Like every Saturday evening, in the second part of the evening, the talk show of France 2 What an Era! promises a nice polycultural plateau. This February 11, 2023 was no exception to the rule by receiving former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, host Cyril Féraud, France Inter columnist Dominique Seaux, economist Michael Zemmour, serial killer Charles Sobhraj , nicknamed “the snake” or the actors Philippe Lacheau, Elodie Fontant and… Clémentine Célarié. It was the interview of the latter that created the buzz on the networks. Coming to promote the documentary from the “Elle parle d’elle” collection dedicated to Joséphine Baker, and where the actress recounts the life of this incredible woman, which will be broadcast on February 13 on Canal + Docs, Clémentine Célarié confided that she was itself… black. Stupor on the set and the networks! “I’m black, I was born in Africa, so I’m attracted to black skin, that’s how it is, I can’t help it…”, she launches first. Léa Salamé then takes it up: “Do you think you are black?”, “I don’t think so, I am”, immediately replies the actress, before explaining: “that is to say that I was born in Africa, I am African, but it cannot be seen, so inevitably it is annoying, there are many things which cannot be seen with the naked eye… I am drawn to a warmth, something that reminds me of my childhood…“, she says, searching for her words. A guest then addresses her: “But you don’t experience the same discrimination as black people”, she throws at him.
️ “I am black”, declares Clémentine Célarié who tells the heroine Joséphine Baker in a documentary broadcast on February 13 on @Canalplusdocs and plays in the adaptation of Maupassant’s “Une vie” at the theater #QuelleEpoque@France2tv@LeaSalamepic.twitter.com/7ICYer8qCa
– What an era! (@QuelleEpoqueOff) February 11, 2023
“But what is she talking about? Words have meaning!”
And Clémentine Célarié, still hesitant, to answer: “Absolutely, of course, finally I experienced it through my son, I have a mixed-race son, but I didn’t experience it myself… well, yes anyway because you can meet people who have black skin, you feel like them and they don’t feel… well you see… what’s crazy is that as the documentary progressed (on Joséphine Baker, editor’s note), I met a sister”, she ends by falling back on her self-promotion paws. Remarks which were not well perceived, nor understood on the networks, some taking offense at the amalgamation between Africa and black skin “Being born in Africa does not make her black. I was born in France, that doesn’t make me white and clearly society likes to remind me of that. She can appreciate a culture without talking that kind of nonsense”, inept conception of racism by proxy “But what is she saying? Words have meaning. She is not black. And no, she has never experienced racism. We are not victims of racism through the racism that the people we meet suffer.” Or even dubious fetish amalgam “This type of confusion exists (a friend experienced it when he was younger), but it only works when, in the entourage, it is not pointed out that one is white. Seen what she suggests in the 2nd part of the delirium, she is aware that she is white. She’s just a fetishist.” Not sure that his words will help promote the play A life by Maupassant, which she is currently performing at the theatre.
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VF