Just for laughs Not much for Math Duff and Jean-Marc Parent

First, from his demonic victory Talk show Pandemic, the Justin Bieber of Quebec humor (in the sense that everyone is ripping it off). Second, in the 1990s, the music star Long-running anecdotes, multiplying stunts and marathon performances. A meeting between Mathieu Dufour and Jean-Marc Parent, who presents the Bell Center on July 23, for whom the Forum was once a second room.

Posted at 5:00 am

The late Dominick
Press

Mathieu Dufour entered the vast Bell Center dressing room with his agent and immediately began talking about the passionate “square toilets for Saline,” the basin that would be installed at the star’s request.

Seconds later, not really understanding how it all happened, your favorite daily newspaper reporter is in front of a square toilet in the company of Jean-Marc Parent and Math Duff.

“When I first came here and said, ‘Hello, I want to see the Celine Square toilet,’ everyone thought I was weird,” says the 27-year-old comedian, who speaks with the seriousness of those who keep their Red Bull grain in them.

Confirmation with Evenco, Celine Dion has never made a royal request for a toilet. “Repairs were done for the artists’ dressing room before one of her visits, but it was not at her request,” explains Christine Montreuil, media relations manager, in an email.

So it’s just an urban legend. But that is not the point. Notable in this attraction is the Bell Center’s display on the Quebec imagination. A fascination he also shows in his toilets.

A voucher Stunt

In the early 1990s. Attending Celine Dion’s (her again!) performance at the Théâtre du Forum, Jean-Marc’s parent marveled at how well the diva’s interventions were captured. “I see Lapin at the console [Yves Aucoin, éclairagiste de l’humoriste et de la chanteuse] And I said to her: “We listen well when she speaks, Celine, hon?” He thought I was strange. I just got an idea. »

Photo by Robert Skinner, Pres

Jean-Marc’s parent

On September 24 and 25, 1993, three years after Andrew Dice Clay became the first comedian to fill New York’s Madison Square Garden, Jean-Marc Parent became the first Quebec comedian to borrow the Saint-Flannel house. Eleven more will follow, also two dates later at the Molson Center.

“It was a terrible roll of the dice,” he recalls sitting on one of the comfortable couches in the Bell Center box, where Matthew Dufour will be waiting on July 23. The veteran, for his part, will be at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for a new edition that evening. JMP event.

I raised $80,000 through corporations to buy ads. But actually, I’m saving half a million on advertising, because that’s one Stunt. That’s how I built myself. Except that I managed to piss myself off a lot.

Jean-Marc’s parent

“But, but, but”, he hastens to add, under the watchful eye of Mathieu Dufour, “it’s beautiful, Stunt, you should be fine. If you are not good, your Stunt Fall into the water. Another piece of advice from his elder: “The scene, you have to fill it. I won’t name anyone, but I see they have the same decor here as in Saint-Denis. »

To be nice and show off, this is what the Quebec comedy prince of Instagram is all about. If Jean-Marc Parent, in his time, had a staging strategy for “Empty Solotech” (a lighting and sound equipment rental company), Mathieu Dufour attended dozens of shows at the Bell Center, a question of borrowing their most brilliant ideas. From Heroes of the FM Band.

“I’m not a comedian at the Bell Center performing. I present a chalice the star He waved his index finger in the air, in a tone somewhere between (false) vanity and self-mockery, his mouth full of juicy rolled “r’s”.

“I want to get out of the trapdoor on the floor. I will have one a piece In my custom made diamonds. »

A big spaghetti dinner

Like JMP, Mathieu Dufour’s art is largely based on his inability to keep from blurting out the crazy plans that cross his mind. That’s his Show-Rona virus Reaching an audience of 15,000, the number of seats in the amphitheater is more or less in one of its normal configurations, make that joke – bell center! – Finds its own wings.

Photo by Robert Skinner, Pres

Matthew Dufour

“We started naming him and it got people excited,” recalls the man who piloted him Talk show To kill the long hours of the first wave of Covid-19 on Instagram. “As soon as I had a good guest, I’d say, ‘You’ll invite him back to the Bell Center.'”

The Olivier winner for Covid Artist in 2021, however, refused to appear bravely at the event.

I don’t see it that way gut, no. I think it’s like simple things.

Matthew Dufour

“There was a bit of vertigo doing the Bell Center, but when you bring it back to my career, it was crazy for me to go to 200 rooms when we sold 6,000 tickets in two hours”, which happened last November. More than 12,000 of the 14,000 tickets have now been sold.

“And it’s beautiful. You don’t come here to sell only 2000 tickets,” chides Jean-Marc, shooting a fine arrow at his colleagues who have taken to the prestigious venue for a less crowded stage. They hit each other. “You play here because you can really attract all these people. »

Math promises an experience that begins as soon as he passes through the turnstiles, though, true to his habits, he doesn’t choose the stories to embroider his improvised monologues until morning. “It’s not just me Follow the spot. I’ll be Celine Dion that night, nothing less! »

His only concern? The combination of many human beings is the intensity of laughter. Jean-Marc warned him. “You have to buckle up. When the wave goes out, you step back. It’s a wicked beautiful wave. »

Matthew Dufour, July 23 at the Bell Center

JMP eventJuly 22 and 23 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier