Guignolo va!
un guignol (guee - nee - ol) = a character from a puppet show (think Punch and Judy shows in England)
Used figuratively to designate something farcical
C'est du guignol! = It's a farce!
Or to call someone who's not very serious
Quel guignol! = What a clown! What a joker!
Les guignols de l'info ("News clowns") is a famous satirical TV show, that's been on the air for more than 15 years. It uses puppets to spoof current events, and so far has been able to dodge a lot of bullets. Even as the channel airing the show, Canal Plus, made numerous changes to the programs hosting the 10 minute segment, the Guignols have always remained in place. Recently, however, the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA, or Superior Audiovisual Council, the equivalent of the FCC)
admonished the Guignols for a skit calling the new Pope "Adolph II" and making him say things like "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Third Reich".
This is a fairly rare warning, and a serious one, but the show will probably go on. Given the tremendous impact it has on French culture, it is unlikely to go away.
For example, it started some expressions like "à l'insu de mon plein gré" ("without the knowledge of my own free will"), representing French cyclist Richard Virenque denying ever taking drugs (in his own, childish words). The show is also suspected of having a great influence on young, undecided voters who, supposedly, tend to associate candidates with their puppets.
A few videos of popular Guignols characters (courtesy of Neocity):
Used figuratively to designate something farcical
C'est du guignol! = It's a farce!
Or to call someone who's not very serious
Quel guignol! = What a clown! What a joker!
Les guignols de l'info ("News clowns") is a famous satirical TV show, that's been on the air for more than 15 years. It uses puppets to spoof current events, and so far has been able to dodge a lot of bullets. Even as the channel airing the show, Canal Plus, made numerous changes to the programs hosting the 10 minute segment, the Guignols have always remained in place. Recently, however, the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA, or Superior Audiovisual Council, the equivalent of the FCC)
admonished the Guignols for a skit calling the new Pope "Adolph II" and making him say things like "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Third Reich".
This is a fairly rare warning, and a serious one, but the show will probably go on. Given the tremendous impact it has on French culture, it is unlikely to go away.
For example, it started some expressions like "à l'insu de mon plein gré" ("without the knowledge of my own free will"), representing French cyclist Richard Virenque denying ever taking drugs (in his own, childish words). The show is also suspected of having a great influence on young, undecided voters who, supposedly, tend to associate candidates with their puppets.
A few videos of popular Guignols characters (courtesy of Neocity):
- Jacques Chirac visiting a prison
- George W. Bush and a math problem
- Commandant Sylvestre, a.k.a. Sylvester Stallone, used to portray capitalists and members of the US army
posted by Mandor at 1:35 PM
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