The leader of the ‘Patisserie Brigade’ Noël Bodin has died at the age of 80.
You might think you have never heard of the ‘Patisserie Brigade’ but I’m sure you have.
Do you remember occasional news stories cropping up over the years about celebrities, politicians and public figures being hit in the face with a cream pie?
Ah, yes, that’s the ‘Patisserie Brigade’ at work!
Many of the people hit with a pie by Noël Bodin were French political and cultural leaders, but his targets included Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.
Wikipedia credits him with a total of 28 distinguished targets in his pie-ing stretching from 1969 to 2023.
Noël Bodin was born in Belgium in 1945, and spent his life as a comedian, writer, critic, actor and famous (or notorious) pie thrower or entarteur (I take it than an ‘entarter’ is a person who ‘tarts’ someone).
He was described as ‘the French-speaking world’s best-known prankster.’
He led what he called the ‘International Patisserie Brigade.’
Godin used pastry-hurling as a form of protest, describing himself as an ‘anarcho-confectioner.’
He told reporters that his pies were always fresh and high-quality, purchased at local bakeries.
He once wrote a book about his exploits called (very cleverly) Cream and Punishment (an obvious pun on ‘crime and punishment’).
The word ‘patisserie’ means ‘food made by a pastry cook, or pastries collectively, or a shop that sells such pastries.’
The word came into English from Middle French around 1594.
But here is the weird part—the Oxford English Dictionary says that it went in French from Scottish!
At least I think that’s what they’re saying—they certainly refer back to an earlier obsolete Scottish dialect for a pastry cook or pastries (who would have thought?)
Tonight I will join John Stanley for 'The Word Clinic' on 2GB, 4BC, 2CC and the Tapt Radio Network -- right after the 10pm news. This is your chance to call or text with any question or comment on words and language you wish. Annoyed by mispronunciation? Or misuse? Call or text tonight tell me!
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