Bernard Pivot
Encyclopedia
Bernard Pivot, OC
, CQ
(born 5 May 1935) is a journalist
, interviewer and host of French cultural television
programmes. He is a member of the Académie Goncourt
.
, the son of grocer
s. During World War II
, his father, Charles Pivot, was taken prisoner and his mother moved to the family home to the village of Quincié-en-Beaujolais
, where Bernard Pivot started school.
In 1945 his father was released, and the reunited family returned to Lyon. At age 10, Pivot went to a Catholic
boarding school and discovered a consuming passion for sport, a passion which helped teachers to overlook his general mediocrity in all traditional school subjects except French language
and history
.
After starting studies in law
in Lyon, Pivot entered the Centre de formation des journalistes (CFJ) in Paris
, where he met his future wife, Monique. He graduated second in his class.
After an internship at "Le progrès" in Lyon, he studied economic
journalism for a full year, then joined the Figaro littéraire in 1958.
In 1970, he hosted a daily humorous radio programme that often raised political issues, which was not appreciated by Georges Pompidou
.
In 1971, the Figaro littéraire closed and Pivot joined Le Figaro
. He left, however, in 1974 after a disagreement with Jean d'Ormesson
. Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber
invited him to start a new project, which led to the creation of a new magazine, Lire
, a year later.
Meanwhile, in April 1973 he had started hosting a programme
called Ouvrez les Guillemets on France's first TV network. In 1974, the ORTF was dissolved and Pivot started his Apostrophes programme. Apostrophes was first broadcast on Antenne 2 on January 10, 1975, and ran until 1990.
Pivot then created Bouillon de culture, whose scope he tried to broaden beyond books. He eventually came back to books, however.
On April 10, 2008 Pivot was made an honorary member of the Order of Canada
.
championships) which in 1992 became Championnats mondiaux d'orthographe (world spelling championships) then in 1993 the Dicos d'or (golden dictionaries).
These yearly contests are held in three phases:
There are four categories: school juniors, juniors, professional seniors and amateur seniors.
Participation is free of charge, except for the cost of the magazines that publish the selection tests.
was inspired by a chance viewing of a Pivot programme on cable TV to create Inside the Actors Studio
. Lipton adapted Pivot's use of a Proust Questionnaire
to one that he himself used at the end of each episode of Inside the Actors Studio.
Pivot became aware that Lipton was inspired by his questionnaire, and invited Lipton to appear on the final episode of Bouillon de Culture.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, CQ
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
(born 5 May 1935) is a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, interviewer and host of French cultural television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programmes. He is a member of the Académie Goncourt
Académie Goncourt
The Société littéraire des Goncourt , usually called the académie Goncourt , is a French literary organization based in Paris. It was founded by the French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt...
.
Biography
Pivot was born in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, the son of grocer
Grocer
A grocer is a bulk seller of food. Beginning as early as the 14th century, a grocer was a dealer in comestible dry goods such as spices, pepper, sugar, and cocoa, tea and coffee...
s. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, his father, Charles Pivot, was taken prisoner and his mother moved to the family home to the village of Quincié-en-Beaujolais
Quincié-en-Beaujolais
Quincié-en-Beaujolais is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
, where Bernard Pivot started school.
In 1945 his father was released, and the reunited family returned to Lyon. At age 10, Pivot went to a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
boarding school and discovered a consuming passion for sport, a passion which helped teachers to overlook his general mediocrity in all traditional school subjects except French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
After starting studies in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Lyon, Pivot entered the Centre de formation des journalistes (CFJ) in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he met his future wife, Monique. He graduated second in his class.
After an internship at "Le progrès" in Lyon, he studied economic
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
journalism for a full year, then joined the Figaro littéraire in 1958.
In 1970, he hosted a daily humorous radio programme that often raised political issues, which was not appreciated by Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
.
In 1971, the Figaro littéraire closed and Pivot joined Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
. He left, however, in 1974 after a disagreement with Jean d'Ormesson
Jean d'Ormesson
Count Jean Lefèvre d'Ormesson is a French novelist whose work mostly consists of partially or totally autobiographic novels.- Life :...
. Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber
Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber
Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, often referred to as JJSS was a French journalist and politician. He co-founded L'Express in 1953 with Françoise Giroud, and then went on to become president of the Radical Party in 1971...
invited him to start a new project, which led to the creation of a new magazine, Lire
Lire
Lire is a French literary magazine covering both French and foreign literature. It was founded in 1975 by Jean-Louis Servan-Schreiber and Bernard Pivot.-External links:*...
, a year later.
Meanwhile, in April 1973 he had started hosting a programme
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
called Ouvrez les Guillemets on France's first TV network. In 1974, the ORTF was dissolved and Pivot started his Apostrophes programme. Apostrophes was first broadcast on Antenne 2 on January 10, 1975, and ran until 1990.
Pivot then created Bouillon de culture, whose scope he tried to broaden beyond books. He eventually came back to books, however.
On April 10, 2008 Pivot was made an honorary member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Spelling championships
In 1985, with linguist Micheline Sommant, Pivot created the Championnats d'orthographe (spellingSpelling
Spelling is the writing of one or more words with letters and diacritics. In addition, the term often, but not always, means an accepted standard spelling or the process of naming the letters...
championships) which in 1992 became Championnats mondiaux d'orthographe (world spelling championships) then in 1993 the Dicos d'or (golden dictionaries).
These yearly contests are held in three phases:
- During the spring, selection tests are organised with the press, in particular with Lire, and in a few local communities (e.g. schools). These are multiple-choice questionnaires.
- During the fall, the selected candidates meet region by region at the semi-finals. They get again multiple-choice questionnaires, and a dictation.
- Then, during winter, the finals are held at a single place.
There are four categories: school juniors, juniors, professional seniors and amateur seniors.
Participation is free of charge, except for the cost of the magazines that publish the selection tests.
Partial filmography
- Apostrophes (1975–1986)
- Bouillon de culture (1991–2001)
- Double je (2002–2005)
Bernard Pivot and James Lipton
James LiptonJames Lipton
James Lipton is an American writer, poet, composer, actor and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He is the executive producer, writer and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994...
was inspired by a chance viewing of a Pivot programme on cable TV to create Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio
Inside the Actors Studio is a series on the Bravo cable television channel, hosted by James Lipton. It is produced and directed by Jeff Wurtz; the executive producer is James Lipton. The program, which premiered in 1994, is distributed internationally by CABLEready and is broadcast in 125 countries...
. Lipton adapted Pivot's use of a Proust Questionnaire
Proust Questionnaire
The Proust Questionnaire is a questionnaire about one's personality. Its name and modern popularity as a form of interview is owed to the responses given by the French writer Marcel Proust....
to one that he himself used at the end of each episode of Inside the Actors Studio.
Pivot became aware that Lipton was inspired by his questionnaire, and invited Lipton to appear on the final episode of Bouillon de Culture.