Racist stereotypes die hard in France / Les cliches racistes ont la peau dure en France

Pascal Sevran is a well known French Broadcaster. A household name. He is known for the program ‘ La chance aux chansons’. He is the current presenter of ‘Chanter la vie’ on France 2 (a French TV Channel).

He said: ‘Blacks penis is responsible for Africa’s famine’.

He first made these obscene remarks in a book and reiterated them in his last interview by a French weekly newspaper, France soir. Asked about these racist words, on Europe 1(a leading French Radio station), he said he’s answerable to nobody.

He went further saying that ‘having a child in Africa is a crime against humanity’.

One would not begin to grasp how shocking Sevran's comments are until one puts them into perspective. For those of you accustomed to British presenters, it’s more or less the equivalent of Barrymore, Matthew Kelly, Bob Monkhouse or Cilla Black making these sorts of comments. Unthinkable...in Britain.

Well, this raises the obvious question as to why in France figures as well known as Sevran, who hold positions of authority and influence, would easily voice such degrading remarks, publicly?

Don’t look at me for an answer. I've been trying, for years, to figure that out.