Was this right-wing TV host joking about taking on Marine Le Pen?
A controversial and wildly popular right-wing television star says that he orchestrated a 'prank' that he was about to jump into the French presidential race. Cyril Hanouna is a foul-mouthed and hugely influential television star. His politics are messy, his delivery erratic, but he has a vast audience and momentum. He's anti-woke and talks a tougher line than Le Pen on immigration.
News of Cyril Hanouna's potential presidential candidacy set France's media ablaze, with comparisons to Trump and Zelensky, media stars who leapt into politics. But was it a prank, as Hanouna later claimed, or a calculated test of the waters? The evidence suggests the latter. Hanouna admitted emailing 30 contacts about his supposed candidacy, expecting at least two to leak it. 'You let it infuse,' he said, 'give a couple of people fake assignments, and wait.
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