Les Enfoirés

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Les Enfoirés (French for "The Dumbasses"), is the name given to the singers and performers in the yearly charity concert for the Restaurants du Cœur (Les Restos du Cœur).

[edit] History

On January 26, 1986, French humorist Coluche, who had set up Les Restos du Cœur a few months earlier, invited a number of artists and public figures to appear on television as a promotional move. The band, whose line-up was never the same, was dubbed "Les Enfoirés" in reference to one of Coluche's catchwords. After Coluche died in a motorbike accident (June 19, 1986) his widow, Véronique Colucci, called on those who had participated to continue his actions, and the band was revived for a further television show. The concept has since evolved into an annual concert, bringing together up to forty artists and celebrities from various backgrounds. The funds raised by the concerts and derived records under the name "Enfoirés" are donated to Les Restos du Cœur.

One of the key features of Les Enfoirés is "La Chanson des Enfoirés", a song which became a sort of hymn to the charity, written by Jean-Jacques Goldman, a long-time supporter of the organisation.