Ariel Helwani nails French interview on LIVE radio

[Metal_Daze]

We all know Ariel is from Montreal. Everybody assumes he should speak French but if you know anything about Montreal, you know it's easy to live here without ever speaking French. Ariel is not from a French-speaking family. He didn't go to French-speaking schools. I assume didn't have much French-speaking friends and doesn't speak French at home.

Yet, when he was asked to do a LIVE radio interview in French (on a obscure channel but still), he took the challenge. It was one of the first time I ever heard him speak more than 2-3 French words in a row. Let me tell you, he was great! In fact, he rarely used English expressions and never resorted to English to make his point. He did babble a little and had to use some English words here and there but he never quit: even when he knew he was slipping, he just rephrased his thoughts, always in French.

Hats off to Mr. Helwani for doing it: it's obvious he doesn't get paid for it and it will not impact his popularity in Québec. He will not start a French edition of The MMA Hour and he's not trying to "go get some fans". In fact, he's fairly unknown here in Montreal and he's purposefully ignored by French-speaking media because he usually doesn't speak French.

He's just stepping up his game and giving back to his homeland, the place that made his dream of becoming THE GUY possible. It was always his goal to be THE MMA GUY and now that the goal is achieved, he's not afraid to take risks.

The Interview was on 91.9 Sport, a French-speaking station. I don't know when it will be available, I listened LIVE moments ago. Here's the link if you want to dig deeper:

edit: link is for the LIVE broadcast so the Interview is not there yet. I'll post it when it appears.
http://tunein.com/radio/919-Sport-s47769/

Here's Ariel's reaction, posted a minute after the LIVE interview:



In case you're wondering, YES, I am Anonymous_MMA.

 

[Leinster Rugby]

read 'nails French interviewER live on air'

boo

 

[13Seconds]

Yeah i read the title too quick

 

[MMAAAM]

 

[conorbless1]

Link for the interview? I'd like to check if his French is so good as you're making it out to be.

 

[Haj01]

You want me to sit through a french interview I don't understand just to hear a man talk in a language I don't understand? You know I got banned once from a forum a long time ago for using the word Batard. The mod didn't like me...

 

[Theproof]

The obsession with Ariel Helwani confuses me. Chael is the only media personality worthy of a thread

 

[Metal_Daze]

Link for the interview? I'd like to check if his French is so good as you're making it out to be.

I don't know when we can re-listen to it. It was LIVE just moments ago. The link I provided was where I listened but he's gone now so it's their usual programming.

He was not "that" good. He did speak a lot and never broke character: he was there to do a French interview and that's just what he did. He sounds like any English guy who never speaks with people but has been through many French classes: his vocabulary is deep, he knows how to speak correctly but he doesn't sound like a French native at all.

The best comparison would be GSP: he's perfectly bilingual but nobody could EVER mistake him for a native English-speaking guy.

If I hear anything about the interview becoming available, I'll make sure to post the link right here.

 

[YaGoof]

We all know Ariel is from Montreal. Everybody assumes he should speak French but if you know anything about Montreal, you know it's easy to live here without ever speaking French. Ariel is not from a French-speaking family. He didn't go to French-speaking schools. I assume didn't have much French-speaking friends and doesn't speak French at home.

Yet, when he was asked to do a LIVE radio interview in French (on a obscure channel but still), he took the challenge. It was one of the first time I ever heard him speak more than 2-3 French words in a row. Let me tell you, he was great! In fact, he rarely used English expressions and never resorted to English to make his point. He did babble a little and had to use some English words here and there but he never quit: even when he knew he was slipping, he just rephrased his thoughts, always in French.

Hats off to Mr. Helwani for doing it: it's obvious he doesn't get paid for it and it will not impact his popularity in Québec. He will not start a French edition of The MMA Hour and he's not trying to "go get some fans". In fact, he's fairly unknown here in Montreal and he's purposefully ignored by French-speaking media because he usually doesn't speak French.

He's just stepping up his game and giving back to his homeland, the place that made his dream of becoming THE GUY possible. It was always his goal to be THE MMA GUY and now that the goal is achieved, he's not afraid to take risks.

The Interview was on 91.9 Sport, a French-speaking station. I don't know when it will be available, I listened LIVE moments ago. Here's the link if you want to dig deeper:

http://tunein.com/radio/919-Sport-s47769/

Here's Ariel's reaction, posted a minute after the LIVE interview:



In case you're wondering, YES, I am Anonymous_MMA.

I'm guessing you're American, being so impressed with someone speaking another language?

 

[Metal_Daze]

You want me to sit through a french interview I don't understand just to hear a man talk in a language I don't understand? You know I got banned once from a forum a long time ago for using the word Batard. The mod didn't like me...

No, I don't. You do whatever the hell you want to do, I'm not asking you anything.

Batard is really not a strong word in French, it's the same as "bastard" in English. If "Son-of-a-bitch" is acceptable, I don't see why "Batard" or "bastard" should be unacceptable...

 

[Xenon_]

Yeah i read the title too quick

Hahaha yeah I think we both might've misinterpreted in the same way, on first read. I corrected myself before clicking on the thread, just to clear myself of any accusations : )

 

[Haj01]

No, I don't. You do whatever the hell you want to do, I'm not asking you anything.

Batard is really not a strong word in French, it's the same as "bastard" in English. If "Son-of-a-bitch" is acceptable, I don't see why "Batard" or "bastard" should be unacceptable...

You were asking me to sell my soul to the devil! How could you

 

[Kumason]

I'm not impressed by your performance -Kenny Florian


Seriously though,who gives a fuck if someone can speak a little bit of a different language?

 

[Metal_Daze]

I'm guessing you're American, being so impressed with someone speaking another language?

Es-tu sérieux?

I mean, why do you think I made the thread? You're clearly American because you have no grasp of what it is to be 8 million French-speaking people in a sea of hundred of millions English speaking people. It's very usual for French-speaking people to speak English. In fact, I never met anyone who could't speak English in Montreal.

The contrary is not only rare, it's never really true: Americans never speak French. Why would they? They have nothing to gain from it apart from personal interest and a few catchphrases for picking women. Even when they do, they never engage in conversation. Because in fact, they can't: they can rehash some catchphrases and know all the curse words but they never really speak French.

Now I know Ariel is not American. As an English Jew from Montreal, he has no reason to speak French. At all. His contacts are all English, his mentors and icons are all English and his friends and family don't speak French. He went to an English college and made his name by speaking English 99.9% of the time. This was the first time I heard him speak fluent French in the 7 years I've been following him.

That's why I made the thread...

 

[dethmanrulz]

Es-tu sérieux?
In fact, I never met anyone who could't speak English in Montreal.

Speaking as someone living in Montreal, that's pretty surprising. I've met several. Venture a little bit outside Montreal and you will find tons.

 

[Deleted member 429453]

Je n'savoir rien

 

[Me&MrJones]

I speak English, start a thread about it.

 

[lapollarecords]

read 'nails French interviewER live on air'

boo

more like 'gets nailed by french interviewer, then cries about it on air'

 

[reddhelium]

much respect to anyone who speaks more than one language fluently.

even the foreign (foreign to u.s.) fighters who speak fractured english have my respect.

 

[Metal_Daze]

Speaking as someone living in Montreal, that's pretty surprising. I've met several. Venture a little bit outside Montreal and you will find tons.

Well, that's what I meant: in Montreal. I should have added "anyone under 60 years old" because most baby-boomers don't speak fluent English either. Of course, it's worse outside Montreal. I did a show in Alma this summer and I bet a lot of people over there don't speak English. Yet, they all listen to English music anyway and they understand. Do you really know people (under 60) who cannot understand and English song?

I sure don't. In fact, I don't remember anyone being unable to understand English, even if they don't speak it fluently. The contrary is frequent: I know many English people who just can't understand French at all outside of curse words. If you put a French song on, they're lost: no way they can understand.

I don't know any French speaking person with this problem because, well, American culture is overwhelming!