Jean-Paul Guerlain Uses Racial Epithet On Television (VIDEO)

Perfumer Jean-Paul Guerlain has caused controversy in France for using a racial epithet on television while discussing the making of his fragrance Samsara, CNN reports. Guerlain said (translated from French to English by CNN):

"One day I told her -- and I still called her Madame -- 'What would seduce you if one was to make a perfume for you?' and she told me, 'I love jasmine, rose and sandalwood.' And for once I started working like a [racial epithet]. I don't know if [racial epithet] ever worked that hard."

In French: "Pour une fois, je me suis mis à travailler comme un nègre. Je ne sais pas si les nègres ont toujours tellement travaillé, enfin..."

Guerlain later apologized via a statement reading, "My words do not reflect in any way my profound thoughts but are due to an inopportune misspeaking which I vividly regret." And the Guerlain brand was quick to point out that he retired from the company in 2002.

French group SOS-Racisme along with France's finance minister Christine Laguarde were shocked by Guerlain's remarks. Laguarde told French radio on Saturday, "It's pathetic. I simply hope this is just senile and grotesque, that the apologies will really be sincere and gracious, but this is truly pathetic."

WATCH Guerlain in the original interview:

Comments

[49 ForEverYoung]

01:42 PM on 11/04/2010

A racist is anyone, who does not validate the humanity of people who are different from him. The use of derogatory epithets to dismiss people who are different falls under such criteria. But for me, as an African Black person, there is nothing new here. He was expressing what most people in his situation say privately. An Asante proverb would be my retort: It's not what you call m, but what i answer to.

[bnww]

05:14 AM on 10/25/2010

The hearty laugh of the host told a lot as well! Why is this word INTENTIONALLY globally marketed? Why do some want to keep paying rappers willing to promote it nicely to do so? What do people of African descent have that makes the promotion of a DEROGATORY RACIAL SLUR oh-so-necessary??? What's hidden in plain sight that some obviously don't want to get out???

http://www.bantheNword.org

[madisonmartha]

11:25 PM on 10/23/2010

Toussaint L’Ouverture is an integral part of Haiti’s history, not to be forgotten. If you want to inform yourself, “The Last Days of Toussaint L’Ouverture” – a short film – chronicled his last moments in fighting against the French oppressors. Clip here http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2468184/

[HealthyDayLA]

04:33 PM on 10/22/2010

I am a huge fan and even more now!! This is what I love about French people....they are so open. I want to go work for this guy!!! Guerlain, please hire me!

[AContrario]

12:06 PM on 10/25/2010

You mena they are so racist maybe?

[sharmaine73]

01:14 PM on 11/04/2010

As a black woman having lived in France for a while, I will say that you never had to wonder if you were being treated differently because of your race. They made it quite clear.

[PanosK]

03:17 PM on 10/22/2010

In French, that word also means ghostwriter, although I doubt he was alluding to the hard work of a ghostwriter...

[aksudntpron]

11:57 PM on 10/20/2010

Makes me laugh... People..let's get over it. If you weren't born before the movement, build a bridge!

[JoeyPolanski]

10:09 PM on 10/20/2010

At least he didn't say [RACIAL EPITHET] were lazy.

[amy wade]

06:25 AM on 10/22/2010

That's basically what he said!!!

[The JillyBean]

03:05 AM on 10/25/2010

actually that's not what he said. He said he worked like a slave/black person. He sees blacks/slave labor/servant class as all the same thing. I wouldn't call him a racist, but he definitely views many in society as below him, kind of a "let them eat cake" attitude. He's living in his own world of a caste system.

[PresidentRobertBooth]

08:44 PM on 10/20/2010

Not sure about this one.

If "negre" (negro) is a reference to "slave" rather than "black person", it would still be tasteless, but perhaps contain context.

Any French speakers who can clarify, please do.

[amy wade]

06:29 AM on 10/22/2010

Negre is very demeaning! It depends of the context!!! Most of the times when they use the it. In their mind they mean Ni***rs.

[Silver How]

11:36 PM on 10/19/2010

I love it when people try and backpeddle saying, "I didn't mean it."
Words chosen and strung together to make a sentence is no accident.

[beyondliberal]

02:58 PM on 10/19/2010

Knowing a bigot who has worn Guerlain's "Ma Griffe" for over 45 years, I'd say she is, aptly, a member of his ilk.

[saneinsanity]

05:38 AM on 10/20/2010

too blinded by hatred towards an old frenchman taken out of context? Ma Griffe is by Carven, not Guerlain.

[NatTurner1]

12:35 PM on 10/19/2010

Typical!

[bryanzth]

12:16 PM on 10/19/2010

Look, no matter what your view of this, how you are taught when you are young STAYS with you forever. Even when you can control your mouth, the internal reactions still fire the nerve endings. Now. Is it wrong? Yes. Is it offensive in the current milieu? Yes. But let's give a sucker an even break (or is THAT offensive, too?) and say, well, he meant that he worked as hard as he imagined a person beat up, enslaved and sometimes killed by work. I dunno, be gracious, people, even as you decry bad words.

Transcendance is what is called for. And now for the lyrics that explain this problem the best, as I have found:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You%27ve_Got_to_Be_Carefully_Taught

It pretty much got it for me, when I understood all that meant for everyone who is bullied, called names and discriminated against.

BZ.

[anghiari]

01:51 PM on 10/19/2010

We are what we are....Guerlain had years to grow away from what he may have been taught as a child, but as a person of wealth and privilege, he probably never got a change or took the chance to know blacks as equals...thus he retains his original view. He's old and really doesn't give a damn, unless of course it hurts the companies profits, so he apologizes....not sure why people get made at racists anymore ...we should applaud them that we now know who were are dealing with.. I would much rather know they feel that way. The Nword is offensive...but an 80 year old man saying it doesn't bother me...an elected official or decision maker making it can raise my ire.

[bryanzth]

03:27 PM on 10/19/2010

Yep, agreed. Thanks!

BZ.

[260Parkway]

08:28 AM on 10/19/2010

His perfumes STINK, so who cares what he says! I don't know anyone who wears that crap.

[Kathleen Shimp]

12:19 AM on 10/19/2010

I'm surprised to find that he's only 73, as this makes him seem, say, about 150...

[Nicole Dixson]

11:14 PM on 10/18/2010

For some reason, this old dude does not offend me.

[ruth606]

01:53 AM on 10/19/2010

Just curious...is old the key word?