series district 31 had made such an impression on Gildor Roy as an actor that no one could have guessed him at the top Tower.
It has to be said that the morning show Gildor hosted on TQS for two seasons and La télé sur le divan he shared with psychologist Rose-Marie Charest on Radio-Canada left little trace. To be honest, the two shows failed, but we have to admit that Gildor isn’t really to blame.
Gildor Roy may not be a great actor, but who else could have portrayed a more believable Commander Chiasson for so many years? Gildor isn’t the singer of the century either, but how can you not stamp your feet when he sings Tu m’montes s’a tête or be moved when he sings a country tune? To my knowledge, Gildor has never won a trophy as a presenter, but he deserves one as the presenter of La Tour on TVA, that early evening talk show like no other.
Taking the place of Patrick Huard, who designed and hosted the show for two seasons, was more than a headache. The Tower bore his signature wall to wall. The comedian had even suggested inviting his guests to a loft where he personally stayed. I really enjoyed La Tour, even though I sometimes found Patrick to be a bit too philosophical. But how can you blame him when so many hosts and hostesses talk nonsense and get nothing but irrelevant remarks from their guests.
A SHOW IN HIS IMAGE
Ever since Gildor animated Roy La Tour, he has transformed the decor and accessories that surround it into his own image. He also reduced the number and duration of the sidenotes that Huard made the show special. Gildor presents them in everyday terms and, like his predecessor, faces the camera. His asides are no less apt, but they seem less judgmental.
Thanks to his good nature and his incomparable empathy, Gildor manages to give his guests a trust that often surprises them. This Saint Gildor arrives there casually with an open face, often after spontaneously indulging in an intimate familiarity that naturally prompts his interlocutor to do the same.
Modesty tastes best!
We’re a far cry from the outbursts of mutual admiration and insider comment that are the bread and butter of too many TVA and Radio-Canada “chair shows.” The unspeakable Good evening Good evening! with Jean-Philippe Wauthier is a perfect example. Wauthier is the opposite of Gildor Roy. As much as this one fades to give up all the space to its guests, the other pulls ahead, does the wheel, and takes up all the space. It was then that Patrick Huard, whose notoriety is nonetheless very high and whose intelligence and presence of mind are above average, made an impression on La Tour that Gildor immortalized. Like his predecessor, Gildor is exemplary in modesty. It’s not free!
So far, La Tour has had the privilege of not being a ‘plog’ show, in addition to often welcoming guests that we don’t see at all shows. The Tower has continued to surprise us by making unusual and surprising guests its brand image, as we were surprised to choose Gildor to liven it up.
