What you always wanted to know about Laurent Paquin

In a few days, he will present his fifth one-man show to the Montreal public, Distracted Crocodile, which addresses the difficulty of being happy. Because contrary to what we might think, Laurent Paquin tells us that he doesn’t have easy happiness. The comedian answers your questions with complete transparency.

What people don’t see is that there’s a whole promotion machine behind it. But these are very profitable shows, we won’t be fooled into thinking we’re being pitied. People don’t just pay for what they see on stage. We spend a lot of money on advertising and marketing. My show has been running for almost a year and it will start to be profitable… Personally, I find that all comedy shows cost too much, but there is an overbidding, it’s the market. There are people who ask a certain price, then you say to yourself: I consider myself to be of the same caliber, so I will ask the same price… And then sometimes, there are terrible ticketing costs that are added. You also have to pay the authors who participate in writing the show. I write more than 70% of my texts, so there are royalties to pay.

I have this talent. I don’t have a memory for much in life, but I learn these texts easily. I don’t deserve that much. I rehearse with the text in my hands, it’s work that I do alone. Sometimes my son gives me the cue, but most of the time I work alone, I repeat the text and it fits. Obviously, when I memorize a text that I wrote for a one-man show, half the work is done. I learn it by writing it, I have it in my head, it’s much easier.

No. I’ve refused small things, but I’m starting to become more and more known as an actor, I’d say it’s quite recent. I’m auditioning. I auditioned for a Ken Scott film, for the Maurice Richard film. They were good auditions, even if they didn’t come to fruition. I have less imposter syndrome. The theater thinks a little more about me, with Tomorrow morning, Montreal is waiting for me And The idiots’ dinner where I think I play a very good François Pignon, but TV and cinema think less of me… It doesn’t bother me that much, I don’t chase after it. Basically, I love the stage, the direct contact with the audience, I find it thrilling.

I find myself very lucky because I don’t have stage fright before going on stage. Questioning – why am I doing this job? –, I don’t feel it. I have a little anxiety because I want to be good enough. I tell myself that I have to prove that I still have something to say. I always say to myself: why would we go see Laurent Paquin? It’s more of a generalized stress. If I have to sing on the show Live from the universe – I did it for François Bellefeuille, Dany Dubé, Stéphane Fallu – now I’m nervous because even if I like it, it takes me out of my zone. There, my heart is struggling. I already had stage fright when I was younger, but it disappeared. I’m just having fun. I’m excited, a little nervous, but I have no anxiety.

To replace Louis-José Houde? I have an unconscious side that would mean I might say yes, but I don’t think it would be a good idea. If I had to do it, I would have to go in another direction… But if I were ADISQ, I would choose someone who is not a comedian to propose something completely different from Louis- Jose. Because he has established himself as the best host of this gala. These are big shoes to fill. I had already hosted the Jutra gala with Pénélope McQuade, I did not hate the experience, but we are extremely monitored. We had to make jokes about cinema, but without demeaning the industry. So it was definitely tricky. In the United States, they can ridicule the actors, everyone is a millionaire, then they return to their homes worth 15 million. In Quebec, you don’t screw over an actor who worked for almost nothing…

At the Olympia in Montreal, November 14 and 15, and on tour