CANADA: MONTREAL DISC JOCKEY PIERRE BRASSARD COMMENTS ON PRANK PHONE CALL TO BRITAIN'S QUEEN ELIZABETH II

Record ID: 496489

  • Title: CANADA: MONTREAL DISC JOCKEY PIERRE BRASSARD COMMENTS ON PRANK PHONE CALL TO BRITAIN'S QUEEN ELIZABETH II
  • Date: 27th October 1995
  • Summary: MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA (OCTOBER 28, 1995) (RTV -- ACCESS ALL) 1. SV RADIO-SHOW PRESENTER PIERRE BRASSARD BEING INTERVIEWED 0.07 2. SV BRASSARD SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.04 3. SV BRASSARD AND INTERVIEWER 1.10 4. SV BRASSARD SPEAKING 2.11 5. SV PANS FROM CAMERAMAN TO BRASSARD CHATTING WITH JOURNALISTS AND MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM (2 SHOTS) 2.20 SEQ.2: TRANSCRIPT; BRASSARD: "IT'S DIFFICULT TO REALISE YOU HAVE THE QUEEN ON THE PHONE AS YOU ARE SO NERVOUS AND YOU ARE KEEN TO MAKE THE CONVERSATION A SUCCESS, AND IS THE TAPE RECORDER READY, YOU DON'T THINK, YOU ASK A QUESTION IN ENGLISH AND THEN IN FRENCH ... THEN AFTERWARDS WHEN YOU RING OFF, YOU SAY OH, THAT WAS THE QUEEN, OR THAT WAS THE POPE OR THAT WAS BRIGITTE BARDOT." SEQ.4: TRANSCRIPT; BRASSARD: "WHAT IS THE HUMAN SIDE, THE SMILING SIDE, RELAX SIDE TO QUEEN ELIZABETH, (BRASSARD DOING AN IMITATION OF HER) THE AUDIENCE LIKED SEEING THE HUMAN SIDE TO PEOPLE, LIKE THE POPE WHO WAS VERY NICE AND BLESSED QUEBEC AND CANADA." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 11th November 1995 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA
  • Reuters ID: LVA7I1VQWM9X1QUEIXTATPZQW16G
  • Story Text: The Montreal disc jockey who spoke to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II by pretending to be Canada's prime minister said on Saturday (October 28) that he meant no harm by the prank.

    Well-known comedian Pierre Brassard posed as Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien when he phoned the Queen on Thursday (October 26) to discuss the upcoming referendum on Quebec sovereignty.

    During the 14-minute conversation Brassard, posing as Chretien, told the Queen he was desperate for her help in the face of public opinion polls showing strong support for Quebec sovereignty just days before the French-speaking province's October 30 referendum.

    The conversation was broadcast by Radio CKOI where Brassard is employed.

    The Queen said she would be delighted to do anything she could to help. The Queen also said London was following the referendum campaign with great interest.

    In an interview on Saturday with Reuters Television, Brassard said it took a lot of work to get through to the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

    But once he got through, no one asked for verification, he said.

    Brassard said he was quite nervous during the conversation, which was conducted in French and English.

    He said the Queen appeared to be convinced that he indeed was Chretien, and that after he hung up the radio station sent Buckingham Palace a fax explaining it was just a hoax.

    Brassard's other victims include Pope John Paul II and French actress Brigitte Bardot.

    "It's difficult to realise you have the Queen on the phone as you are so nervous and you are keen to make the conversation a success," he said.

    "Then afterwards you say, oh, that was the Queen, or that was the Pope or that was Brigitte Bardot."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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