Jean-Marc Parent has experienced several remarkable, sometimes very spectacular, moments in his 35-year career. The newspaper asked the comedian to look back on certain memorable episodes that have sometimes captured the imagination. Here’s what he had to say.
• Also read: Jean-Marc Parent: “I still have so much to tell”
The number of The disabled Who Started It All (1988)
“I lived in Montreal for a little year and a half. I worked at the Préfontaine reception center and met people in difficulty, with certain disabilities. I thought I’d like to know what they think [de telle affaire]. That’s when I came up with the idea for the wheelchair figure. I remember writing this at home and feeling very cramped.”
“I went to Montreux to do this number [en Suisse]. They collapsed! It was Disabled People’s Week there. There were flags… When I left the stage, no one spoke to me. They all turned their heads and thought I was terrible. I told myself that I shouldn’t have done that. Then the big boss of a local television station came to me. “It’s unbelievable! We’ve never seen this before in the world. What a number, what an attitude!” After that everyone else came to me.”
Jean-Marc Parent in his monologue “The Disabled” July 1988 PHOTO RAYMOND BOUCHARD / LES ARCHIVES / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL JdeQ
Pizza for 1400 people (1993)
“It was at the Albert Rousseau Hall in Quebec. It happened the same way [pendant les nuits d’improvisation]. It was four in the morning and I was hungry. I ask people, what would we do well? We’re going out for pizza!”
“I have called [le resto-pub] Ryna. There was the concierge who cleaned the restaurant. I asked him for 100 jumbo pizzas, all plated. He laughed loudly and hung up! Then Ryna’s boss called me back to find out what I wanted. “This is Jean-Marc Parent, I’m putting on a show.” “Yes, I’m the Pope!” And he hung up! Finally he called back and believed us. And two hours later we received 100 pre-filled jumbo pizzas.”
Shows at the Montreal Forum (1993 to 1996)
“I was good friends with him [le concepteur d’éclairages] Yves Aucoin. It was Céline who inaugurated the 5,000-seat Forum Theater. I went to the console with Yves and listened to Céline talking between her songs. I told her: We can hear her well when she speaks. I then told him that I was coming here and that I would insert melodies between what I was saying. He didn’t believe me!”
“I had a number called Les Souvenirs which had 28 pieces of music mixed together. I had everything I needed to run the forum. I talked about Charles Aznavour, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, King Crimson… I talked to Aldo Giampaolo about my idea [qui était le vice-président des opérations du Forum] I told him that we could make each song appear in a different light. He had decided to come on board with me.”
Jean-Marc Parent threw a whole party at the Montreal Forum Theater. Photo taken September 24, 1993 PHOTO LUC LAFORCE / LES ARCHIVES / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL JdeQ
Let your lights shine JMP time (1996-1997)
“It was an idea that came to me immediately. I told people: We all have a light outside, we’ll light it when Rej starts the song. We didn’t know if it worked! At one point I told people that if they saw people flashing the lights around them, they should film them and send us their VHS tape. That’s where it started. It was amazing. Every Sunday we would end the show and show the previous week’s tapes. The world really got involved, it was impressive.”
“We once flew over the province in a Boeing 737. We were live on Radio Énergie back then. We flew and told the world: We’re over Repentigny, let’s go! We saw people flashing the lights.”
Jean-Marc Parent and the Mercedes band L’Heure JMP. June 1996 PHOTO THE ARCHIVE / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL JdeQ
The trip Splash Molson Great North (1996)
“One evening I was watching TV. The boss at Molson calls me and says: You have to do a stunt for us this summer. I told him that I had just finished L’Heure JMP, that I had bought a boat and that I just wanted to do it. He told me to think of something.”
“Then I had an idea that would allow me to view and enjoy my boat. But I didn’t know I was getting into something like this! […] It had become monstrous. The first night in Quebec there were 50,000 people on the boat! I did not know, what I should do. Finally it was under control. We were able to go on stage and do the show with the Mercedes Band. It was a different time.”
A 25-hour improvisation marathon (2001)
“It started at 9pm on Saturday night and ended at 10pm on Sunday night. I had an hour call back! We had put together a group of musicians. The guitarists were sleeping on stage in their guitar cases!”
“We hadn’t eaten anything all night. In total I probably went to the bathroom twice. […] I remember being thirsty. I think I drank 24 cans of orange juice! I did not feel well. My doctor told me that I had taken a dose of vitamins.”
“There were 900 people in the room and we finished at 940! At the time, Air Canada was the sponsor of Just for Laughs. We offered flight protection to everyone as they entered.”
Filming with Denys Arcand Barbarian invasions (2003)
“I didn’t want to do this film at first. I was embarrassed. Dominique Michel called me:
-Eille! Denys says you don’t want that.
-I’m not tempted to do that, Dominique. I’m definitely in the internship.
-Oh come on! Do you know who Denys Arcand is?
– Well, he makes films. I like his brother who is a very good actor.
-No no no! You get up, pick up the phone and call Denys Arcand. Whether you want it or not, you will do it! They will say you accept.
And that’s exactly what I did. Dominique Michel, I love him so much. She was good and gave good advice.”
“It was impressive to work with Denys. He was so cultured. Between takes we talked about a lot of business, about the war that year. It was fun, I loved it. And I was with Stéphane Rousseau. I felt very well. These are beautiful memories.”
Part of the Barbarian Invasions team. On the right we find Jean-Marc Parent between Marie-Josée Croze and Isabelle Blais.
TIMELINE:
1988: The Disabled Act at the Just for Laughs Festival
1989: First solo exhibition, Ouvrir par le top
Jean-Marc Parent in his show “Ouvrir par le top”? July 18, 1989? PHOTO JEAN-LOUIS BOYER / LES ARCHIVES / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL JdeQ
1991: Second show, Parent Barrette, with Michel Barrette
Jean-Marc Parent and Michel Barrette March 1991 PHOTO NORMAND JOLICOEUR / THE ARCHIVE / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL JdeQ
1992: Third show, Jean-Marc Parent
1993: Nights of improvisation, 6 hours with Jean-Marc
1993: First show at the Montreal Forum
1996: Molson Grand Nord Splash Tour
1996–1997: Show L’Heure JMP on TQS (42 shows)
1997: 4-hour candlelight show with Jean-Marc Parent
2000: 11,000 km show with eight strangers
2001: Marathon of 25 consecutive hours at the St-Denis Theater
2003: Release of the film The Barbarian Invasions
2005: Urgence de vivre show
2011: Torture Show
2018: Utopia Show