stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces or hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. It is common for people ...

sports journalist Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in a par ...

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

Yvelines Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.one-man show A solo performance, sometimes referred to as a one-man show, one-woman show, or one-person show, features a single person telling a story for an audience, typically for the purpose of entertainment. This type of performance comes in many varieti ...

Arnaud Joyet Arnaud Joyet (born 3 April 1974, Var, France) is a French singer, musician, comedian and theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre prod ...

comedy festival A comedy festival is a celebration of comedy with many shows, venues, comedy performers (such as stand up comics, sketch troupes, variety performers, etc.) and is held over a specific block of time. Normally, each festival has a diverse range of ...

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...

On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews * ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin * ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995 * ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001 * ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...

ONDAR Show The ''ONDAR Show'' () is a French sketch comedy television programme. It was broadcast on France 2 from October 2012 to January 2013, and featured comedians from ''On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment M ...

Laurent Ruquier Laurent Hugues Emmanuel Ruquier (; born 24 February 1963) is a French television presenter, radio host and comedian. He is also a lyricist, writer, columnist and impresario; he has been co-owner and general manager of Théâtre Antoine-Simone B ...

Jérémy Ferrari Jérémy Ferrari (born 6 April 1985) is a French comedian and radio/television presenter. He is known for his black comedy. In his comedic sketches, he deals with racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination. Biography Ferra ...

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

Hero Corp Hero Corp is a French comedic science fiction TV show that has aired 93 episodes over 5 seasons, beginning in October 2008 on the cable channel Comédie!. In July 2009 it began broadcasting on France 4. The show is created, directed by and stars ...

TMC TMC may stand for: Companies and brands *Thinking Machines Corporation, a defunct supercomputer company *Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese automobile manufacturer *Toshiba Memory Corporation * Trans Mountain Corporation *Transportation Manageme ...

Philippe Peythieu Philippe Peythieu (born 12 January 1950) is a French comedian. He specialises in dubbing, and is especially known for providing the voice of Homer Simpson in the French version of the animated series ''The Simpsons''. He has also regularly voiced ...

Véronique Augereau Véronique Augereau (born 25 May 1957) is a French actress who is notably active in Dubbing (filmmaking), dubbing. She is especially known for providing the voice of Marge Simpson in the French version of the animated series ''The Simpsons''. Sh ...

Fonzy ''Fonzy'' is a 2013 French comedy film about a fish deliveryman in Paris becomes involved in a legal battle with his sperm donation children. The film is a remake of the Quebecois film '' Starbuck'' (2011). Plot Twenty years ago, Diego Costa, u ...

Guipavas Guipavas (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. The writer Maurice Polard (born 1932) is from Guipavas. The city is divided into two major parts: the west, known as the dynamic core of the city and ...

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally **Breton people **Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Gale ...

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

Rocquencourt Rocquencourt refers to two places in France: * Rocquencourt, Yvelines Rocquencourt () is a former commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Le Chesna ...

Trappes Trappes () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines departments of France, department, Île-de-France Regions of France, region, Northern France. It is a banlieue located in the western outer suburbs of Paris, from the Kilometre zero, c ...

Yvelines Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.department. His father was a

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

in the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

who was awarded the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

, and his mother a

housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

, whom he has described as "the best in her domain". He has two brothers. He describes himself as having had a "strict upbringing". Speaking about his early life and its relation to his surreal comic style, Tsamere said:

I grew up in a very comfortable environment. I wanted for nothing; serious things never happened to me in life. I have never been a victim of injustice, so I have nothing to protest. I don't have any particular origins which would be interesting to talk about. ... So, I do absurd stuff because I don't want to talk about other things.

After getting his

baccalauréat The ''baccalauréat'' (; ), often known in France colloquially as the ''bac'', is a French national academic qualification that students can obtain at the completion of their secondary education (at the end of the ''lycée'') by meeting certain ...

, he studied law at university, where he discovered an improvisational match in his first year and "fell in love" with the performance. In 1998, he obtained a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

in

business law Commercial law (or business law), which is also known by other names such as mercantile law or trade law depending on jurisdiction; is the body of law that applies to the rights, relations, and conduct of persons and organizations engaged in ...

and later got a job working in export sales. However, he realised that he "could no longer live without the stage", and on the advice of his friend

Arnaud Joyet Arnaud Joyet (born 3 April 1974, Var, France) is a French singer, musician, comedian and theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre prod ...

and Déclic Théâtre co-founder Alain Degois, quit his job and launched his career as a comedian.

Career

Theatre and improvisation

After quitting his previous job, Tsamere took part in the Déclic Théâtre improvisation group under its co-founder Alain "Papy" Degois, who he said "pushed me, gave me confidence, coddled me ndgot me to act in plays and improvisation matches". Between 2003 and 2005, he played the baron Christian de Neuvillette in an adaptation of ''

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th ce ...

'' at the Château de Gizeux with the theatre group La Pastière, to which he was introduced by Degois. Arnaud Tsamere

He began writing his first

one-man show A solo performance, sometimes referred to as a one-man show, one-woman show, or one-person show, features a single person telling a story for an audience, typically for the purpose of entertainment. This type of performance comes in many varieti ...

in 2002 with his friend Arnaud Joyet, inspired by a

videotape Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually Sound recording and reproduction, sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog signal, analog or Digital signal (signal processing), digital signal. V ...

of comedian François Rollin. The show, entitled ''Réflexions profondes sur pas mal de trucs'' (Profound reflections on quite a few things), played on theatrical "flops", a form of humour that Tsamere said "can seem easy utis not when you really start to work on it". It was performed at the Blancs Manteaux theatre from April 2005 to January 2006. Tsamere met Rollin at the Dinard Comedy Festival, and he joined Tsamere and Joyet to write a second show, '' Chose Promise'' (Promised Thing). Written in 2007, it stars Tsamere as an

economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

teacher named Patrice Valenton, performing as part of a promise made to a friend who died in a

car accident A traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle collision, or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other moving or stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole or building. T ...

. He chose to perform as a character under Rollin's suggestion, so that he could depict failure under the guise of somebody who is not a comedian. Regarding the show's theme of

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

, he said "It's a bit strange, but it has the virtue of attracting the public's attention". Tsamere's performance was well received by critics; ''

Le Parisien ''Le Parisien'' (; ) is a French daily newspaper covering both international and national news, and local news of Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of ...

'' called the show a "masterpiece of the genre". ''Chose Promise'' was released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

on 6 March 2013 after being recorded at the Théâtre Sébastopol in

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

. Tsamere has done three tours of the show, and its final two performances were at the Olympia in February 2014. Tsamere's third show, ''Confidences sur pas mal de trucs plus ou moins confidentiels'' (Secrets about quite a few more or less confidential things), also written with Rollin and Joyet, was performed on tour throughout France from November 2014, and at

Le Splendid Le Splendid is a café-théâtre company founded in Paris by a collection of writers and actors in the 1970s: Christian Clavier, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte (four childhood friends who knew one another from the Lycée Pasteur ...

from January 2015. Tsamere has said it is based on the principal that "society laughs too much", and will involve him talking about himself. On 25 June 2012 at the Européen theatre, Tsamere performed alongside the ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' jury member

Éric Métayer Éric eʁikis a French masculine given name, the equivalent of English Eric. In French-speaking Canada and Belgium it is also sometimes unaccented, and pronounced "Eric" as English with the stress on the "i". A notable French exception is Erik Sat ...

in ''Métamère en impro''. He performed ''La tournée du trio'' with his ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' colleague

Jérémy Ferrari Jérémy Ferrari (born 6 April 1985) is a French comedian and radio/television presenter. He is known for his black comedy. In his comedic sketches, he deals with racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination. Biography Ferra ...

, and

Baptiste Lecaplain Baptiste Lecaplain (born 23 May 1985 in Mortain) is a French comedian and actor. He does stand-up comedy and has appeared in some films. Early life In 2004, he got his baccalauréat. After that, he was a youth leader at Levallois-Perret but he ...

; after a tour of 12 performances in Zéniths, they did several special performances in February 2014. Tsamere has attended

comedy festival A comedy festival is a celebration of comedy with many shows, venues, comedy performers (such as stand up comics, sketch troupes, variety performers, etc.) and is held over a specific block of time. Normally, each festival has a diverse range of ...

s such as the Montreux Comedy Festival, where he performed with Ferrari, and the

Avignon Festival The ''Festival d'Avignon'', or Avignon Festival (), is an annual arts festival held in the French city of Avignon every summer in July in the courtyard of the Palais des Papes as well as in other locations of the city. Founded in 1947 by Jean ...

. He is now part of the Ligue Majeure d'Improvisation.

Television and radio

In 2005, with the help of

Frédéric Testot Frédéric Giacomo Testo (, ; born 20 February 1977), known as Fred Testot (), is a French actor, comedian and filmmaker. Since rising to prominence in the 2000s as he collaborated extensively with Omar Sy on the '' Service après-vente des émis ...

, whom he met at a

Puy-Saint-Vincent Puy-Saint-Vincent (; ) is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hautes-Alpes department The following is a list of the 162 communes of the Hautes-Alpes department of Fran ...

comedy festival, Tsamere got the job of presenting the

weather forecast Weather forecasting or weather prediction is the application of science and technology to predict the conditions of the atmosphere for a given location and time. People have attempted to predict the weather informally for thousands of years an ...

in '' Le Grand Journal'' on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

. He also appeared in Canal+'s ''

SAV des émissions ''Service après-vente des émissions'', also known as ''SAV des émissions'', is a French short comedy television series hosted by the comic duo Omar and Fred (Omar Sy and Fred Testot) from 2005 to 2012 on Canal+. The show was a segment of '' Le ...

'', presented by Testot and

Omar Sy Omar Sy (, ; born 20 January 1978) is a French actor, best known in France for his sketches with Fred Testot on the '' Service après-vente des émissions'' television show on Canal+ (2005–2012). He gained wider recognition for his role in the ...

. After quitting the weather in June 2006, he hosted ''La longue nuit du pénis'' on the same channel that September. It was a night dedicated to the

penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...

, which Tsamere has described as "nothing pornographic or erotic. It was a series of serious documentaries." He says he was asked after Frédérique Bel refused, because he was "probably the only one liable to accept". In 2007 Tsamere met

Simon Astier Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

during the recording of the M6 show ''Off Prime''. He was given the role of Captain Sport Extrême in Astier's comedy

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

programme, ''

Hero Corp Hero Corp is a French comedic science fiction TV show that has aired 93 episodes over 5 seasons, beginning in October 2008 on the cable channel Comédie!. In July 2009 it began broadcasting on France 4. The show is created, directed by and stars ...

'', which is broadcast on

France 4 France 4 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. Owned by France Télévisions, the channel is divided into two strands, with children's and family programming under the ''Okoo'' strand airing from 05:00 to 21:00 daily, and arts pr ...

. He only appeared in one episode of the first series, but more frequently in the second. Speaking about the differences between himself and his character, Tsamere said "He is a misogynist, beastly, an adventurer, unattached... I am just the opposite". He also said "I've loved this character. I love playing crackpots." In 2010 he participated in the

sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...

talent show A talent show or talent contest is an event in which participants perform the arts of singing, dancing, lip-syncing, acting, martial arts, playing an instrument, poetry, comedy or other activities to showcase skills. Many talent shows are p ...

''

On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews * ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin * ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995 * ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001 * ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...

'', created and presented by

Laurent Ruquier Laurent Hugues Emmanuel Ruquier (; born 24 February 1963) is a French television presenter, radio host and comedian. He is also a lyricist, writer, columnist and impresario; he has been co-owner and general manager of Théâtre Antoine-Simone B ...

and broadcast on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

. Ruquier asked him to do so after he saw Tsamere in ''Monique est demandée caisse 12'' and ''Le Comique''. He has described it as "the missing piece of the puzzle" that allowed him to become well known. He already knew all of the original participants, except for

Nicole Ferroni Nicole Ferroni (born 19 March 1982) is a French comedian, actress, columnist in France Inter and former biology teacher. She is known for participating in Laurent Ruquier's show ''On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and ...

, whom he discovered at a comedy festival in Puy-Saint-Vincent in January 2011. He is friends with

Jérémy Ferrari Jérémy Ferrari (born 6 April 1985) is a French comedian and radio/television presenter. He is known for his black comedy. In his comedic sketches, he deals with racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination. Biography Ferra ...

, with whom he has performed sketches on the show. The two share a well-known on-stage rivalry. Based on

pun A pun, also known as a paronomasia in the context of linguistics, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from t ...

s involving

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

and food, his sketch "L'avocat de la salade, la frite et la saucisse" was the first in the programme to achieve 99 out of 100 points. After participating in the show for two years and totalling 64 appearances, Tsamere announced in 2012 that he did not plan to return for its third season. However, he came back the next year after the cancellation of the ''ONDAR Show'', and described his

stage fright Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia that may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, real or imagined, whether actually or potentially (for example, when perf ...

before his first performance after his return. When the show returned for its fourth season, he acted as patron (''parrain'') during the first week, and could save and work with eliminated candidates. In September 2011, Tsamere appeared with ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' colleague Jérémy Ferrari in two editions of Ruquier's

late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show, originating in the American Media, United States. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest interviews, comedy sketches and music performances. It is charact ...

''On n'est pas couché''—however, in what would have been their third week, they decided to quit the show as they thought that "our duo was not the right formula to succeed Jonathan ambert, their predecessor, as well as to concentrate on their "solo projects". From October 2012 to January 2013, Tsamere took part in the ''

ONDAR Show The ''ONDAR Show'' () is a French sketch comedy television programme. It was broadcast on France 2 from October 2012 to January 2013, and featured comedians from ''On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment M ...

'', a

spin-off Spin-off, Spin Off, Spin-Off, or Spinoff may refer to: Entertainment and media *Spinoff (media), a media work derived from an existing work *''The Spinoff'', a New Zealand current affairs magazine * ''Spin Off'' (Canadian game show), a 2013 Canad ...

of ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' in which its best comedians performed without judges in a format similar to American entertainment. However, the show was unpopular with critics—''

Le Nouvel Observateur (), previously known as (2014–2024), (1964–2014), (1954–1964), (1953–1954), and (1950–1953), is a weekly French news magazine. Based in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, ' is one of the three most prominent French news magazines ...

''s Xavier Rousseau called it a "failed show" that "dashed hopes"—and the ''ONDAR Show'' was cancelled after 13 episodes due to low viewing figures. In 2013, Tsamere joined the team of

beIN Sports beIN Sports ( ) is a Qatari multinational network of sports channels owned and operated by the media group beIN. The network has played a major role in the increased commercialization of Qatari sports. Its chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and its ...

' programme ''Lunch Time'', which was hosted by Darren Tulett. In February 2014, it was announced that Tsamere would host the

TMC TMC may stand for: Companies and brands *Thinking Machines Corporation, a defunct supercomputer company *Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese automobile manufacturer *Toshiba Memory Corporation * Trans Mountain Corporation *Transportation Manageme ...

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

''Canapé Quiz'', an adaptation of the American ''

Hollywood Game Night ''Hollywood Game Night'' is an American television game show that aired on NBC from July 11, 2013, to July 5, 2020. The series, which is hosted by Jane Lynch, follows two contestants who take part in a casual game night with three celebrities ...

''. The show featured two teams, each composed of three celebrities and one member of the public, competing in a series of games. Three weeks later, TMC announced that ''Canapé Quiz'' had been cancelled and new episodes were to be moved to a later timeslot because of low viewing figures—10 days after its launch, it failed to pass 100,000 viewers. Discussing the show's audience in an interview on

Europe 1 Europe 1, (''Europe un'') formerly known as Europe nº 1, is a privately owned radio station created in 1955. It was owned and operated by Lagardère News, a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group, it was one of the leading radio broadcasting s ...

, Tsamere stated that he did not care about the viewing figures, and also mentioned that he had received positive feedback about the show on

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

, which he called "quite a revealing thing". He also stressed that he has fun when filming ''Canapé Quiz''. From 13 July 2015, Tsamere will present the game show ''Une famille en or'' (the French version of ''

Family Feud ''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. Two families compete on each episode to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The show has had three separate runs, the ...

'' and ''

Family Fortunes ''Family Fortunes'' is a British television game show based on the American game show ''Family Feud''. The programme ran on ITV from 6 January 1980 to 6 December 2002. A celebrity version, '' All Star Family Fortunes'', followed from 2006 to ...

'') when it returns on TMC; it was previously presented by

Christophe Dechavanne Christophe Dechavanne (; born 23 January 1958) is a French television and radio host and program producer. He is the host of '' La Roue de la fortune''. Biography Dechavanne attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school. He started working as a ...

from 2007 to 2014 on

TF1 TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. TF1 is part ...

. Tsamere said "It's the challenge of taking the reins of a cult programme that interested me". He has also appeared on various

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

s, including ''Mot de passe'' and '' Fort Boyard'' (French versions of ''

Million Dollar Password ''Million Dollar Password'' is an updated version of the game show ''Password'' on CBS, which was hosted by Regis Philbin and ran from June 1, 2008, to June 14, 2009. FremantleMedia produced the program. Production and broadcast history ''Millio ...

'' and ''

The Crystal Maze ''The Crystal Maze'' is a British game show devised by Jacques Antoine, based upon his format for the French game show '' Fort Boyard'', and produced for Channel 4. The programme focuses on teams of contestants, a mixed group of men and women, ...

'' respectively), as well as the

chat show A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (20 ...

''La nuit nous appartient'' on

NRJ 12 NRJ 12 was a French private commercial general-interest television channel belonging to the NRJ Group, created on 31 March 2005 on DTT. The channel was available on DTT, cable, satellite and ADSL. In 2024, its authorization to broadcast on DTT ...

. In 2012, he performed on '' Rire & Chansons'', a comedy and musical radio station.

Film

In 2011, Tsamere's first film role was Séverin in Charles Nemes' ''Au bistro du coin''. In the same year, he appeared in Pascale Pouzadoux's ''La Croisière'', and in the short films ''Le Métro'' (directed by Dianeïa Schaefer) and ''Deal'' (Wilfried Méance). Tsamere played the character of Vincent in Arnaud Demanche's short film ''Being Homer Simpson'', in which he appeared alongside

Philippe Peythieu Philippe Peythieu (born 12 January 1950) is a French comedian. He specialises in dubbing, and is especially known for providing the voice of Homer Simpson in the French version of the animated series ''The Simpsons''. He has also regularly voiced ...

and

Véronique Augereau Véronique Augereau (born 25 May 1957) is a French actress who is notably active in Dubbing (filmmaking), dubbing. She is especially known for providing the voice of Marge Simpson in the French version of the animated series ''The Simpsons''. Sh ...

, the

voice actor Voice acting is the art of Acting, performing a character or providing information to an audience with one's voice. Performers are often called voice actors/actresses in addition to other names. Examples of voice work include animation, animated, ...

s of

Homer Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...

and

Marge Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret. Notable Marges include: People * Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist * Marge Anderson (1932–2013), Ojibwe ...

respectively in the French dub of the animated series ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...

''. He also starred alongside José Garcia in ''

Fonzy ''Fonzy'' is a 2013 French comedy film about a fish deliveryman in Paris becomes involved in a legal battle with his sperm donation children. The film is a remake of the Quebecois film '' Starbuck'' (2011). Plot Twenty years ago, Diego Costa, u ...

'', a remake of the film '' Starbuck'', in which he plays Maître Chasseigne. It was released on 30 October 2013.

Sports journalism

Tsamere has written several columns about

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

for the newspaper ''

Le Monde (; ) is a mass media in France, French daily afternoon list of newspapers in France, newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average print circulation, circulation of 480,000 copies per issue in 2022, including ...

'', on topics such as golfer

Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...

, the cyclists

Chris Froome Christopher Clive Froome, (; born 20 May 1985) is a British professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI ProTeam . He has won seven Grand Tours: four editions of the Tour de France (in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017), one Giro d' ...

and

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong (''né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. He achieved international fame for winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times fro ...

in the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...

, and the French football league

Ligue 1 Ligue 1 (; ), officially known as Ligue 1 McDonald's France, McDonald's for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Administered by the Ligue de ...

. In July 2015, an article he wrote entitled "And then along came

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...

and ruined everything", which accused Froome of doping, was cited by

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

's Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield as an example of the hostility of the French press towards the cyclist.

Style and influences

Tsamere's style can be described as absurd humour, which according to him "has no hold on current events, politics or religion". He is a specialist in

improvisation Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. The origin of the word itself is in the Latin "improvisus", which literally means un-foreseen. Improvis ...

. He is known for his "slow burn" technique (a term coined by ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' jury member Jean-Luc Moreau), in which he talks about a subject before moving on to another and repeatedly interrupting himself to return to the initial subject. His humour is popular with television audiences, and has boosted ''On n'demande qu'à en rire'' viewing figures. On his website, Tsamere provides a link to that of François Rollin, as well as to that of English comedian

Ricky Gervais Ricky Dene Gervais ( ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, television producer and filmmaker. He co-created, co-wrote, and acted in the British television sitcoms ''The Office (British TV series), The Office'' (2001–2003) ...

, whom he calls "my absolute master". Other

role model A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success serves as a model to be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term ''role model'' is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who hypothesized that individuals compa ...

s of his are the brothers Simon and

Alexandre Astier Alexandre Astier (born 16 June 1974) is a French writer, director, editor, scriptwriter, humorist, actor and composer. Astier is most known as the creator, director, writer, editor, composer, and lead actor of the French television series '' ...

—he says of them and Gervais that he "could watch them perform anything". He has stated that his favourite director is

Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...

, linking this to his surreal style.

Personal life

Tsamere's partner is the

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

and television presenter

Margot Laffite Marguerite "Margot" Laffite (born 6 November 1980) is a French racing driver and television presenter. Biography Laffite discovered motorsport in 1995, at Le Mans, where she saw her father Jacques Laffite racing in real life for the first time. ...

(daughter of

Jacques Laffite Jacques-Henri Laffite (; born 21 November 1943) is a French former racing driver and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from to . Laffite won six Formula One Grands Prix across 13 seasons. Born and raised in Paris, Laffite trained as ...

); their first child was born on 4 February 2015. Tsamere is a

cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

enthusiast and a fan of

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

; he called the latter "My first great love to which I have remained faithful for so many years". He is a user of

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

and describes himself as "a bit of a

geek The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe Eccentricity (behavior), eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In th ...

", but says that he never retweets fans. He uses an

iPad The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...

, which he says has allowed him to read more: he "love new technology like a kid". Tsamere

quit smoking Smoking cessation, usually called quitting smoking or stopping smoking, is the process of discontinuing tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, which is addictive and can cause dependence. As a result, nicotine withdrawal often m ...

in June 2012, saying that

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

"disgusted" him; he uses an

electronic cigarette An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), or vape, is a device that simulates smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank. Instead of smoke, the user inhales vapor. As such ...

. He enjoys

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

films, of which his favourites are ''

Pretty Woman ''Pretty Woman'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and written by J. F. Lawton. The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and features Héctor Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy (in his final performance), ...

'' and ''

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a wikt:cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan and multiculturalism, multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting ...

''. Tsamere's favourite

television programme A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...

is the Belgian documentary series ''

Strip-Tease A striptease is an erotic dance, erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or Nudity, completely, in a seduction, seductive and Sexual suggestiveness, sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a str ...

'', and he describes himself as "a real TV addict". He also likes ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...

'', and ''

Hero Corp Hero Corp is a French comedic science fiction TV show that has aired 93 episodes over 5 seasons, beginning in October 2008 on the cable channel Comédie!. In July 2009 it began broadcasting on France 4. The show is created, directed by and stars ...

'', in which he appears—he says he is "not ashamed" to watch himself. He has read ''Une Vie'' by

Guy de Maupassant Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (, ; ; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, celebrated as a master of the short story, as well as a representative of the naturalist school, depicting human lives, destinies and s ...

, which he described as "so beautiful", and the biography of

Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley. It is best known for its consumer electronics, software, and services. Founded in 1976 as Apple Comput ...

founder

Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc. Jobs was also the founder of NeXT and chairman and majority shareholder o ...

, which he said is "the story of an incredible life".

Credits

Film

Short films

Television

Non-fictional appearances

* 2005: '' Le Grand Journal'' on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

(weather presenter) * 2005: ''

SAV des émissions ''Service après-vente des émissions'', also known as ''SAV des émissions'', is a French short comedy television series hosted by the comic duo Omar and Fred (Omar Sy and Fred Testot) from 2005 to 2012 on Canal+. The show was a segment of '' Le ...

'' on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

* 2006: ''La longue nuit du pénis'' on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

* 2007: ''Made In Palmade'' on

France 3 France 3 () is a French free-to-air Public broadcasting, public television network. The second flagship network of France Télévisions, it broadcasts a wide range of general and specialized programming. France 3 is structured as a Region ...

* 2008: ''Pliés en 4'' on

France 4 France 4 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. Owned by France Télévisions, the channel is divided into two strands, with children's and family programming under the ''Okoo'' strand airing from 05:00 to 21:00 daily, and arts pr ...

* 2010–2013: ''

On n'demande qu'a en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * On (band), a solo project of Ken Andrews * ''On'' (EP), a 1993 EP by Aphex Twin * ''On'' (Echobelly album), 1995 * ''On'' (Gary Glitter album), 2001 * ''On'' (Imperial Teen album), 200 ...

'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2011: ''On a tout révisé'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2011: ''On n'est pas couché'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

(in a duo with

Jérémy Ferrari Jérémy Ferrari (born 6 April 1985) is a French comedian and radio/television presenter. He is known for his black comedy. In his comedic sketches, he deals with racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and other forms of discrimination. Biography Ferra ...

) * 2011: ''Mot de passe'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2011: ''Dance Street'' on

France Ô France Ô () was a French free-to-air television channel featuring programming from the French overseas departments and collectivities in Metropolitan France. It was part of the France Télévisions group. It was a national counterpart of the ...

* 2012: ''Turbo'' on M6 * 2012: ''Morandini!'' (with Lamine Lezghad, Kheiron and Verino) * 2012: ''Le Golden Show'' (episode 5) * 2012: ''Le News Show'' on

Canal+ Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...

* 2012: '' Fort Boyard'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2012: ''Paris tout compris'' on

France 3 France 3 () is a French free-to-air Public broadcasting, public television network. The second flagship network of France Télévisions, it broadcasts a wide range of general and specialized programming. France 3 is structured as a Region ...

* 2012: ''C à vous'' on

France 5 France 5 () is a French free-to-air public television channel, part of the France Télévisions group. Principally featuring nonfiction and educational programming, the channel's motto is ''la chaîne de la connaissance et du savoir'' (the knowl ...

* 2012: ''On n'est pas des pigeons'' on

RTBF The ("Belgian Radio-television of the French Community"), shortened to RTBF (branded as rtbf.be), is a public broadcasting, public service broadcaster for the French Community of Belgium, French-speaking Community of Belgium. Its counterpart i ...

* 2012: ''V6'' on

AB1 AB1 ''(formally AB Channel 1 until 1995)'' is a French television channel aimed at young adults. History AB1 launched on Eutelsat's Hot Bird satellite and on cable on December 1, 1995 as AB Channel 1 nearly a year before the launch of the A ...

* 2012–2013: ''

ONDAR Show The ''ONDAR Show'' () is a French sketch comedy television programme. It was broadcast on France 2 from October 2012 to January 2013, and featured comedians from ''On n'demande qu'à en rire On, on, or ON may refer to: Arts and entertainment M ...

'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

(presenter) * 2012: ''La nuit nous appartient'' on

NRJ 12 NRJ 12 was a French private commercial general-interest television channel belonging to the NRJ Group, created on 31 March 2005 on DTT. The channel was available on DTT, cable, satellite and ADSL. In 2024, its authorization to broadcast on DTT ...

(with Jérémy Ferrari) * 2013: ''Lunch Time'' on ''

beIN Sport beIN Sports ( ) is a Qatari multinational network of sports channels owned and operated by the media group beIN. The network has played a major role in the increased commercialization of Qatari sports. Its chairman is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and it ...

'' * 2013: ''Vendredi, tout est permis avec Arthur'' on

TF1 TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. TF1 is part ...

* 2013: ''

Le plus grand cabaret du monde Le plus grand cabaret du monde is a French entertainment show series produced by Magic TV and presented by Patrick Sébastien. It is broadcast on France 2 on Saturday nights once per month at prime time and on TV5 Monde. The show is filmed at Eu ...

'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2013: ''Les années bonheur'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2013: ''Comment ça va bien !'' on

France 2 France 2 () is a French free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

* 2013: ''L'équipe du soir'' on

L'Équipe 21 ''L'Équipe'' (, French for "the team") is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sport, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of association football, rugby football, rugby, motorsport, and cycle sport, c ...

* 2014: ''Canapé Quiz'' on

TMC TMC may stand for: Companies and brands *Thinking Machines Corporation, a defunct supercomputer company *Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese automobile manufacturer *Toshiba Memory Corporation * Trans Mountain Corporation *Transportation Manageme ...

(presenter) * 2015: ''Une famille en or'' on

TMC TMC may stand for: Companies and brands *Thinking Machines Corporation, a defunct supercomputer company *Toyota Motor Corporation, a Japanese automobile manufacturer *Toshiba Memory Corporation * Trans Mountain Corporation *Transportation Manageme ...

(presenter)

Radio

* 2011–: ''On va s'gêner'' on

Europe 1 Europe 1, (''Europe un'') formerly known as Europe nº 1, is a privately owned radio station created in 1955. It was owned and operated by Lagardère News, a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group, it was one of the leading radio broadcasting s ...

(regular commentator) * 2012: '' Rire & Chansons''

Theatre

Notes

References

General

*

Specific

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tsamere, Arnaud 1975 births Living people 21st-century French male actors French male comedians French male film actors French humorists French people of Breton descent French male stage actors French male television actors French television personalities French television writers Mass media people from Bordeaux French male writers French male screenwriters Male actors from Bordeaux Male television writers Comedians from Nouvelle-Aquitaine