Gad Elmaleh is turning entrepreneur. At the end of January, the comedian and actor, currently on tour with his show Lui-même ("Himself"), opened Le Vig's, a new comedy club in Marseille. On Monday, March 17, he will inaugurate the Michou Comedy Club in Paris. And from October 6 to 9, he will be organizing Jubil, the first edition of an international comedy festival in Nice.

Chez Michou, the former temple of cabaret in Montmartre, will no longer be home to drag queens, but to stand-up comics. Since December 19, 2024, the venue has been testing this new formula, and several sets have already been staged. Elmaleh has chosen to keep the décor the same, with walls lined with former celebrities and a small glittery stage topped by the banner "Destination Michettes."

What else can I do with my time and money? It's the only thing that interests me. These projects, which I'm setting up with partners, are very exciting. It's not a whim; I've wanted to do it for a very long time. But there's a kind of coherence, a closeness. I'm not setting up a pétanque tournament in Japan! Then there's age. I'm at a point in my life where I have a more selfish desire to leave my mark. And setting up a comedy club gives me a place to go and hang out. Stand-up nights are the best nights for me. We laugh, we're together. Whether or not you like all the stand-up comedians who come on stage, it creates discussion. I love the intelligence that exists in these clubs.

You have 85% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.