Jamel Debbouze Addresses Far-Right Rise in France, Emphasizes Immigrant Love for Country

"I can’t believe that one in two French people is a Le Pen supporter," says the husband of Mélissa Theuriau in an interview with Le Parisien on the occasion of the Marrakech du Rire, whose gala will be broadcast on M6 on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. "On the other hand, there is surely one French person out of two in misery. It is extremely frustrating to have nothing on your plate when you pass in front of Versailles. The only way, for me, to change people, is to go to their homes and make them laugh," he added.

Referring to his Marrakech du Rire festival, whose 10th edition was celebrated from June 15 to 18, 2022, Jamel Debbouze is pleased with the progress made. "With humor, we build a bridge to get over the indifference that our parents suffered, that we suffered a little. Getting to know each other is going against the constant discourse pointing to a racist France. The France I know for having traveled through it is absolutely not racist." This festival represents for him "open-mindedness, against all forms of obscurantism," "a way to get to know France."

"We were raised on a carpet of division, opposition, we were the first to laugh at it, to find it ridiculous. If you knew how much we, children of immigrants, love France, how much it is not an issue, how grateful we are that it has educated us, cared for us, allowed us to live our passion," adds the Franco-Moroccan comedian.