After a reign of 18 years | Louis-José Houde will host his last ADISQ gala

After an 18-year reign at the gala helm of ADISQ, Louis-José Houde is bowing out. “It was a wonderful creative and festive adventure, but the time has come to hand over the torch,” the comedian wrote Thursday on his Facebook page.

In recent memory, the ADISQ gala is inseparable from Louis-José Houde, who will host his eighteenth gala in a row this Sunday – a record for the ADISQ, but also for any other major award ceremony prices in Quebec.

Nearly two decades, therefore, of seeing Louis-José Houde take the stage first for his traditional opening number at the raising of the curtain, and of hearing him punctuate the evening with humorous interventions testifying to his very real passion for music.

On Facebook, Louis-José Houde talks about this 18^e gala as “his last”… but still leaves the door open.

“Styles of music have had time to go out of fashion and come back since I started hosting; I need a break, writes the new dad in a message tinged with humor. Probably it’s just a goodbye and not a farewell. Maybe I’ll go back one day, but for now, Émile Bilodeau is an adult, it’s all happening too quickly. I also want more time for my shows, my personal projects, especially since I frequently cook over indirect heat, it takes longer. »

Louis-José Houde said he was happy, as a “motivated music lover”, to have led this gala dedicated to Quebec music for so long, which has existed since 1979. Before him, Yvon Deschamps had held the helm of the ceremony during nine non-consecutive galas, while Guy A. Lepage hosted it five years in a row in the early 2000s.

“Relatives ask me why I don’t surrender at 20. Because 20 years would be stretching the sauce. Eighteen, it’s a quick little passage…” concludes Louis-Josée Houde, who did not grant any interviews on Thursday.

Normand Brathwaite is very well placed to understand this need that Louis-José Houde had to announce his departure, he who hosted the Gémeaux awards ceremony 15 times, between 1988 and 2002.

“People don’t know it, but the number of hours that it involves is enormous,” says Normand Brathwaite, convinced that he was earning below the minimum wage because the preparation is colossal. And when you start sticking to a gala, you become your own competition. People expect it to be good next year, but you always reset the clock. Your demands are even higher. »

In his eyes, Louis-José Houde has the same credibility that Yvon Deschamps had at the helm of ADISQ, because he has performed a lot on stage, and because he is a musician. “Louis-José is not a comedian who plays percussion: he is a real musician, who deeply loves the music culture in Quebec,” says Normand Brathwaite.

Louis-José has reached a point where the ADISQ gala, in a way, belongs to him, underlines Normand Brathwaite, who expects his departure – whether temporary or permanent – ​​to create a void . “The world will have to get used to seeing someone else, but we don’t like change,” says Normand Brathwaite. In 2003 and 2004, just after his departure from hosting, the Gemini award ceremony took place… without a host.

In a press release, ADISQ and Radio-Canada indicated that they had been informed of the departure of Louis-José Houde a few months ago. The ADISQ team wanted to thank him for hosting these 18 ceremonies – “unheard of in the history of galas”. “Louis-José was able to mark our event in such a way that he created the model to adopt for the success of a gala,” underlined Jean-François Renaud, president of ADISQ.

“We will certainly draw inspiration from his legacy to continue to celebrate our artists in the way he did so well for nearly two decades,” declared Eve Paré, general director of ADISQ.

The interim general director of Television de Radio-Canada, Sophie Morasse, for her part expressed her gratitude to the host. “The incomparable verve of Louis-José, but also his impressive capacity for renewal as well as the amount of work and research that he devotes to each edition have enabled him to make each Gala on ICI TÉLÉ a great success,” said she declared.

The curtain which will fall on Sunday will therefore mark the end of an era. Under the comedian’s Facebook publication, admirers showed the affection he has for him in his role as head of the ceremony. “Congratulations on your excellent work and we will watch your latest animation with nostalgia,” commented a user. “We were watching this gala for you!” Only you had the finesse to host this gala without controversy (or very little) but above all for your introduction which was always so funny and above all so respectful,” wrote another. “It won’t be the same gala after you leave. »

Louis-José Houde’s last gala will take place on Sunday, from 8 p.m., live on ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU. TV.