When comedian Coluche bid for the French presidency in 1981 he uttered the controversial line: "I'll quit politics when politicians quit comedy - they steal my job, I steal theirs". Born Michel Gerard Joseph Colucci in Paris in 1944, the well-loved comedian adopted the name Coluche as a stage name when he was 26, and in the earlier steps of a too-short career. Headlining a comic era that lasted only 15 years, the master of derisive humour took aim at the "Establishment," regularly skewering politicians, and was also one of the first major comedians to regularly inject profanities into his routine on French television.

He was celebrated for his irreverent wit, a combination of far-fetched costumes with off-colour, biting social satire, and the open mocking of recognized French personalities. But underneath the clown's façade was a man that was anti-establishment, pro free speech and a fervent commentator on French politics.

"Always remember that while the Gestapo had means to make you talk, our politicians have means to keep us quiet"

During the 1981 presidential election, Coluche demonstrated his commitment to furthering the cause of minorities, one of the reasons that he received 16% of the vote in independent polls. However, he was cautious of upsetting the Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and François Mitterrand's race to the top. Under pressure from powerful political groups, who released his tax records to the public, Coluche eventually stepped down. Some threats to his life were also reported.

"Left-wing politics like poor people so much they create them"

After spending a year outside of France and away from the searing spotlight of the public eye, Coluche returned to set up the charitable organization Restos du Coeur - Restaurant of the Heart. The charity was designed to feed the growing groups of homeless and poor that were crowding the streets of France.

"Long term credit means that the less you can pay, the more you pay"

Coluche loved fast bikes, at one time setting a world record for motorcycle speed, but much like James Dean's obsession with cars, it would lead to his untimely death. On this day in 1986, at the age of 41, Coluche was killed in a tragic accident when his motorcycle crashed into a truck in the village of Opio in the South of France. The accident provoked national grief and inspired an album called ‘Putain de Camion' (Fuckin' Truck) by his close friend Renaud Séchan.

The roundabout in Opio is now a shrine to Coluche, visited daily by his legion of fans, and every year on the anniversary of his death (June 19th) thousands of motorbikers from all over France make the pilgrimage, to pay their respects. Various conspiracy theories have surface since his death, mainly in the book titled ‘Colouche, l'accident: contre-enquête,' which alleged that Colouche had been murdered.

In those 41 years, the iconic comedian accomplished much more than simply making people laugh. While he has been praised as one of the country's most popular stand-up comedians and appeared in 15 films (in a short career that also spanned 15 years), he used this fame to further political causes that were close to his heart. He campaigned against the anti-immigrant sentiment, as well as providing free meals to the unemployed through his charity work.

"If there were a tax on stupidity, the government would be self-financing"

Colouche was the winner of a César Award for Best Actor for his role in Tchao Pantin (So Long, Stooge) in 1983, one of his very few dramatic roles. He also won the Prix National des Euphémismes de Charente-Maritime in 1978.

Upon his death, both President François Mitterand and Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, who were often the focus of Coluche's comedy, joined the public in expressing sadness for the loss of one of France's national treasures. "He was a great lover of life," said Mitterand.

As a mark of Coluche's enduring appeal to the French public, in 2005 he came 5th in a poll of France's greatest ever people.  Honourably behind Charles de Gaulle, Louis Pasteur, Abbé Pierre, and Marie Curie, but remarkably beating such names as Victor Hugo, Jacques Cousteau, and Edith Piaf to name but three.

Michel Gerard Joseph Colucci; 25 years on, and still the comedian of the people.

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