Canada is fertile ground for infotainment on TV. The best-known case is This Hour Has 22 Minutes, a 1993 political satirical show that continues to enjoy success on Canadian public broadcaster CBC in English. Thanks to its elaborate content, this show provides laughter every Tuesday. However, its format bears many similarities to shows produced across the border (the comparison to Jon Stewart is common). One of Canada’s most-watched French-language shows, it features originality in content and form, balanced with journalistic insight and a dash of humour: Infoman is fun in Quebec.
Jean-René Dufort (Saint-Jérôme, Canada, 55 years old) studied biochemistry, but it wasn’t long before he showed his talent as a communicator in magazines, radio stations and television channels. In 1997, he began participating in “La fin du monde est à sept heures” (“It’s Seven Hours To The End Of The World”), a spoof of the now-defunct TQS news program in Quebec, where he wrote a The role was played by a humorous reporter (a character he created together with Stéphane Laporte). After the fake news program ended, Dufort and Laporte proposed to the directors of Radio-Canada, the French-language public broadcaster, that they broadcast the sarcastic journalist. On October 13, 2000, Infoman was shown on screens for the first time.
A series of interviews, reports and color notes on current topics are on the program every Thursday. Jean-René Dufort is accompanied in some segments by two collaborators: the comedians Chantal Lamarre and Mc Gilles, loyal “swordsmen” of this show produced by the Zone 3 company. In addition, Infoman presents a year-end special every December 31, date that has more than three million viewers (a remarkable number since the province of Quebec has a population of 8.5 million).
The most captivating element of the program are the interviews that Jean-René Dufort conducts with public figures, especially politicians. His ability to ask humorous questions with a critical scent is surprising. His persuasiveness also ensures that respondents participate in dynamics and activities far from rigidity. A well-known example was when he asked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to rate the level of exaggeration in the clothing he had worn on a controversial official visit to India. Trudeau gave these outfits an eight out of ten. Even the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, sometimes sweats in front of Dufort, although he likes to get out of his comfort zone.
Jean-René Dufort, Chantal Lamarre and McGilles, in a picture by the production company Zone 3.
“Unlike my colleagues at This Hour Has 22 Minutes, who work very closely on the script, at Infoman we have the advantage of improvising. We often do not know where we are going with what we are doing. We have a very large scope of action,” Dufort told PAÍS. For the showman, knowing many of the politicians for years is a plus, as is living in a society with a high degree of freedom of expression.
Over the course of its many seasons, Infoman has addressed a number of issues that concern Quebecers without sacrificing humor. This was the case with the poor condition of several educational buildings in Montreal or the controversial project to build a tunnel for cars in Quebec City. The content presented in the program was even discussed in the debates of the state parliament. “Maybe I have the ability to shine a spotlight on an issue, but that’s about it. I do not ascribe any other achievements to myself. Things speak for themselves,” says Dufort.
The political issues dealt with in the program are responsible for the greatest praise, says Dufort. “Many young people tell me that Infoman got them interested in politics. Of course we do this in a fun and light way, with the families that see us in mind. But it’s very reassuring to hear that at a time when it’s said that young people have lost that interest,” he said. The Quebec program also features science capsules full of good vibes. In one of them, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield explained what it’s like to travel aboard the Soyuz spacecraft.
Reflection on Quebec culture
To say that Infoman is a powerful tool for immersing yourself in Quebec culture is by no means an exaggeration. Renowned writers and filmmakers make frequent appearances on the show, as do chefs, historians, and comic book writers. The range of topics is very broad, but always with the aim of provoking laughter. Likewise, the broadcast crew feels a weakness for the corniest things of this Canadian province: crazy architectural works, festivals for a very geeky audience, sui generis candidates in some communities and other examples. Dufort sometimes wears a suit very similar to Superman’s, although one notable difference is that he has the “i” on his chest (the show’s logo) rather than the Man of Steel’s “S”.
“Immigrants also give me a very exciting compliment. They tell me that thanks to Infoman, they understand Quebec society better. They quote popular speeches and jokes. Fortunately, that happens to me very often,” says Dufort. Two elements that show Quebec’s distinct character within Canada – apart from independence projects – have to do with a stronger tendency towards secularism and a strong attachment to the British monarchy. Both have appeared in Infoman. Dufort comments: “I don’t know if all of my jokes would go down well in the rest of Canada. It seems to me that English television is more conservative. We have presented pills about papal visits or monarchical ceremonies, but we do not do so out of simple provocation. We believe there are aspects that are ridiculous in themselves. Let’s remember some moments of Carlos III’s coronation.”
With this in mind, the Infoman team not only deals with problems in Quebec and the other Canadian provinces, but also regularly travels to different parts of the world. The list is no less: the United States, Sweden, Japan, Senegal, Iceland, Brazil, Scotland, Mexico, Israel… Regarding Spain, Jean-René Dufort particularly remembers something he experienced during San Fermines. “I thought all the bulls were over and started running, but I miscounted. A large part of the herd was missing. “My cameraman was really mad at me,” he explains, laughing.
Dufort notes that when he travels, he likes to socialize with comedians whose TV shows are similar to his. He mentions, for example, Roman Vintoniv from Ukraine and Yann Barthès from France. “It’s a way of feeling the pulse of political freedom and expression in other countries,” he says. Infoman will begin its 24th season next September. Dufort promises surprises and will continue to play such a prominent role in Quebec television.
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