Comedies were the big stars on young Maude Landry's television menu. The aspiring comedian was literally glued to the small screen and ready to laugh with different characters, in different universes and in different situations. By discovering her TV memories, we can easily understand why she now graces the stages to amuse and entertain audiences.
Maude, which shows influenced you when you were young?
Radio Enfer, La petite vie, Le Studio, Don't adjust your dryer, The Simpsons, In a galaxy near you, Sponge Bob, Art Attack, Pin-Pon, Rabbids, Télé-Pirate, Sol et Gobelet, RBO, Les Bleus Poudre, The End of the World is at 7 hours and 3600 seconds of ecstasy. In English there was Sesame Street, Barney and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Pin-Pon photo from IMDB
What is your favorite TV memory?
Don't set your dryer, with Bruno Blanchet. I listened to it after dinner with my parents and brothers. It made the whole family laugh. It was so stupid and original. “Cheap,” but you had to think about it. We haven't seen that much casualness on TV, so we felt like we liked it.
Bruno Blanchet in Don't Adjust Your Dryer Photo from IMDB
Did you watch a lot of TV when you were young?
Yes very much. I saw her sitting on the floor, less than a meter from the screen. I also liked the commercials. The world of television fascinated me, it was like an unreachable world. Today I can't believe that sometimes I'm “inside” the television. It’s less “jet-set” than I thought!
Is there a character who influenced you?
Several, including Jocelyne Letendre [jouée par Micheline Bernard, NDLR] on Radio Enfer and Thérèse [Diane Lavallée, NDLR] and Creton [Josée Deschênes, NDLR] in La petite vie. These female characters weren't there to highlight the male characters' jokes, they were the ones who had the funniest lines! It gave me permission to dream about acting. Jocelyne is so lovable, she is what we call a lovable loser in the sense that she is without malice, she is unaware that people find her strange, she is in her own world and that's all. It's refreshing. His character can say anything and it will be funny.
Little life archive photo
Is there another song from a show that sticks in your mind?
My God, everyone! The ones from Degrassi, The Intrepids, The Magic Bus, Watatatow… Sometimes it keeps me from sleeping. Ooh! I almost forgot Fanfreluche! She scared me.
Is there a character you wish you could have played for children?
No, not particularly. Even when I was very young, I didn't like being talked like a baby. Passepartout, for example, I found flat and a little scary.
Which TV universe would you like to introduce to children?
The studio [l’émission a d’abord été diffusée de 1995 à 1998 sur le défunt Canal Famille, NDLR] with Guy Jodoin and Bruno Blanchet.
Maude Landry is on the home stretch of her tour with her first solo show. The involution. For dates in January: maudelandry.com. Plus his podcast Anyway, goodnight is available on OHdio.