Réal Béland Jr. is a humorist and actor best known for his character as the King of Teens. His father, Réal Béland, was part of Denyse Émond of the Quebec comedy duo Ti-Gus et Ti-Mousse, formed in the early 1950s. The father met the son’s mother, Suzanne, at Casa Loma when she was part of the first part of the show Ti-Gus et Ti-Mousse.
To better describe Réal Béland to you, he noted that his first Colt car’s dashboard looked like Frankenstein, and the actor he would like to meet is Pierre Richard.
You lived on the Isle of May.
A year before I was born, my parents had built a house on the Île de Mai, an island in the Rivière des Mille-Îles that belongs to the town of Boisbriand.
Describe the atmosphere that prevailed there.
It was a nice family community with about 12 kids with whom I played hockey, baseball, ping pong and soccer. The community center was the meeting place for all activities.
You cross the bridge on foot to go to school.
At its northern end, the island is connected to Boisbriand by a bridge. It was very cold in winter because I crossed the Rivière des Mille-Îles to catch the school bus.
How was your relationship with your parents?
My father and I were a big age difference, so discipline wasn’t a priority for him. As a mom, she taught me strictness.
Your parents have separated.
Unfortunately, they broke up due to my mother’s drinking problem.
A few years later your father came home.
Dad came home I was 10 to help him and give me a better quality of life. I was so happy when he came home.
Was it difficult having such a popular father?
The fact that he never made me feel that popular wasn’t hard. His arrival on the show Moi et l’autre with Denise Filiatraut and Dominique Michel made me realize that he was popular but still a shy man, just like me.
Did you have time for a family vacation?
Especially in the Florida winter because my dad was performing. We went to Fort Lauderdale and he did a show three times that night. He worked very hard then. Think about it, three shows a night as opposed to one show a night I do.
Has he influenced your career?
Definitely, because I’ve learned the importance of good timing to make people laugh. I also learned from him to be humble and respect the audience.
Your father’s death changed your life.
I still feel that great loss today. I was 12 and he was 62 when he suddenly died of a heart attack. I had just lost my boyfriend, my father and the one I also considered my grandfather due to the big age difference. The earth has stopped turning.
Were you a disciplined student?
In elementary school, I would describe myself as a model student. In high school, I was the complete opposite. I yelled in the library to disturb others. If a student was absent from class, I would personify their role in the class.
Her career as a comedian began in high school.
Three times a week at lunchtime I was part of the improvisation troupe at the Polyvalente Sainte-Thérèse.
Were you a good athlete?
In soccer, my team won the provincial soccer championship when I was 14 years old. In hockey, I was a reserve midget AAA squad. In baseball, it was a different story.
You were the teammate of former Expos pitcher Derek Aucoin.
We were part of the same team. Derek was an excellent pitcher who had exceptional talent, unlike me who played on the bench, and my talent was making my teammates laugh.
100 auditions.
I went to about 100 auditions before I realized I had to become a writer because I didn’t get any job offers after the 100 auditions. This enabled me to write texts for the show Surprise! Surprise !
You were touched by Claude Meunier’s words of encouragement.
When I first met him, he said to me, “I mean it when I tell you that you’re really funny.” To this day, my body still trembles just thinking about that encounter.
They are a united family.
My daughters, their friends, their lovers, my wife Sophie and I meet for dinner once a week. A real Italian family.
They have four wonderful daughters.
We had a very touching and emotional life experience. Our two eldest daughters, Charlotte and Juliette, accompanied my wife and I when we went to orphanages in China and in Vietnam when we adopted Béatrice and Emma. These are unforgettable moments.
You have shared your life with your wife since you were 21.
Where would I be today without Sophie? I’m bad at cooking, not to mention the times she’s woken me up during shows or under the Christmas tree. Seriously, she’s a woman who always has the words to encourage me. She is the inner strength of the family. A remarkable woman who was always there for the girls and me.