Guillaume Pley has decided to speak out publicly following the publication of several investigations and articles focusing on his past in radio and the workings of Legend, his media outlet launched in 2022. In a lengthy Instagram post this Friday, August 7, the 41-year-old presenter reflects on the years of "open mic" radio, the methods he and his team used at the time, and the interactions he had with some listeners, some of whom were minors. While not denying the problematic nature of certain past behaviors, Guillaume Pley explains that he now has a different perspective on this period and acknowledges that some practices went too far.
"Sometimes probably too far": Guillaume Pley looks back on his years of talk radio
In the first part of his message, the presenter explains that his team's intention was to provoke and make people laugh, while acknowledging that some boundaries were crossed. He also highlights how his own perspective has evolved over the years : "Following the various investigations and articles recently published about me and Legend, I want to speak out directly and transparently."
During my years on the talk show circuit, our goal was to make people laugh by pushing the boundaries of provocation. Sometimes, perhaps, too far. Looking back, I understand that these behaviors and show concepts might be shocking today. My team members and I were all between 20 and 30 years old at the time. I'm 41 now, and I have two children. Obviously, I no longer view these behaviors in the same way. What may have been acceptable then is no longer so. Society has changed since then, and for the better.
Messages with listeners who were "clearly inappropriate"
Guillaume Pley then directly addressed the messages exchanged with listeners during this period. He clarified that his social media accounts were co-managed with his team at the time and stated that not all the messages in question originated directly from him. He acknowledged, however, that the way he communicated with the public, including minors, was inappropriate : “Regarding the messages exchanged at that time with fans and listeners, even though these messages did not all come directly from me, as all my social media accounts were co-managed with my team, I wish to express my deepest regrets about the way we addressed and interacted with our audiences, some of whom were minors. Even though these exchanges were primarily intended to encourage them to participate in our show and take on the various challenges we presented, they were clearly inappropriate and lacked judgment. I deeply regret if they caused any hurt or discomfort.”
Guillaume Pley defends the current management of Legend
In the final part of his statement, Guillaume Pley distinguished these past events from Legend's current operations. He asserted that no racist, sexist, or inappropriate remarks are tolerated and assured that any such behavior had resulted in sanctions : "Regarding Legend, and the way my company is managed, I simply want to state very clearly that no racist, sexist, or inappropriate remarks are tolerated within Legend, even under the guise of juvenile humor. And if any inappropriate remarks or behavior have occurred, they have been subject to appropriate sanctions."
I'm not trying to erase the past, but I also see the clear intent to harm on the part of certain media outlets that prefer caricature and sensationalism to factual reporting. I choose not to give in to this escalation and to focus on the future, buoyed by the confidence of our teams and the loyalty of our audience. Thank you again to our entire community for continuing this adventure with us.
He accuses certain media outlets of wanting to "harm" him.
While acknowledging his regrets regarding certain practices of the time, Guillaume Pley concludes his message by directly criticizing the media treatment he is currently receiving. He denounces a "clear intent to harm" on the part of certain media outlets, which he accuses of prioritizing, in his view, "caricature and the pursuit of scandal ." The presenter states that he now wants to focus on the future of Legend and thanks the media team and audience for their support.
