Cassoulet – Mystery Solved
EmailABC News’ Brian Hartman reports: Throughout ABC’s election night coverage from New York, it was impossible to miss, amid shots of the boisterous crowd gathered in Times Square, a large banner emblazoned with the conundrum: "cassoulet." One viewer wrote on the Dallas Morning News website, "That may well be the most confusing sign I have ever seen anywhere." Heads also were scratching in ABC’s election coverage studio. "I want to know who ‘cassoulet’ is," George Stephanoulos said on-air to Charles Gibson just before a commercial break. Many viewers were just as curious. Thousands logged onto the internet for answers, making "cassoulet" — a French bean casserole — one of the top 100 search terms on Google for Election Day. The real answer, it turns out, appears to be that US election night was the backdrop for a French joke. As seen in this video clip, a sound engineer for "Le Petit Journal" (The Little Journal), a comedy show that airs on the Canal + TV network, had been making the rounds of US live news broadcasts that day. Wherever Mathieu the engineer could find a camera, he would wave a sign with messages for his mother — capping off the day with a massive banner that paid homage to her beloved cassoulet. The video can be seen HERE.
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Yeah, a real yuckfest.
From the country who fell in love with Jerry Lewis.
Posted by: carl | November 10, 2008, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
America seemed to have a love affair with Jerry Lewis itself. I think this is hilarious that the sound engineer could get the international news media interested in a sign for his mother. Personally, I would go for a bowl of homemake moose or venison chili con carne.
Note: the moose has nothing to do with Palin. I used to live in Alaska. I never liked Wasilla or the current governor, but moose makes great chili.
Posted by: algwriter | November 10, 2008, 5:27 pm 5:27 pm
Now that Cassoulet is solved. How about looking into the meaning of another that was in the celebration crowds election night. The flag of USSR – representing communism.
What were those people waiving it thinking? What do they want for America? What kind of change were they promised?
Posted by: One down, one to go | November 10, 2008, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
Wow, is this really worth a item on here? Although, it’s about a French joke, so I suppose.
Well on that note, I’m off to make some dinner :)
http://demockracy.com/it-wasnt-all-smiles/
Posted by: Kevin | November 10, 2008, 7:26 pm 7:26 pm
I think some of the more uptight and vehement posters on the blogs could use some of his mother’s cassoulet and a nice burgundy. It might help their disposition a bit. :)
Posted by: DMR | November 10, 2008, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
One down, one to go:
I hear you. I have also seen videos of young men wearing shirts emblazoned with a sickle.
Is it just some kind of stupid trend and these kids are ignorant or do they really believe communism is the way?
If the latter, what the heck are the schools/parents teaching these kids about history?
Posted by: Ummm | November 10, 2008, 10:34 pm 10:34 pm
Maybe those people waving the Communist flag were just trying to get everyone used to Obama and his leftist illuminati ideals?
Posted by: Jeff | November 10, 2008, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
The name of the French TV Show is “Le Grand Journal” (aka The Great Headlines), not “Le Petit Journal”… otherwise u miss the French joke in the name…
Posted by: Ben Bourrigault | November 11, 2008, 6:05 am 6:05 am
And By the WAY, nobody in France cares about Jerry Lewis! ;-)
Posted by: Fiddler | November 12, 2008, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
I’m french, and I’m glad that this joke was such a mystery in the USA… I hope we made you laugh on this great night ! And I love Cassoulet !!!!
Posted by: Mouahahah | November 12, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Jeff,
The tv show “Le Petit Journal” is a part of “Le Grand Journal”
Posted by: Felipe | November 12, 2008, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
nope, the actual journal related to that joke is le petit journal, that makes fun of le grand journal and takes place inside le grand journal itself so you won’t find it in TV guides ;)
aaand by the way, the messages are not really meant for his mother, but saying “hi mom” is a quite stereotypical lame stuff to do when you want to show your face on tv but have nothing to actually say, the second banner ” je t’aime maman, kiloo lol” is also the same kind , “kikoo lol” being standard messenger teens stereotype, they don’t even say kikoo anymore (kikoo is a variation of coucou, means “hi” ) but we still use kikoo lol to make fun of em :p
there you go :D
Posted by: nicky | November 12, 2008, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
And just to be clear : the show is called “Le Grand Journal”, but the “Cassoulet” mystery was made by some columnists working for the so-called column “Le Petit journal”… And we care about Jerry Lewis…
Posted by: Mouahahah | November 12, 2008, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
Trop fort le ‘Grand Journal” et Yann Barthès! lol
Posted by: Sam | November 12, 2008, 3:04 pm 3:04 pm
Jeff, “Le Petit Journal” is a part of the show “Le Grand Journal”.
“Le Petit Journal” is a little part of the show and it’s just funny, nothing serious there, nothing political.
They make laugh about Paris Hilton for e.g. and also a lot about french people etc … There were in New York covering the Election and they just wanted to make a little joke for the show.
Well, it’s just a joke, nothing against USA or something like that.
On the contrary they like USA and it’s why they were there.
Posted by: A french guy | November 12, 2008, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Mmmhhh…!!!
…tout ça pour ça?
What is the final conclusion?
Posted by: cassoulet4ever | November 12, 2008, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
VIVE LE CASSOULET and your new president !
philippe (Paris – France)
Posted by: philippeseg | November 12, 2008, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Big up Yann Barthès!
Posted by: cassoulet_mon_amour | November 12, 2008, 5:51 pm 5:51 pm
i miss cassoulet so much…vive le cassoulet
Posted by: laurent | November 12, 2008, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
Nothing against the US, the show “Le Grand Journal” decided to go to the States for the elections… “le petit journal” wanted to make fun of teens who always say on TV “hi mom I love you” etc…
For the last day, Matthieu decided to turn his “hi Mom” into “cassoulet” which made me laugh!!!. Actually I didn’t know that everybody could talk about it like this…
and by the way do not think that France is always related to Communism… stop thinking like this we are not in the past…
Posted by: Julie | November 13, 2008, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
Vive le Cassoulet !
Vive la France !
And… Vive Yann Barthès !
Posted by: Razort | November 13, 2008, 2:11 pm 2:11 pm
So fun …
I see every evening Le Grand journal and of course “The little Journal”.
We love US, We love Barack and i love The little Journal and … Cassoulet …and the mum of Mathieu
It’s just a joke !
Posted by: Estelle | November 14, 2008, 8:15 am 8:15 am
who the hell is Jerry Lewis ?
Posted by: dirty frog | November 15, 2008, 7:51 am 7:51 am
Le Petit Journal rocks! i am far from france and i was so happy to watch this joke on internet! canal plus is the greatest representent of french humour, far from all other channels aquired by Sarkozy. Vive le Canal+ libre !!!
my name is Nicolas and i approve this message!
Posted by: nicolas | November 17, 2008, 10:31 pm 10:31 pm
We’re just as much in love with your damn Jerry Lewis as you with our Maurice Chevalier.
Now, enough with the old stereotypes, please. ^^
Posted by: Kezac | November 18, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
I don’t exactly know where some Americans got the idea that Jerry Lewis was a big deal in France if it had been the case the French would have found, (former) president Georges Bush hilarious with his botched-up English language then !
Posted by: FFF | November 26, 2008, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
I think Obama is a cassoulet
Posted by: cassoulet man | December 1, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
Cassoulet!
Posted by: Yann Barthès fan | December 5, 2008, 2:59 pm 2:59 pm
cassoulet = pas obama,obama is a good man ! (my english are very bad !!the french english teacher are very bad too ^^) cassoulet it’s just food.
Personaly I don’t like cassoulet !!
I love USA
Kiss
(PS: I hate Sarkozy,and I love “canal+” because in the “guignols de l’info” are lots of critics of the governement !!)
Posted by: morgane | December 10, 2008, 11:12 am 11:12 am
Mmmmm Cassoulet…
Posted by: Le Panda | January 19, 2009, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm