Show summary Hide summary
Virginie Tellenne, aka Frigide Barjot, was born on September 25, 1962, in Boulogne-Billancourt. Yes, that’s quite a long time ago! This quirky lady never goes unnoticed with her outbursts and frankness. You know, she’s not just a somewhat crazy comedian; she has also marked French political life.
When people talk about her height, it’s not to reduce her to that, but rather it’s for her incredible presence that Virginie stands out. She is at an age where experience speaks loudly, but she always remains lively, sometimes even unpredictable, you’ll see.
Her fortune? Nothing extravagant. She doesn’t shine by luxury, but by her ideas and fights. We’ll tell you all about that in detail, no worries, we’ll even dig a little deeper under that very colorful media façade.
I admit, following her path is like discovering a soap opera. With her, nothing is ever really smooth, and her life is a mix of laughter, controversies, and radical stances. You’ll quickly understand why she gets so much attention!
Who is Frigide Barjot? Her public identity and origins
Frigide Barjot, whose real name is Virginie Merle, grew up in a rather conservative bourgeois Lyon family. No surprise, she likes to remind that she is a “Gaullist republican” rooted in her Christian roots, far from the often wild image she projects on stage.
It was in Parisian gay cabarets that she found her first platforms to shine, notably with the group Les Jalons, known for its parodies and wild happenings. This experience made her known, but be careful, she does not want to be reduced to just a comedian.
She made a name for herself with her imitations of Brigitte Bardot, with a childish humor that did not leave anyone indifferent – sometimes borderline provocative. This double identity between offbeat humor and committed activist is what makes all her charm, or her complexity, depending on how you see it.
This mix of mockery and religious fervor gives an explosive cocktail that propelled her to the forefront of the political scene in the early 2010s, with her role in La Manif pour tous. A woman, a character, a fortune of influence, and an impressive media stir.
A journey from promising youth to committed comedian
Before the spotlight, Virginie studied law in Lyon, then at Sciences Po Paris, which seems almost mundane compared to the character she would become. Can you imagine? A well-educated mind at heart, but a completely crazy look on screen.
In her youth, she worked in political communication for the RPR. Hey, the big Gaullist party she says she draws inspiration from. But she ended up turning away from the environment, disappointed by Jacques Chirac. Politics still attracted her, but in another form, more personal.
So in the 1980s, she infiltrated Parisian cabarets, became a figure of festive nights, created an identity with Les Jalons, and adopted her famous pseudonym. A real tornado in the entertainment world, while writing humor books that were far from dull.
Her first steps on TV sets with Laurent Ruquier launched her, but it was faith that truly transformed her after a pilgrimage to Lourdes. This turning point is decisive, she now boldly claims her attachment to Catholicism, even if it shocks.
Career and major stances of Frigide Barjot
Her artistic path is not insignificant: from the parody group Les Dead Pompidou’s to TV columns on Ruquier’s show, she knows how to handle mockery, always with a touch of cheekiness. Well, admit it, that’s not common.
But the real buzz is her activist spree around 2012-2013, as a leading figure of La Manif pour tous, this collective against marriage and adoption by homosexual couples. That’s when she exploded in the media, with demonstrators gathering up to a million people.
Controversies galore, sharp statements – we remember her shocking comparison of the bill to “marriage between animals.” Yes, it’s brutal, but she speaks without filters. This earned her as many admirers as fierce enemies.
Despite everything, over time, she evolved. She even ended up advocating for a civil union for gay couples, avoiding a too rigid stance. But well, in politics, the line between convictions and controversy is sometimes very thin.
Private life and juicy anecdotes
Virginie has been married since 1994 to Basile de Koch, her partner from Les Jalons and life partner. Together, they raised two children, and she likes to remind that behind her quirky character, she is above all an attentive mother.
I discovered they lived for a long time in social housing in Paris, an unexpected thing given her media weight. Yet, this situation triggered a controversy from 2013, leading to their eviction. The irony of political fortune sometimes, right?
An amusing detail: despite her controversies around sexuality and marriage, Virginie often shone with her childish humor, notably with songs imitating Bardot. Can you imagine “Make love to me with two fingers” sung right in the middle of controversy? The paradox embodied.
Oh, and a more unexpected thing: long-time friend of gay cabarets, she claims to be a “girl for gays,” a delicious way to sweep away accusations of homophobia. A personality full of paradoxes, I tell you!
Recent projects and unexpected alliances
Since she left the head of the Manif pour tous, Frigide Barjot hasn’t really disappeared. She launched fights to support Christians in the East in 2014, which brought her a new, broader, and different audience.
In 2016, she got involved against the demolition of Sainte-Rita church in Paris and turned to local politics, supporting François Fillon, a choice that surprised some. Political life is clearly her field, even if she has her ups and downs.
Yet, her image remains controversial, often accused of being among homophobic figures, which she sometimes publicly regretted, even if she does not fundamentally change her political line. This creates a real debate about her place both in show business and activism.
She still writes, publishes, and regularly speaks in the media. Her stature on the media-political chessboard may no longer be what it was, but her age and experience give her a still-listened-to voice, notably to talk about her lifelong battles.
Some unmissable anecdotes about Frigide Barjot 🧐
- 🟢 She lost her spot on Laurent Ruquier’s show because she refused a sketch she found offensive to Catholics.
- 🟢 She slipped by declaring that Hollande “wants blood,” before somewhat backing down on her remarks.
- 🟢 The Paris apartment she occupied has become a shared flat for young LGBT people in precarity. The paradox!
- 🟢 Participated in films by Fabien Onteniente, notably Turf in 2013.
- 🟢 Known to present herself as “Jesus’s press officer” after her conversion.
You can discover more about her life and opinions on sites like Gala or Voici.fr. If you want to analyze her more deeply, franco.wiki offers a fairly complete portrait, while Wikipedia remains always a reference.
