Coloscopie avec Jeff Panacloc

Jeff Panacloc, whose real name is Damien Colcanap, chose his stage name by reversing his surname, inspired by a childhood friend. He also changed his first name from Damien to Jeff, as he disliked the name Damien, associating it with "the curse" and finding it too neutral. Born on September 8, 1986, in Noisy-le-Grand, Jeff grew up in a modest environment in Brie, one of France's most "sinister" regions. His father was a bus driver, and his mother was a secretary. Jeff recalls enjoying telling people his father was a bus driver at school, finding it "stylish" because his father drove coaches, not city buses. He has a half-sister. As a child, Jeff was introverted and timid, living in his own world and dreaming of performing. He would stage shows in his parents' garden, often reenacting TV show intros like "Coucou c'est nous." At 15, he dropped out of school to become an electrician while simultaneously learning magic. He learned magic during a ski trip when a panari (infected finger) prevented him from skiing. The camp counselors gave him a video cassette of magician Gilles Arthur, which he watched repeatedly, teaching himself magic. However, he admits he was a poor magician, which led him to ventriloquism. At 27, Jeff met David Michel, the creator of the famous penguin puppet Nestor, and became fascinated by ventriloquism. He decided to make it his profession. Jeff explains that ventriloquism is not a gift but a technique that anyone can learn, although he had certain predispositions, such as strong vocal cords. He describes himself as a bit of a "fraud," as he bought his first puppet and immediately started performing as a ventriloquist the following weekend, despite his limited experience. His early performances were not "famous," but he learned on the job. His first puppet was a "disgusting" monkey, which later evolved into Jean-Marc. Jean-Marc was "recreated" by a puppeteer named Medy Garig, who contacted Jeff after seeing his early performances and offered to help. Jeff initially dismissed him but later collaborated, leading to the creation of the Jean-Marc known today. Jean-Marc is Jeff's property, though Jeff acknowledges Medy's significant contribution. The dynamic between Jeff and Jean-Marc is a classic ventriloquist act: the puppet, Jean-Marc, is often crude and outspoken, while Jeff, the ventriloquist, appears embarrassed by his creation's antics. This "white clown and Auguste" dynamic is common in ventriloquism. Jean-Marc is portrayed as a character who is often offensive and says what others dare not. Jeff and Jean-Marc have achieved significant success, performing at prestigious venues like the Dôme de Paris and Bercy. They gained national popularity after being noticed by Patrick Sébastien in 2011, becoming regular guests on "Le Plus Grand Cabaret du Monde." Jeff admits to still getting stage fright, while Jean-Marc claims he doesn't care. Jean-Marc enjoys the notoriety, which he jokes helps him attract women. Jeff shared that he initially told Laurent Baffie that Jean-Marc was inspired by him, but later admitted it was a lie to be polite, a common practice among comedians. However, Jeff genuinely feared performing in front of Laurent Baffie at Patrick Sébastien's show, worried he wouldn't have a quick enough comeback to Baffie's potential jokes. He relies on Jean-Marc's quick wit in such situations. The duo has toured internationally, including the United States, performing in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Jean-Marc claims to speak English, despite Jeff not knowing the language, highlighting the puppet's independence. Jeff notes that ventriloquism is a much larger phenomenon in the US, with figures like Jeff Dunham filling stadiums. In 2019, Jeff and Jean-Marc were immortalized at the Musée Grévin. Jeff regrets trying to lose weight before his statue was made, as he has since regained it, making the statue look unlike him. Jean-Marc's statue, however, is animated with a sensor that makes its head turn. Jeff has two daughters, aged 8 and 6, who sleep with mini Jean-Marc puppets. He has experienced personal struggles, including divorce, depression, and burnout. He advises other artists experiencing rapid success to seek professional support, acknowledging he was not adequately followed himself. His burnout occurred after the confinement period, driven by a fear that his career would end and the pressure of seeing empty seats. Regarding finances, Jeff, who comes from a modest background, says money doesn't destabilize him, and he has "friends" (referring to drugs and cocaine) to keep him grounded by spending his earnings. Jean-Marc, on the other hand, lives comfortably in a house in Hérault, thanks to Jeff's success. Jean-Marc reveals he is "married" to a puppet named Nabilouche and has been with her for 4-5 years, although he admits to cheating on her "with everyone." He also discusses other characters in Jeff's shows, like Jackie, a "franchouillard" (quintessential Frenchman) fan of Johnny Hallyday, who has gained significant popularity. Jean-Marc expresses a slight jealousy towards Jackie's success. When asked about his idols, Jean-Marc names Kermit the Frog as his boss. He doesn't relate to older puppets like Pinocchio or Guignol. He identifies as a gibbon or macaque rather than a chimpanzee. Jean-Marc expresses a desire for independence from Jeff, wishing to pursue his own projects like animated films or comics. He feels Jeff holds him back and prevents him from fully expressing his "horrors." The conversation touches on the challenges of performing, including dealing with illness. Jeff recounts performing with a severe sore throat and angina, even making the production bring back the audience for a rescheduled show when he was too ill to perform initially. Jeff expresses pride in Jean-Marc, despite the puppet's often shocking behavior. They share a close bond, even sharing a kiss on air. Jeff has never considered doing a one-man show without Jean-Marc, believing his audience wouldn't be interested. He admits to self-censorship, avoiding certain topics, while Jean-Marc has no limits, often shocking even Jeff himself. The show concludes with a "would you rather" game. Jeff prefers a monkey's arm in his behind over a stinging caterpillar in his urethra. Jean-Marc prefers starring in a bonobo porn film over the next "Planet of the Apes" movie. Jeff prefers Jean-Marc dating his ex over him dating Jean-Marc's ex. Jean-Marc prefers an exchange club with ventriloquists and puppets over a gay exchange club. Jeff would offer his mother a sex toy for Christmas, along with a garter belt, as his father has passed away. Jean-Marc would choose to be reincarnated as a "tot taillé" (a play on words for a small monkey) rather than an ape. Jeff would rather never eat raclette again than never buy sneakers, a poignant choice as he stopped eating raclette after his father's death, which occurred after a raclette meal. Jean-Marc prefers getting drunk over smoking a joint. During the "would you rather" segment, Jeff's mother, Brigitte, is called live on air. She is initially confused but recognizes Laurent Baffie's voice. Jean-Marc's crude comments about her shock Jeff. The call highlights the stark contrast between Jeff's polite nature and Jean-Marc's outrageousness.