2009 Raymond Devos French Language Award to François Rollin

Created in 2003, this award paid tribute to Raymond Devos by celebrating a
French language artist. It was no longer awarded
since his death in 2006.
Chaired by Xavier North, Delegate General for the French Language and
languages of France, the jury unanimously chose to crown François
Rollin, whose verbal invention and sense of derision make him worthy
heir to the absurd poet Raymond Devos.
It’s through the character of Professor Rollin in the show
«Palace» that François Rollin, journalist at Le Monde where he will write until
1991, became known to the general public. He then participated in the development
«Guignols de l'info», then co-written and directed plays by
theatre. Since 2005, he has performed the “Seul” shows by Pierre Légaré and
«Anger» written with Joël Dragutin, who directed it. He published
recently with Plon, "Les Belles lettres du professeur Rollin.com", book
in which he proposes some useful mail templates in all
circumstances”, ranging from “letter to genius” to traditional letters
love or rupture. These letters are followed by lexicological explorations
words as diverse and tasty as Pétaouchnok, gougnafier,
soteriology or pultacé…