It’s Christmas, but, COVID or not, with or without traditions to jig or knead, for lack of midnight mass in the village as the priests have deserted the Church (we understand them), the collective jubilation remains of the party. It gets dark so early. Might as well fight the great depression that lurks with the moon. “So stop throwing your bad news at us,” tell journalists those panicked by the zippered horizon in front of their eyes. Some reasons for concern float in the air, it is true. But don’t shoot the messenger. And then, and then, beyond crises, cataclysms and wars, all those moments of joy in December…
The sports planet sings in chorus: Come divine Messi! Absolving of all its sins Qatar, host country of this soccer world cup, to erase the original stain. Christmas is love.
Moreover, many Quebec parents have trained their offspring in Nutcracker Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. And if adults, sated with the show throughout successive vintages, have grown tired of it, this delicious enchantment introduces children to the magic of dance to music by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Fernand Nault. Good ! These last vintages, for the famous scene of Chinese tea, considered stereotyped, the dancer changed primers. Exit the conical hat, the thin mustache and the makeup that lengthened the eyes. Move on, there’s more offense! But the famous wooden or flesh doll in a soldier’s uniform, taken from a 19th century German talee century, retains its finery. Basically, the tradition is saved, and this ancestor story of Toy Story, where the toys come to life, enchants young audiences as much as its premiere on December 18, 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in Saint Petersburg. Other modern puppets wince more than this charming nutcracker. They will fart the margoulette faster, we hope on their knees.
Thus, Donald Trump’s star wavers. Something to put a smile on the face of many grumpy Christmas eaters. With the mass of lawsuits against the powerful of yesterday, weakened by his turpitudes, his presidential campaign of 2024 hangs by a thread. Gloria in excelsis Deo ! But how not to thank the unstoppable character for his recent delivery of one of the most surreal artistic proposals of the vintage – the only cultural contribution of the former American president to date. I named his digital cards sold to his fan club for hard cash or cryptomonetics (all passed in 24 hours under a wave of love). Because these avatars of Trump suddenly thin and very young, disguised as Superman, astronaut, cowboy, footballer and other glorious icons of American culture and pop culture, were so ridiculous, his desire to sell his heroic face so childish and grotesque , that he made us push the laughter come from the depths which warms under his little wool. Yes, the first world power will indeed have sat in the Oval Office this pitiful clown. Still, his account is good. We feel it. We see it. Play oboe, resonate bagpipes!
Trump had the wind in his sails to launch a kitschy virtual marketing operation to exploit his base. The businessman understands his time. Culture, when it deserves this name, dematerializes as best as possible, hand in hand with the spheres of information and education. Phenomenon in increased expansion in 2022, rich in irritating or entertaining adventures, with drum rolls, pa ra pam pam pam.
Another seasonal puppet: Elon Musk. This extremely wealthy will have multiplied the crooked steps, the kicks in the back of his staff and the pirouettes so much since his acquisition of Twitter last April, that we thought we saw the puppet of Polichinelle dancing in front of the castle. This two-speed champion of freedom of expression — whether evictions or evasive maneuvers serve him or not — made sponsors and users clear out before putting his head on the line by member votes. Losing the ball in the detour, trying to keep it on its base, then brandishing his resignation if someone crazy enough agreed to succeed him. Spinning tops don’t spin as much as this jester in a jingle-bell hat. Ring your bells!
Ever since cultural buffets have been eaten in pajamas, we have all been singing about the advent of the digital cultural universe. Today, advances in artificial intelligence are pushing oh! and ah! A software prides itself on replacing teachers and students in the learning of human knowledge. By washing away the collective chives for centuries upon centuries. But no need to tire yourself out anymore. Let’s sing blissfully, Hallelujah!
This column is interrupted for a week. And long live the winter wind!