The humorist Guillaume Meurice and the linguist Nathalie Gendrot are suing the Le Robert editions for having canceled the publication of a book which tarnished the billionaire Vincent Bolloré. “It is up to justice to say what are the consequences of the censorship of a work”said in a press release to Agence France-Presse (AFP) Elise Van Beneden, the lawyer for the two authors.
The book was to be called The end of the story in 200 expressionsand be released in September 2022. But Le Robert, a subsidiary of Editis and therefore of Vivendi, which belongs to Mr. Bolloré, gave up on it in the days preceding publication, without compensating the authors.
According to the summons, which AFP was able to consult, after a discussion between the publishers and the authors to validate the text in principle finished, the director general of the publishing house, Charles Bimbenet, wrote to Guillaume Meurice in mid-September that he had “it has been decided to suspend its publication” the time he modifies certain passages.
“Shareholder who does not support criticism”
The comedian, columnist on France Inter, made fun of big companies (Louboutin, Dassault Aviation, Monsanto, Deliveroo), Vincent Bolloré, the former CEO of Renault Carlos Ghosn and the government’s policy on education. Since the authors refused any further modification, the publishing contract was terminated.
The book was finally published by a competing publisher, Flammarion, six months later and under the title The End Word of the story: 201 expressions to impress the gallery. In their summons, Mr. Meurice and Mr.me Gendrot believe that “the real motivation for this termination is in the intervention of a shareholder who does not support criticism”, namely Mr. Bolloré. They say it “publicly known to be the censor of all ideas and opinions that bother him”.
Guillaume Meurice is claiming 8,000 euros for the financial damage and Nathalie Gendrot 10,000 euros for the same reason. They are also claiming 30,000 euros jointly and severally for the non-pecuniary damage they allegedly suffered. No spokesperson for Le Robert editions could be reached on Friday to comment on the case. A first hearing at the Paris court is scheduled for June 15.