The last few weeks have been delightfully unplanned for the Queen. No new country to discover, a little bit of a break from the geographically unknown.
Still, a lot of action.
The Queen on stage?
First, meet Maya, my friend extraordinaire. Maya knows every molecule of me, as we have known each other for more years I am willing to disclose. Maya lives near Toulouse in the South West of France, a proud beautiful area. They love their Rugby and their food and they speak with an unmistakable accent.
Maya and I always had creative synergy. Years ago, we created the comic duo Las Connasses which is probably the least known comic duo in the world of entertainment and for good reason. (No one is obligated to suffer through the attached video, it is only there for historical accuracy).
This time Maya had a new challenge for us: A local theater was organizing a Cabaret night, and needed performers. We decided to write and perform a skit, and we did. We totally did. I went through all the palette of possible emotions, fear, panic, joy, anticipation, excitement. Unforgettable. More than the performing part, which I knew I can handle, it was the writing part that scared me the most. Will people laugh at our material? What if there is dead silence? I definitely have a newfound admiration for comic writers.
This is our skit, unfortunately it is all in French but you can hear some laughs, so we did not bomb. Most importantly it was exhilarating and rejuvenating.
The Queen on TV?
The Queen is thirsty for fame. Beware Beyoncé!
One of my long-lasting obsessions is to participate in a TV game show. I tried in the past without success. I tried out for "Who wants to be a millionaire?" in the US a couple of times. Every time, I passed their Trivia exam ( I love Trivia ) and failed at the screen exam, that is supposed to determine whether you can look good on TV.
It is not really about "looking good", everyone knows the Queen looks amazing, it is more about relatability. Can the audience relate with the candidate? I kept failing that one and it was a mystery to me. Until one day, one of the producers explained it to me and advised me not to try again. He told me the reason I will never make it is my accent and my Frenchness, not relatable. He also added that the questions and their complexity were designed for American candidates, and my very different culture could skew all that.
Jerks.
So I tried out for a French game, where I can come with a beret, a baguette and a cigarette without shame. I tried out for Slam. Less money, less trivia, but a definite challenge. You need your brain with you there, no luck involved. My kind of game.
I went through a lengthy online test, a lengthy application to determine whether I am an interesting candidate, and a video fake-game and interview. Guess what? I am an interesting candidate after all. I made it :)
The taping should happen in Paris this fall. I will of course keep y'all posted.
What's next?
Morocco! I cannot wait.
I will be briefly in Marrakech, then Casablanca and then Essaouira.
I have DNA from Morocco from my Moroccan daddy, and I hope I will be able to channel all that while there, and who knows, connect with him on some cosmic level, wherever he is now. He told us a lot about Morocco while growing up, but I wasn't listening closely. I should have.
Bonjour Colette, tu me régales. L’humour toujours au centre de ta vie, et suffisamment de profondeur pour jouer avec le superficiel, j’adore. Continue c’est exquis. Bises Sandrine
J'ai hate de te voir au Maroc! Et je me demande si cela te sortira de ta confort zone, puisque je pense que c'etait un peu le but de tes voyages. Je vois Toulouse comme une grande recreation dans ton aventure😉Et ca aussi ca en valait la peine! Continues!!!!