Acting

Chantal Jolis

Chantal Jolis (29 April 1947, in Grenoble, France – 27 February 2012, in Îles-de-la-Madeleine) was a radio host in Québec, Canada. She was best known for her daily broadcasts Bouchée double, L'Oreille musclée and Bachibouzouk presented on Première chaîne of Radio Canada, and for her dynamic, laid-back and accessible style. Chantal Jolis was born in Grenoble, France. Her mother was of Italian origin and her father had Spanish lineage. She became a host on France Inter Paris public radio but felt she was only "tolerated" by her superiors. While taking part in a French-language public-radio exchange program in 1980, Jolis visited Québec for two weeks at the age of 33. She felt very welcome in Montréal, where her open-minded and lively tone was appreciated. Radio-Canada offered her a contract and she made Canada her new home. Upon her arrival in 1980 in Québec, Jolis exhibited great passions: reading, cinema, music, and a love of people, of life, and humour, creating a soothing atmosphere on her programmes. Journalist Nathalie Petrowski called her "a breath of fresh air for our public radio [...] with spontaneity light years away from the psycho-rigidity Radio-Canada of the time." First in the afternoon, co-hosting Bouchées doubles with Jean-François Doré, and solo with C'est du Jolis. Then, in L'oreille musclée, broadcast weekdays from 1983 to 1986 at the end of the morning, she reinvented the morning box and set the way for those who succeeded her.