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Cassoulet - Mystery Solved
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ShareNovember 10, 2008 4:44 PM
ABC 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.
November 10, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (30)
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Yeah, a real yuckfest.
From the country who fell in love with Jerry Lewis.
Posted by: carl | Nov 10, 2008 5:12:51 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 | Nov 10, 2008 5:27:02 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 | Nov 10, 2008 5:36:58 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 :)
Posted by: Kevin | Nov 10, 2008 7:26:27 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 | Nov 10, 2008 7:35:56 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 | Nov 10, 2008 10:34:38 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 | Nov 10, 2008 11:28:20 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 | Nov 11, 2008 6:05:13 AM
And By the WAY, nobody in France cares about Jerry Lewis! ;-)
Posted by: Fiddler | Nov 12, 2008 2:49:11 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 | Nov 12, 2008 2:57:26 PM
Jeff,
The tv show "Le Petit Journal" is a part of "Le Grand Journal"
Posted by: Felipe | Nov 12, 2008 3:00:06 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 | Nov 12, 2008 3:00:35 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 | Nov 12, 2008 3:02:06 PM
Trop fort le 'Grand Journal" et Yann Barthès! lol
Posted by: Sam | Nov 12, 2008 3:04:58 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 | Nov 12, 2008 3:05:27 PM
Mmmhhh...!!!
...tout ça pour ça?
What is the final conclusion?
Posted by: cassoulet4ever | Nov 12, 2008 3:08:03 PM
VIVE LE CASSOULET and your new president !
philippe (Paris - France)
Posted by: philippeseg | Nov 12, 2008 4:10:42 PM
Big up Yann Barthès!
Posted by: cassoulet_mon_amour | Nov 12, 2008 5:51:43 PM
i miss cassoulet so much...vive le cassoulet
Posted by: laurent | Nov 12, 2008 8:45:39 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 | Nov 13, 2008 1:25:02 PM
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