This and That   |    Monday, der 21. March 2011

The comedian Alfons, alias Emmanuel Peterfalvi, will perform in Berlin on March 29, 2011 at the Wühlmäuse am Theo.

Alfons is famous for his television appearances. He plays the role of a French reporter who speaks with a strong French accent. The first time I saw him in German television, I wasn’t ‘amused’. As I am French, I didn’t like his exaggerated accent. It made my fellow countrymen and women look stupid!

Now, though, I understand his humor and think he’s funny. The microphone he carries around is also comical. In France, we don’t have this kind of hairy microphone and it always amazes me to see reporters using them in German TV programs. It looks like they’re talking into a feather duster. Perhaps Emmanuel Peterfalvi is making fun of these microphones too!

Here is an except from an interview with Emmanuel Peterfalvi from «Welt Online» (June 7,2007) . I think it describes his humor well.

Question: “What was the last thing you laughed about in German television?”

Emmanuel Peterfalvi: “About the people who answer questions from news reporters on the street. I know these people! Their answers are totally different when they talk into my microphone. For example to my mic they say ” foreigners go home!”. But on the evening news it sounds more like: “There are quite a few people with immigrant backgrounds.”

Here’s funny video where he asks passersby questions about beauty.