The thing is well known: Joël Le Bigot and I have a stormy relationship. But for the columnist that I am, whose radio is a passion, it would have been inappropriate to ignore the departure of this pillar from ICI Première.
Posted on May 21st
After a 45-year career, the host of Saturday and Nothing Else, which aired Saturday morning, decided it stopped there for him. His departure significantly changes the media landscape, which has already been roiled by the announcement of many other departures.
There is no doubt that fans of this show, which he has hosted for 24 years, must experience some form of grief. Many expressed it on social media as soon as his departure was announced. But others also expressed their satisfaction.
This colorful and controversial character (he has kept Radio-Canada’s Ombudsman busy for the past few years) leaves no one indifferent. He’s probably the first to spot it.
His admirers love his incisive style, great culture and unconditional love for the French language. I remember this program that brought together French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian public radio stations. A representative from each country had to let the others guess the meaning of a word or phrase typical of their country. Joël Le Bigot has always been a very valuable ambassador for us.
Although his family immigrated to Quebec in 1948 when he was just 2 years old, Joël Le Bigot was never able to put aside his French origins (it is believed by some that he grew up in France into adulthood). In the various programs that he moderated, he always gave a lot of space to current affairs and the reality of the “cousins”. This enchanted some listeners as much as it annoyed others.
I belong to the second category. His obsession with the “motherland” has always annoyed me. I wrote about him in a scathing column back in 2016. This text, too, earned me the wrath of the hot host on a certain Saturday morning. Even though his remarks contained some untruths about me, his response was fair game! I was looking for it.
His critics have often struggled with the rough side he had with his collaborators, and didn’t hesitate to blow their whistle at any time. His passions and obsessions also got on some people’s nerves. His lyrical flights on boats and the open sea became caricature over time.
But let’s give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, Joël Le Bigot is a great communicator and an attentive interviewer. As much as he could be “justified” with his comrades, he was always cordial to his guests. He then became the one who wanted to highlight instead of the one who wanted to crush. We were then entitled to the welcoming, affable Mr. Le Bigot.
If there’s something I’ve always admired about him, it’s the energy and passion he puts tirelessly into serving our heritage and products. Joël Le Bigot has always made it its mission to promote the initiatives of local creators, artisans and entrepreneurs.
For me, his best encounters remain, along with those with many giants such as Philippe Noiret or Gilles Vigneault (whom he interviewed countless times), those with farmers and producers. He was then able to emphatically tell the audience how important it is to recognize and promote our know-how.
Throughout these years, Joël Le Bigot has shown extreme loyalty to his employees. Around him were Caroline Morin, Ariane Cipriani, Ève Christian, Guy Bois, Lionel Levac, Philippe Mollé, Jean-Claude Vigor, Christophe Huss, Stéphane Garneau, Jean-François Kahn, Michel Coulombe and Isabelle Porter.
Before the current team, he could count on his inseparable Francine Grimaldi, as well as Richard Garneau, Gilles Archambault, Jacques Languirand and Edgar Fruitier to multiply the jokes about the advanced age of those around him. We often feel that the rejuvenation operation that the management of this chain has been carrying out for a number of years angers them deeply.
A controversy marked in particular his years at the microphone of Samedi and nothing else, that of the dismissal of François Parenteau in December 2005. To everyone’s surprise, the management abruptly put an end to the tickets of the ex-Zapartist, who was invited every Saturday, according to messages with “joke , Humor and Fantasy”.
But once we realized that “humor” had taken over “humor,” Parenteau’s presence stopped there. Some saw it as a request from “the beyond”.
Joël Le Bigot comes from a long line of animators formerly called advertisers. With his departure, a generation of communicators for whom respect for the French language is fundamental is dying out.
Speaking to listeners on Saturday morning, he said he is making this decision while he is still able to control his life, to choose what his life will be like, not wait for life to happen decides for him.
The bigot disagreed. But he didn’t care at all. For him it was an enrichment of his personality. And a way to take control of your life.
Come on, I wish you nice winds, dear old sea dog!
Who will succeed Le Bigot?
The departure of Joël Le Bigot further complicates the timeline puzzle facing ICI Première management in anticipation of the autumn launch. In addition to the time slots for weekday afternoons (free, the more the better, the more bed we have) and Sunday afternoons (made free by the young La soiree est (encore)), we have to find the right person for the big Saturday morning – Slot to fill.
I can think of several names. The obvious first: Franco Nuovo, whom management could ask, as in the past, to host the Saturday and Sunday morning shows. It was understood that Le Bigot’s staff would remain in place next fall. Would Nuovo compose with two different teams? It seems unlikely to me.
And then I think of Isabelle Craig who would be perfect for the tone that this show requires. Also Karyne Lefebvre or Catherine Perrin. And then I imagine that Stéphane Garneau, Le Bigot’s faithful successor, will raise his hand.
The management could also consider Philippe Fehmiu, who will lead this slot this summer, or André Robitaille. Also, I think Jean-Philippe Wauthier would be an excellent candidate. But he no longer wants to work weekends.
Let’s get a little out of the ordinary, as the English say. And why not Monique Giroux? This experienced animator can talk about something other than singing.
The bigot is big. Management might be tempted to look for an outside “star”. But taking on a big name just because he has a big name is a risky bet.
Finally, I would like to add that it is equally ironic that the announcement of Joël Le Bigot’s departure comes a week after that of 98.5 FM’s Paul Houde. The two animators occupy the same slots.
Would Cogeco bosses have made the same decision had they known Saturday morning’s prince would be eliminated?