Laurent Gerra

Laurent Gerra is a French stand-up comedian, impressionist and screenwriter born on December 29, 1967 in Mézériat, in the Ain department of eastern France. Widely regarded as France's leading voice impersonator, he commands a repertoire of more than 100 voices spanning politicians, singers, journalists and historical figures, from Jacques Chirac and Emmanuel Macron to Johnny Hallyday and Charles Aznavour. In November 2010 a Harris Interactive poll crowned him the favourite humorist of the French public, confirming a status he has held throughout the 2010s and 2020s.

Laurent Gerra made his stage debut in 1989 at the Café-Théâtre de l'Accessoire in Lyon with the show "Paf dans la gueule!". He moved to Paris in 1991 and performed at the Don Camilo cabaret while appearing on Pascal Sevran's "La Chance aux chansons" on French television. In 1997 he joined Europe 1 with partner Jean-Jacques Peroni for "En route vers l'an débile". His first Olympia residency took place in 1999, followed by major tours including "Laurent Gerra flingue la télé" (1998), "Laurent Gerra au Palais des Congrès" (2003), "Laurent Gerra, ça balance" (2010), and "Sans modération" (2017-2019). He returned to the Olympia in 2010-2011, 2012-2013 with Fred Manoukian's 19-piece Grand Orchestra, 2015-2016, 2017 for his 50th birthday celebration, and 2021-2022. In January 2001 he started a daily five-minute morning segment on RTL alongside Peroni, and since July 2008 he has anchored the 8:45 AM slot on the RTL morning show Monday to Friday, a position he has held for more than 20 consecutive years. His style mixes political news, culture and society with incisive but never vulgar humor, staging each figure he imitates through their distinctive voice, gestures and verbal tics. He has also published a series of bestselling caricature albums with Hors Collection editions, in collaboration with caricaturist Morchoisne, including "Gueules du siècle" and "Les Cro-magnons de la politique".

Laurent Gerra continues to tour France with new editions of his one-man-show, regularly returning to the Olympia in Paris for end-of-year residencies and touring major venues from Lyon and Bordeaux to Mondorf-les-Bains in Luxembourg. He can be heard every weekday at 8:45 AM on RTL radio, where his impressions of the day's headlines have become a national ritual for millions of listeners. His sketches and TV appearances are available on his official YouTube channel and through RTL's podcast platform.