French president Emmanuel Macron sternly rebuked a teenage fan who addressed him informally as “Manu” during a formal WWII ceremony in Paris, saying he was “playing the fool”.
The irritated French premier gave the floppy-haired boy a public dressing down after he heard him yelling “How’s it going, Manu?” as he worked the crowds.
“No, no, no, no,” Macron began. “You can play the fool but today it’s the [French national anthem] Le Marseillaise, the [French resistance song] Chant des Partisans, so you call me ‘Mr President’ or ‘Sir’, ok?”
“Yes sir,” the chastised teen meekly replied.
President Macron was touring Mont Valerien, a fortress used during the Nazi wartime occupation as a prison and execution site. It is now a memorial to the French Resistance.
Perhaps eager not to leave his teen fan on a sour note, president Macron opted to impart a piece of advice for life as he patted the youth’s arm.
“If one day you want to start a revolution, first study, get a degree and feed yourself, ok?” he told him. “And then it’ll be you lecturing others.”