Guys vs. Girls in The Fury: Is It Outdated?

Since its creation, the show The fury has always started with an announcer pumping up the opposing teams of guys and girls. But come the special edition on December 7, that concept may well disappear.

In any case, this is the reflection that the host, Véronique Cloutier, has had for several months. “It’s an idea that I threw out to my team before the holidays, in May. Nothing has been set in stone for the moment. But hey, I wonder about the sexism of all this.”

When she stopped the animation of The furyin 2003, Véronique Cloutier had a 3-month-old baby. The experience with her three children then shaped her.

Louis Morissette, the show’s producer, echoes the same sentiment. “This idea of ​​setting it up in a boys-girls concept is a bit old school. There’s a 1990s feel to it. I don’t want to bring something back without revisiting it or revamping it. I don’t want to make old TV in 2024.”

Véronique Cloutier hopes that this direction, if it ever happens, will be well understood by the public. “We try to raise our children outside of certain stereotypes. We tell them that no matter what they are, they can do what they want. That’s what we have to remember.”

The host had the opportunity to discuss this topic this summer with friends. “When we announced this special show, people immediately asked me the question: are you still going to do guys against girls? Whether we are for or against, we feel that the spirit of the times has changed.”

Initially, I was told (from a reliable source) that this request came from Radio-Canada management, which would be entirely logical. The Crown corporation has adopted a strong inclusion and diversity policy in recent years.

Louis Morissette assures me that this idea comes from him and his team. “It’s not pressure from the broadcaster at all. This whole thing was a bit old-fashioned. We decided to dust it off.” He adds that if the “guys versus girls” formula were to be maintained, Radio-Canada management would not object.

On the public broadcaster’s side, I am told that “the production is still thinking about the format of the next special edition of The fury “We are open to their proposals,” wrote Guylaine O’Farrell, Senior Director, Internal and External Strategy. “We think that the pleasure will be there, no matter what formula is chosen.”

The announcement of the captains of both teams will be made shortly. In October, we will know the members of both teams and the guest artists. “What I can say is that there will be veterans and that we will create a mix,” says Louis Morissette.

When I heard that there was talk of removing this battle between the guys and the girls, my first reaction was that it was being overdone. The fury is a game intended to entertain viewers in their living room with two gender-based clans, much like one does on Saturday night with friends playing a game of mime or guessing games.

But in an era where the notions of diversity and identity are completely changing our perspectives, is it still relevant to create such clear-cut categories? I don’t think so.

I know that those who think that transgender, pansexual, non-binary, bisexual or fluid people take up too much space in society are likely to tear their shirts.

“What I anticipate is that the debate will slip onto gender identity,” says Véronique Cloutier. “That’s not the idea. It’s a question of gender equality. Are we still wondering whether guys or girls are better? In any case, no matter what decision we make, it’s sure to cause a stir.”

Louis Morissette, who has already faced a few “headwinds” during his career, also expects the decision that will be made to divide the public. “That’s also what 2024 is about. On both sides, there has to be some whining.”

This debate is reminiscent of the one about the creation of gender-neutral categories at the Gémeaux. After a year of controversy, management has returned to a gender-based formula for the acting awards. The overzealousness of decision-makers has been harmful.

In the case of The furyit’s not quite the same thing. It’s a television entertainment that has no impact on a serious vote and is not based on any rules set in stone. Let’s clarify that the rights to this show originally belong to the European company Endemol and that Louis Morissette feels completely free to make this change.

The real question is: what difference will it make if two mixed teams face off? No matter where players like Sébastien Benoit or Élyse Marquis end up, what we want is for them to have the right answers and for their team to win.

In fact, Louis Morissette’s main concern at the moment is finding a studio to record this show, which will undoubtedly be widely watched. With the disappearance of the famous Studio 42, Radio-Canada’s new premises cannot accommodate a show of this magnitude. This is a significant concern.