The 5-6 French people I know all seem to have a fairly low opinion of Madame Bruni-Sarkozy, claiming that she’s just a power-hungry gold-digging bitch. None of them like her music, but I think that’s just their distaste for her personality creeping through. Is she really so disliked in France, at least among young-ish people? If so, why?
I’m listening to her latest album Comme si de rien n’était, and I’m digging it. L’amoureuse was as strong as anything on Quelqu’un m’a dit, and while it’s not exactly groundbreaking or masterful, Carla is cementing herself as someone whose music fits a certain mood perfectly. And she actually writes her own music, which is more than I can say of a lot of pop artists. I’m not sure I want to know why she has such detractors as mes amis français, but I’m curious.
French resident here - Despise is very strong but I would agree that she is not popular. I think her music is the least of her “problems”.
I know people who consider her an inappropriate first lady what with naked pictures of her available on the internet etc (one went so far as to say that Sarkozy should have kept her as a mistress “there was no need to actually marry her” :eek: ). There is a fear that French politics is becoming Americanized with style seemingly starting to matter more than substance.
Most people dislike her husband - he can do NOTHING right - and tar her with the same brush. There are rumours of her meddling in policy which is not the done thing - it is alleged she encouraged the sidelining of female minister Rachida Dati (she is supposed to have taunted Ms Dati about wanting to be in the President’s bed).
Now, add to that the fact that any moderately cool French folk proclaim the superiority of “Anglo-Saxon*” music over anything produced in France and you’ll see why no one is keen to say anything positive about her.
Very interesting. So men are allowed to have sexual misconduct (affairs/mistresses/etc., which seem quite common and public knowledge), but women aren’t?
Damn, that does sound like a bitch. Is this pretty much confirmed, or is it still pretty much baseless?
Yeah, that’s something I never understood. For all the pride I’ve seen in les français, they’re curiously dismissive and contemptuous of French music. Why is that? As for Bruni, I can’t say her music is objectively anything special, and her voice has a very limited range, but I’ve heard français even go far as to say that there is no good French music in the last 30 years. Where is this coming from?
Pretty much - although there is a difference between something being common knowledge and anyone making a fuss about it. A man who flaunted his mistress would be frowned upon too. The lady who said this was very much old school and was essentially saying it was a disgrace that the same day that she was presented to the Queen, France’s first lady could be oggled naked in newspapers and on the internet. The same lady also mocked Sarkozy for proclaiming he loved Carla so soon after trying to get Cécilia, his previous wife, back - “love doesn’t grow so quickly - he sounded like a teenager not a man who could be president!”. this account of their first meeting doesn’t exactly put you in mind of a statesman.
From British news sources here *Carla Bruni-Sarkozy once revealed she had teased Mme Dati by pointing to the presidential bed at the Elysée Palace and saying: “You would have liked to have climbed in there, wouldn’t you?” *
THe lack of music or the lack of pride ? Well - you think of a famous French singer/band … excluding Vanessa Paradis or Johnny Halliday. I don’t know why this is - a touch of the forbidden fruit perhaps ? French radio has to ensure that a certain percentage of music played is French language so perhaps that makes English language bands sound all the sweeter ? Certainly people I know will eulogise for hours about Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Springsteen, U2 etc.
Have a look at this website to compare the Top 10s in France, the UK & the US. Also, if you don’t know them listen to “Le Vent Nous Potera” by *Noir Désir *or “Ca c’est vraiment toi” by Telephone both of which are considered classics. The first band , Noir Désir, were prety cool but things got complicated for them when their lead singer was jailed for the manslaughter of his girlfriend, they are said to be recording again but we’ll see …
In case you aren’t aware and to give you a better idea of the acceptance of affairs outside of marriage, here is a photo of taken during the funeral of Mitterrand of hiw wife, his mistress and illegitimate daughter by his graveside. This didn’t get any media coverage simply because everyone knew about it.
