In the last post “Rendez-vous de la Francophonie”, I mentioned that François Massicotte is one of the co-spokespersons for the event.

This actually is a big thing because Massicotte is such a well-known public figure (he was one of the people I watched on television growing up and who I continue to often see on TV as an adult).

He is best known as a (stand-up) comedian. I’d venture to say that Massicotte is as well known in Québec and other Francophone regions of Canada as the Canadian comedian, Howie Mandel, is known in Anglophone Canada (an interesting quirk… Mandel grew up only a couple blocks from where I live in Toronto).

Like Mandel, Massicotte has routinely ventured beyond his stand-up comedy mould and has filled the roles of a game show host, as well as acting roles in sitcoms and television commercials.

It’s François Massicotte’s numerous high-profile television commercials which perhaps has solidified him in the minds of Québécois as much as his comedy career has (we may see his comedy acts a few times a year, but for a good number of people, we’ve seen his commercials much more often).

He is known for using his notoriety for supporting good causes, such as La Fondation du centre de jeunesse de Montréal (The Foundation for the Montréal Youth Centre), and his support for Le Rendez-vous de la francophonie is one more cause to which he has offered his name.

Across Canada, you can often catch him on the televised portions of the Juste pour rire! (Just for Laughs!) comedy festival (which periodically airs on Radio-Canada throughout the year).

Massicotte’s official website is: http://francoismassicotte.com. His website actually is quite interesting. Unlike many other celebrities, his website offers his own short blog section in which he gives his thoughts on a range of issues (that’s actually quite bold for a celebrity). Check it out.

I’m happy to see that he’s one of the official spokespeople for Le Rendez-vous de la Francophonie – I think that speaks volumes to the type of guy Massicotte is, and it’s a great way to raise the profile of such a wonderful event.