The comedy Splendor and influencewhich parodies reality shows populated by Sunwing passengers soaked in grocery store drink, is full of comical and scathing lines.
The episodes, which Tou.tv Extra broadcasts every Thursday (there are only two online), scratch not only the mindless competitors of these popular shows, but also their hosts devoid of empathy, their producers manipulators as well as all their well-known television codes such as ultra-nervous cameras, black and white flashbacks, misleading montages, moments of false emotion and twists always organized with the guy or girl in the shots.
It’s really very funny. The first episode explodes with hilarious gags demonstrating the keen sense of observation of the author Marc Brunet (Like me!, Bobos), which spoils itself in social commentary.
Forced diversity on screen, cancel culture and its excuses written by public relations firms or excessive cult of physical appearance, nothing escapes the screenwriter of the Heart has its reasons.
To the influencer Chloé (Naïla Louidort), a 22-year-old Laval resident of Haitian origin, Marc Brunet says: “I can play the blonde of a black guy, but only in a Bank of Montreal ad if we show that we’re friends with a gay Asian guy. »
Then, when the host Brigitte “Bree” Bussières (Anne Dorval, always fair) interviews the famous Chloé about her black skin, she tells her: “I don’t see colors in human beings, so I’m going to tell you take my word for it. »
Response from Chloé, whose name is pronounced Schloé: “It’s like me, I can’t tell you if you’re Inuit or Hawaiian. »Bam!
The second episode slows down the pace and gets lost in a false racism scandal when the sponsor’s cork of cheap sparkling wine smashes the eye of the maid Chloé/Schloé. OD has its Night Bubbles, Splendor and influence has its Nocturnal Sparkler, the margarine of champagnes or the favorite wine of people who run to the convenience store at the last minute.
The visual and sound packaging of Splendor and influence takes a lot of inspiration from the deceased Love Island of TVA (what a loss for humanity, lord!) with its thunderous Europop music and its singles whose intellectual abilities are inversely proportional to the weights they lift.
The mechanics of Splendor and influence is closer to the first seasons of OD, where Éric Salvail rolled out a cheapo red carpet in front of a McMaison at the Point Zéro estate on the lake, in Blainville.
There are only six main characters to follow in Splendor and influencenamely the host and producer Brigitte Bussières, her co-host Zac (Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques), who dangerously resembles Fred Robichaud from OD, as well as the four content creators of this fake reality show.
In addition to Chloé/Schloé, we find Drano (Yannick de Martino), a 28-year-old stuntman from Lachute and father of little Stacey in shared custody one day out of 30. We meet Vadge (Pascale de Blois, seen in Big Brother Celebritys), 23 years old, from Trois-Rivières, who does Pilates next to a snowblower. And we meet Cyprien (Mathieu Dufour), from Montreal, a 26-year-old fashionista who denounces social injustices by wearing beautiful sweaters.
I would have liked to see more of the secondary characters of Marie-Tractor, harpsichordist and belcher, the gym-obsessed Osti-Ve (what a superb first name), as well as the bubbly Velveeta, whose name is always followed by two “snaps” of fingers, clack, clack, because it expresses his whole personality. They only appear at the beginning and that’s a shame. Bring them back, STAT.
The host Brigitte, known as Bree, attracts all the limelight with each of her appearances. Anne Dorval embodies her with some borrowings from Julie Snyder, notably in her chic and designer outfits.
In the third episode, our darling Brigitte, ex-host of the show Goodbye rolls, hello lovesubmits to the magazine’s 73 questions exercise Vogue and it’s a delight. Regarding the positive effects of the #metoo movement, Brigitte will justify: “Now, when we see a talk show host who loses his keys and tries to find them between the buttocks of an employee, well we are silently shocked and we approve when someone else denounces it. »
The level of funny fluctuates from one episode to another. The fifth half-hour skillfully recreates the Sunwing touristata scandal, prompting an exodus of sponsors from Splendor and influenceincluding the Michael Jarreau kitchen cabinets and the Urban Douchy resto-bar.
Marc Brunet’s new comedy reveals itself at its best when it creaks and scratches, and not in burlesque and repetition effects. In the first episode, a competitor asks that the word “hot air balloon” be replaced by the expression “person proud to suffer from a developmental disorder”. Production will have to evacuate her by ambulance because she is so offended.
Several jokes from Splendor and influence concern beauty and celebrity, “the most beautiful job in the world”, slips Brigitte Bussières, putting another pearl of wisdom on the necklace of her co-host Zac.
For Vadge, every woman should have beautiful eyelashes. Because “the eyes are like the towels on the face,” she will explain without laughing.
Today, Instagram plogging is no longer limited to traditional influencers, whose “job” is to drive sales of boxed mattresses, pubic razors or Popeye’s supplements. Several artists are now involved in the promotion of grocery store wine and facial serums in a form that is perhaps more noble and subtle, but which remains disguised advertising.
It’s also very ironic – borderline meta – to see comedian Mathieu Dufour making fun of influencers in Splendor and influence and to act, in the same week, as spokesperson for Quebec Steamed Hot Dog Day, sponsored by Lafleur.
Honestly, Mathieu and his burps looked like they had come out of a comedy sketch. Splendor and influence. A little promo code with that?