Philippe Val

Philippe Val, born on September 14, 1952, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, is a French journalist, singer, and comedian. His parents were a butcher, René Vol, who later changed his name to Val, and a hairdresser; he was the last of four siblings. He dropped out of school at age 17 to pursue music, demonstrating an early inclination towards artistic expression.

Val’s comedic journey began with the duo Font et Val, formed in the 1970s with Patrick Font. They initially performed as engaged songwriters at venues like La Pizza du Marais, Théâtre de Dix heures, and Vrai Chic Parisien, accompanied by Paul Castanier until 1989, and later by Emmanuel Binet. In the early 1980s, he occasionally performed solo shows, sometimes featuring his dog, Jeff. He collaborated with singer Anne Vanderlove in 1973 on her politically charged album 'Non.' He briefly edited La Grosse Bertha in 1991 and co-founded the second iteration of Charlie Hebdo in 1992 alongside Cabu, serving as its editor and director until 1992. He later returned to direct Charlie Hebdo from 2004 to 2009, publishing the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons in 2005, which led to a 2007 acquittal of inciting hatred charges. He has published several books including 'Vingt ans de finesse' (1992) and 'Malaise dans l’inculture' (2015).

Following his departure from Charlie Hebdo in 2009, Val became the director of France Inter, a position he held until 2014. He released albums 'Paris-Vincennes' (1996), 'Hôtel de l’univers' (1999), and 'Philippe Val' (2004). Val has expressed strong political views, drafting a manifesto against antisemitism in 2018 and opposing groups like the Front National and Catholic integrists. He currently serves as a weekly columnist for radio station Europe 1 since 2021. His career reflects a diverse engagement with French culture and society, marked by both creative collaboration and editorial leadership.