Michou’s niece tells how Gad Elmaleh bought the famous cabaret on rue des Martyrs

Upon her arrival at the Paris Commercial Court, where a decision was to be made on the future of the Chez Michou cabaret placed in compulsory liquidation since the end of June, Catherine Jacquard, the niece of the man in blue, discovered on the magistrate’s desk, a single envelope, therefore a single recovery proposal. « And yet, many people whose identities I still don’t know have come to discover the place in recent months. We had nearly fifty visits »she says. Inside the envelope was a serious and detailed financial proposal from Gad Elmaleh, which, of course, was immediately accepted. The ambition of the actor and comedian is to make « a place of comedy and humor, while keeping the soul of Michou ».

« He came a few days earlier to rue des Martyrsadds Catherine Jacquard. After visiting the room and backstage, he asked to see me. We chatted very simply and very friendly for a quarter of an hour. He told me he felt something very strong ». She was therefore not surprised by an investment which she is delighted with without specifying how high it is.

« Michou feared that this place to which he gave everything would one day become a laundromat. Gad Elmaleh will offer another form of show, under a different identity, but I am convinced that Michou would have been very proud and very happy with this conclusion. », continues the niece of the former owner of the place.

The cabaret adventure began at the end of the 1960s, on Candlemas Day. To liven up his discotheque which was in decline, Michel Catty, known as Michou, had organized a costume party with two friends, Eugène and Lucien. « The success was such that he continued and led a long fight before his name appeared on the facade of 80 rue des Martyrs. explains Catherine Jacquard for whom this sale puts an end to more than four sometimes difficult years. Sales manager of the cabaret for twenty-three years, she became its President the day after the death of its founder and following a vote by Michettes. It was then decided that the adventure of transformist shows would continue.

A Michou museum?

After a rather prosperous first few months, the difficult times began. Catherine Jacquard had to face the demonstrations of the yellow vests, who blocked the neighborhood for several weekends, before experiencing, due to confinement, several weeks of closure. « We have not remained inactive, however. We worked with Madame Arthur, our neighbor, and filmed in our empty rooms, shows that we offered on the internet, in the form of subscriptions. It worked very well, and it reassured me about the loyalty of our audience ».

With freedom of movement restored, it decided to relaunch the machine with new numbers, renewed menus and a greater presence on social networks. « Companies that didn’t know us sent us groups. We have had hen parties, and families who came, thanks to word of mouth, from England, the United States and even Australia »she remembers. Unfortunately, cash flow delays and repayment of loans to banks have widened the deficit. The impossibility of traveling without falling into inextricable traffic jams, the increase in the cost of parking in Paris, the ban on parking for tourist buses, as well as the increasing competition from more accessible and financially more accessible cabarets in the provinces. affordable, have made the situation almost inextricable. Long-planned reservations were canceled just weeks before the Olympics. This ended up killing the last hopes of survival. « Almost all of those who had booked places for the month of July told us that they were postponing their stay in Paris until October, she explains. We were promised millions of visitors, and we ended up seeing no one ».

Faced with the alarms of the accountants, Catherine Jacquard understood that by continuing like this, she was going straight into the wall. She had no other solution than to close the door permanently. « The representatives of the cabaret union tried to change my mind by arguing that we had a sufficient attendance rate not to complain”. Aware that she was, financially, in great danger, she maintained her decision and regretfully dismissed her twenty-three employees. Some will retire, others will become unemployed and the youngest will play the retraining card. « One of them told me that he had started training in the world of makeup. », she said.

Morally marked by this daily marathon, Catherine Jacquard will begin by regaining strength in her house, in the heart of Corrèze. She will then tackle another mission that is particularly close to her heart. « I collected costumes, photos and posters and Michou’s name belongs to me. Before leaving, my uncle looked towards the sky while holding my hand. He passed on his strength to me and my duty is now to do everything to ensure that he remains present in the memory of future generations. ». By creating, why not in Montmartre, a museum to celebrate the man we called the blue prince.