to deliver a six-minute number during this event, which was in its fourth edition. It was Louise Richer, founding director general of the National School of Humor and one of the guest speakers who suggested the name PO to the organizers. Forget as a guest comedian.
“They wanted to have the perspective of a young person on the labor market, explained the comedian to the Journal. What young people want. I wanted to talk regarding their industry, recent tensions between a certain part of the population and journalists and journalism in general. I do social commentary with a somewhat oblique vision of the societal current that people hear regarding on a daily basis. »
Frames
In one of the segments of his number, the comedian is surprised at the high number of executives in the room.
“I was asked today to come and do a short comedy number on work, in front of 400 Radio-Canada executives, the stamp you give to a stranger this morning to talk a little arrogantly regarding work. testifies to an alarming disconnect from the value of work. I was wondering where are the people, why is there a labor shortage? And just last week, I learned that there were 400 executives at Radio-Canada. It’s a lot, ”he laughs.
The video clip has garnered 46,000 views so far.
PO. Forget prefers not to disclose the fee he received for this mandate, but qualifies it as reasonable, “considering that it’s a first issue and that you can look hollow in front of all these beautiful people”.
Carte blanche
He claims to have had carte blanche. He therefore wrote a text adapted for his audience made up of Radio-Canada executives.
“We needed a custom-written number, and not everyone can do it,” he continues. I have an oblique, sharp humor with little hints of very unifying arrogance. »
The comedian claimed not to have been particularly impressed by the fact of performing in front of executives, but to have all the same felt like a hair in the soup in a day of conferences delivered by “distinguished guests”.
Screenshot taken from PO’s Facebook account. forget
The comedian PO. Forget in front of the audience of Radio-Canada executives.
“They were ultra-welcoming and laughed at my jokes, even the most scathing ones,” added the comedian who will be performing at the Cabaret du Lion d’Or on January 19. There were good reactions in the room, I was really pleasantly surprised by their sense of self-mockery. I received compliments from people following my number, including the CEO of Radio-Canada, which always makes me very uncomfortable. If I might tour the most powerful industries in Quebec in culture for roaster, it would be a little dream! »
reactions
Radio-Canada considers this event to be comparable to any corporate activity within large organizations.
“As is done in many companies around the world, we offer our executives, on an ad hoc basis, an opportunity to meet and reflect on topics related to their role as managers,” replied Marc Pichette, Chief Executive Officer, by email. Director, Promotion and Public Relations at Radio-Canada. We invite speakers and guests from all walks of life who come to share their vision and their own experience, so as to have a range of best practices. »
Hiring a comedian is part of this activity, although it is not systematic.
Radio-Canada does not want to disclose the fee that was offered to the comedian or the budget for this event, because it is confidential information, explains the spokesperson.