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Fary Isn’t Joking About Race in France Right Now Fary Isn’t Joking About Race in France Right Now
(6 days later)
PARIS — As news of George Floyd’s killing by the police ricocheted around the world last month, the French stand-up comedian Fary Lopes, known as Fary, wasn’t telling jokes.PARIS — As news of George Floyd’s killing by the police ricocheted around the world last month, the French stand-up comedian Fary Lopes, known as Fary, wasn’t telling jokes.
On national radio, he described the country as “fundamentally not antiracist.” In a video for Colors, a Berlin-based music platform, he challenged viewers: “Tell the truth. I was born here, but you’re still terrified.” The clip has been viewed more than 750,000 times. On national radio, he described France as “fundamentally not antiracist.” In a video for Colors, a Berlin-based music platform, he challenged viewers: “Tell the truth. I was born here, but you’re still terrified.” The clip has been viewed more than 750,000 times.
Even without punch lines, the declarations were in keeping with the comedy acts that have made Fary a household name in France. His two Netflix specials, “Fary is the New Black,” from 2018, and the two-part “Hexagone,” this year, delve with bracing directness into his experiences as a Frenchman of African heritage. In 2019, he caused a stir when he greeted the audience at the Molière Awards — the French version of the Tonys — by saying “Hello, white people!”Even without punch lines, the declarations were in keeping with the comedy acts that have made Fary a household name in France. His two Netflix specials, “Fary is the New Black,” from 2018, and the two-part “Hexagone,” this year, delve with bracing directness into his experiences as a Frenchman of African heritage. In 2019, he caused a stir when he greeted the audience at the Molière Awards — the French version of the Tonys — by saying “Hello, white people!”
In France, outrage over Floyd’s death has fed into existing frustrations with the country’s relationship with race. Last month, large Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place in Paris, protesting local police brutality and the French state’s refusal to officially recognize racial or ethnic difference, in the name of a “colorblind” vision of equality.In France, outrage over Floyd’s death has fed into existing frustrations with the country’s relationship with race. Last month, large Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place in Paris, protesting local police brutality and the French state’s refusal to officially recognize racial or ethnic difference, in the name of a “colorblind” vision of equality.
Fary remains conflicted about overt activism. “Originally, I really didn’t want to talk about it,” he said of the recent protests, in an interview at the comedy club he co-owns here, Madame Sarfati. “I didn’t want to be seen as the spokesperson of a movement, because it’s the best way to ensure that what I do no longer belongs to me.”Fary remains conflicted about overt activism. “Originally, I really didn’t want to talk about it,” he said of the recent protests, in an interview at the comedy club he co-owns here, Madame Sarfati. “I didn’t want to be seen as the spokesperson of a movement, because it’s the best way to ensure that what I do no longer belongs to me.”
Fary, 29, has been single-minded about forging his own path and breaking down barriers as he goes. “Fary is the New Black” was the first standup special that Netflix had filmed in France, after the comedian and his team approached the streaming service. He has challenged stand-up’s reputation in France as lowbrow entertainment, working with the artist JR, who designed the performance space at Madame Sarfati, and the film director Ladj Ly, who was nominated at the Oscars last year for “Les Misérables.” He’s also taken his stand-up to unusually prestigious venues: “Hexagone” was recorded at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, the home of the theater director Peter Brook.Fary, 29, has been single-minded about forging his own path and breaking down barriers as he goes. “Fary is the New Black” was the first standup special that Netflix had filmed in France, after the comedian and his team approached the streaming service. He has challenged stand-up’s reputation in France as lowbrow entertainment, working with the artist JR, who designed the performance space at Madame Sarfati, and the film director Ladj Ly, who was nominated at the Oscars last year for “Les Misérables.” He’s also taken his stand-up to unusually prestigious venues: “Hexagone” was recorded at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, the home of the theater director Peter Brook.
While sketch comedy has a long history here, American-style stand-up only gained mainstream recognition in the 2000s. The comic Jamel Debbouze first opened doors for stand-up hopefuls in 2006 when he founded the Jamel Comedy Club, a venue in Paris in which a namesake TV show was filmed and where many of French stand-up’s biggest names — including Blanche Gardin, Shirley Souagnon and Fary — cut their teeth.While sketch comedy has a long history here, American-style stand-up only gained mainstream recognition in the 2000s. The comic Jamel Debbouze first opened doors for stand-up hopefuls in 2006 when he founded the Jamel Comedy Club, a venue in Paris in which a namesake TV show was filmed and where many of French stand-up’s biggest names — including Blanche Gardin, Shirley Souagnon and Fary — cut their teeth.
Fary’s first performances, he said, were at age 11, imitating Debbouze’s sets with his cousin. His uncle would hold charity events to raise money for children in Cape Verde, where Fary’s parents were born, and the duo was enlisted to entertain guests. “The first time, we did a Jamel set, and the next time, to give them something new, we wrote our own jokes,” he remembered.Fary’s first performances, he said, were at age 11, imitating Debbouze’s sets with his cousin. His uncle would hold charity events to raise money for children in Cape Verde, where Fary’s parents were born, and the duo was enlisted to entertain guests. “The first time, we did a Jamel set, and the next time, to give them something new, we wrote our own jokes,” he remembered.
When he was in high school in St.-Maur des Fossés, a suburb to the east of Paris, his history teacher, Jessie Troja, spotted his gift for sarcastic one-liners and offered to help him craft a one-man show. “She was like a stepmom to me. She would take me to Paris for open mics,” Fary said. “She instilled in me the belief that I was going to do this with my life and nothing else, that I had something.”When he was in high school in St.-Maur des Fossés, a suburb to the east of Paris, his history teacher, Jessie Troja, spotted his gift for sarcastic one-liners and offered to help him craft a one-man show. “She was like a stepmom to me. She would take me to Paris for open mics,” Fary said. “She instilled in me the belief that I was going to do this with my life and nothing else, that I had something.”
Fary worked to set himself apart. In a genre not known for being fashion forward, his style — harem pants, oversized jackets, bleached dreadlocks — stood out. Alongside his standup sets, he also spent eight months at the Cours Florent, a prestigious drama school.Fary worked to set himself apart. In a genre not known for being fashion forward, his style — harem pants, oversized jackets, bleached dreadlocks — stood out. Alongside his standup sets, he also spent eight months at the Cours Florent, a prestigious drama school.
Jason Brokerss, a comic who co-writes Fary’s sets, describes Fary as a comedy nerd. “He will message me at 5 a.m. and tell me to watch not even a set, but one joke, at this exact time stamp,” he said in an interview.Jason Brokerss, a comic who co-writes Fary’s sets, describes Fary as a comedy nerd. “He will message me at 5 a.m. and tell me to watch not even a set, but one joke, at this exact time stamp,” he said in an interview.
Fary, whose long list of favorite comedians includes Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, described his passion for the craft as “painful at times.” “There are jokes that make my head spin, because I wonder how you even get to that level of precision. It’s the same thing as writing an alexandrine,” he said, referring to the classical French poetic meter. “There are so many constraints.”Fary, whose long list of favorite comedians includes Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy, described his passion for the craft as “painful at times.” “There are jokes that make my head spin, because I wonder how you even get to that level of precision. It’s the same thing as writing an alexandrine,” he said, referring to the classical French poetic meter. “There are so many constraints.”
His comedy club, Madame Sarfati, is named after one of the most famous characters in French comedy: The parody of a Jewish mother played by Élie Kakou, who died in 1999. Modeled after North American clubs, it is one of only a few venues in Paris that offers near-daily performance opportunities for French comedians. It took the investors, who include the theater mogul Jean-Marc Dumontet, two years to find and renovate the venue, a former restaurant chosen partly for its location near the Châtelet station, a transit hub easily accessible for suburban visitors.His comedy club, Madame Sarfati, is named after one of the most famous characters in French comedy: The parody of a Jewish mother played by Élie Kakou, who died in 1999. Modeled after North American clubs, it is one of only a few venues in Paris that offers near-daily performance opportunities for French comedians. It took the investors, who include the theater mogul Jean-Marc Dumontet, two years to find and renovate the venue, a former restaurant chosen partly for its location near the Châtelet station, a transit hub easily accessible for suburban visitors.
Before Madame Sarfati opened last November, Fary and Dumontet imagined a number of “catastrophic scenarios.” Fary admitted wryly that they didn’t include a pandemic: The club was closed for nearly four months as France went into lockdown, at an estimated cost of around $110,000, according to its manager, Jennifer Soussan.Before Madame Sarfati opened last November, Fary and Dumontet imagined a number of “catastrophic scenarios.” Fary admitted wryly that they didn’t include a pandemic: The club was closed for nearly four months as France went into lockdown, at an estimated cost of around $110,000, according to its manager, Jennifer Soussan.
Madame Sarfati reopened to the public last week, and while social distancing rules meant an audience of 75 people instead of the usual 100, the all-male group of comics that took to the stage for the reopening night were visibly hungry to try out new material. Jokes about lockdown, racism and police violence came thick and fast. Madame Sarfati keeps its programming a mystery, which means there is no telling whether you’ll see Fary, Brokerss or newcomers strut onto the stage designed by JR. “I want people to come for stand-up, not for me,” Fary said.Madame Sarfati reopened to the public last week, and while social distancing rules meant an audience of 75 people instead of the usual 100, the all-male group of comics that took to the stage for the reopening night were visibly hungry to try out new material. Jokes about lockdown, racism and police violence came thick and fast. Madame Sarfati keeps its programming a mystery, which means there is no telling whether you’ll see Fary, Brokerss or newcomers strut onto the stage designed by JR. “I want people to come for stand-up, not for me,” Fary said.
He is arguably only now approaching maturity in his own career. The evolution between “Fary is the New Black” and “Hexagone” is palpable, with the latter leaning more into social commentary and personal material about his family. “It’s like a date. At the beginning you show a version of yourself that you imagine to be more seductive, a little haughty,” he said. “Then you reveal more. I’m becoming myself.”He is arguably only now approaching maturity in his own career. The evolution between “Fary is the New Black” and “Hexagone” is palpable, with the latter leaning more into social commentary and personal material about his family. “It’s like a date. At the beginning you show a version of yourself that you imagine to be more seductive, a little haughty,” he said. “Then you reveal more. I’m becoming myself.”
Jokes about race may be coming to him less easily at the moment, but he has just starred in a new comedy feature, “Tout Simplement Noir” (“Simply Black”), directed by Jean-Pascal Zadi. In the mockumentary, which resonates presciently with current events, Fary plays an opportunist version of himself who latches onto the main character’s plan to organize a protest for only Black people.Jokes about race may be coming to him less easily at the moment, but he has just starred in a new comedy feature, “Tout Simplement Noir” (“Simply Black”), directed by Jean-Pascal Zadi. In the mockumentary, which resonates presciently with current events, Fary plays an opportunist version of himself who latches onto the main character’s plan to organize a protest for only Black people.
Despite the success of the recent real-life demonstrations in Paris, Fary isn’t convinced that meaningful change is on the horizon. “France is a country that sees its culture as fixed, not as something that evolves and adapts,” he said.Despite the success of the recent real-life demonstrations in Paris, Fary isn’t convinced that meaningful change is on the horizon. “France is a country that sees its culture as fixed, not as something that evolves and adapts,” he said.
Still, the lineup at Madame Sarfati last week offered the kind of racial diversity you rarely see in French culture. Fary suggested that this might actually hamper stand-up’s efforts to be taken seriously, before deadpanning: “Maybe it needs more white people, actually.”Still, the lineup at Madame Sarfati last week offered the kind of racial diversity you rarely see in French culture. Fary suggested that this might actually hamper stand-up’s efforts to be taken seriously, before deadpanning: “Maybe it needs more white people, actually.”