“Assimilation” or “treason”: Jamel Debbouze responds to criticism of the names of his children, Léon and Lila

Since January 2007, Jamel Debbouze has been making perfect love with Mélissa Theuriau, the journalist he met at a festival. A year later, the comedian passed the ring on his finger. The young woman was then pregnant with their first child, a little boy named Léon who was born in December 2008. In September 2011, the couple became parents for the second time with the birth of little Lila. Invited this Sunday July 3 from Seven to eight, Jamel Debbouze answered questions from Audrey Crespo-Mara who notably returned to certain criticisms formulated around the first names of the children of the comedian and the journalist.

“The choice of your children’s first names, some saw it as proof of assimilation, others as a betrayal. Do you understand?”asks the wife of Thierry Ardisson. “I am deeply French. Body and soul. I understand that public opinion has its opinion and that it says what it wants, when it wants, when it has to say it. Afterwards, when others are trading it to divide us or play us off against each other it’s ridiculous I don’t fit into this at all What I’ve done through this is just love my wife and create a family. I was born in France. I’m French. And that’s the result of all that.”replies Jamel Debbouze.

Jamel Debbouze: “I am convinced that France is not racist”

Jamel Debbouze then expressed his optimism about the state of France and notably mentioned the last presidential campaign. “I have the impression that we are progressingsays the comedian. It’s very, very slow, it’s very subtle, but we’re making progress. Afterwards, I have the feeling that we trade in everything that does not progress and in everything that does not progress. And opposing us sells. The last presidential elections, we had the impression that one out of two French people was racist, because they voted for Marine Le Pen. But I am convinced that France is not racist. It was a misery vote.”