When Stéphane Crête was a young boy, television makers sprinkled their ideas with a madness that would be difficult to revive today. The actor was not asked to see and appreciate some of them.
Stéphane, which youth programs influenced you?
I’m a huge fan of Pop Pumpkin because of the creativity and delinquency we found there. But I also liked what was found in Bobino and Bagatelle (short cartoons or animated films, often a little hallucinatory, like The Adventures of Chaperonnette à Pois, Les Onyx or Chapi Chapo).
Which childhood TV memory is one of your favourites?
I liked that there was a different show to watch every day of the week after Bobino. It punctuated my week!
Did you watch a lot of TV when you were young?
I learned English through English children’s programs. I loved Sesame Street, The Friendly Giant, Mr. Dressup, and The Muppet Show, among others.
Are there any characters that influenced you?
Sol and Gobelet, the two funny cannons. The idea of a duet with a white clown and a red clown (a classic) strongly influenced my later way of doing theater and cabaret.
Is there another song from a show that you remember?
Too much of! They’re all catchy tunes by the looks of it!
Is there a character you would have loved to play for children?
Not really. But we can say that I played a lot with “In a galaxy near you”, “Tactik”, “Magic family”, “Ramdam” and “Le Studio”!
And it is important to you to play for both adults and youth?
When I was younger, I had a chance to meet Jacques L’Heureux, who had done a lot of Passe-Montagne, and he told me, “I’ve done a lot of things, I’ve done theatre, so I never got tagged, I’ve been.” never caught in a niche.” I also told myself that I didn’t want to feel like just Brad Spitfire [de Dans une galaxie près de chez vous, NDLR]. I love children’s shows, but I don’t just want to be seen in it. So I started having fun and exploring as much as possible, both on TV and in the cinema…
Which universe should the children discover?
power of imagination! Curiosity as a tool for growth! Healthy madness as an antidote to the gloomy environment!
What do you think of today’s youth television?
It evolves with customs… I had the chance to grow up in a slightly crazier and less politically correct environment… But the imagination is still there!
►Stéphane Crête turns into Malire Binette, a sorceress “a little mean and a little nonno”, the time of comedy magic family. Episodes of the second season, starring Daniel Coutu, will be broadcast on Saturdays at 9am on ICI Télé. The actor also lends his features to doctor Christophe Gagné in the comedy Without appointment (with Magalie Lépine-Blondeau), Season 2, which airs on Wednesdays at 9pm on ICI Télé.