after 35 years, Jérôme Garcin leaves the cult France Inter show, “Le Masque et la plume”

While a special of “Masque et la Plume” is broadcast this Sunday, Jérôme Garcin defended his choice to stop the show, believing “that it was time to leave it to someone younger”. Rebecca Manzoni was chosen to succeed him.

“For 35 years I tried to be a smuggler.” Guest of France Inter, Jérôme Garcin looked back on his years at the head of Mask and feather, a cult cultural program, broadcast every Sunday on public radio. Until his last, Sunday December 31, he will have pursued one objective: “To bring as many people as possible, and sometimes those less fortunate or less educated in culture, to love the most beautiful things”. For him, “It’s perhaps the most beautiful thing in the profession”.

“The ‘Masque’ is the story of France Inter, I would even say of Radio France. It’s a certain idea of ​​cultural and popular radio.”

Jérôme Garcin

at France Inter

The producer of “Mask” explains why he is handing over. “This show is the oldest show, it will soon be 70 years old in 2025” and he “I thought it was time to pass it on to someone younger.”. “I did it because I really wanted this show to have a future”he insists.

Rebecca Manzoni, another great voice of the channel, will take over. At the same time, she will continue to present Totemic every Friday. While the France Inter morning show opened its channel to listeners, the producer called “from his kitchen” to question Jérôme Garcin.

“I owe a lot of happiness and a lot of courage” to the show

The 67-year-old journalist is also a writer. “Behind the mask of a presenter, I have often taken up the pen to talk about myself, about a more personal life, sometimes more painful, but I have always made sure that the two do not interpenetrate”he says.

The show helped him overcome life’s challenges. “Thanks to this mask [d’animateur], I was able, in certain difficult moments, to have the feeling that life continued, that we had to be happy, that happiness was more important than what could happen to each of us. I owe this ‘Mask’ a lot of happiness, but also, perhaps, a lot of courage.”

Jérôme Garcin will keep a cultural column in the magazine The Obs. The first issue of Mask and the Feather hosted by Rebecca Manzoni will air on January 7.