C8A woman who was portraying Kim Kardashian in a French gameshow sketch had her breast kissed on live television – despite saying no.
Not only did the television presenter ignore her, but actively carried on with the act against her will.
The shocking incident happened on the popular French television show TPMP (Touche pas à mon poste!), as part of project 35heuresdebaba (’35 hours of Baba’), where the presenter Cyril Hanouna, tried to break a national record by appearing on air for 35 hours straight.
C8Ironically, the first part of the television show ‘touche pas’ translates to ‘do not touch’.
The woman, dancer Soraya Riffi, was playing Kim Kardashian, in a parody of the Paris robbery, and the game show host Jean-Michel Maire, was playing the locksmith, reports French publication L’Express.
When she was ‘freed’, Maire suggested a 21-year-old Soraya should kiss him as a form of compensation and a way to say thank you.
She refused outright, but the two men ignored her. Soraya continued to refuse, explicitly, and said ‘no’. The men responded to this by saying, ‘she said yes, she said yes’, before she added a defiant, ‘I said no’.
C8Following her adamant response about how she did not want to kiss anyone, the two male presenters told Soraya to give them a reason why.
According to the Independent, when she answered ‘people were watching’, the presenters didn’t care, and had a response ready, which they probably presumed was funny:
Well, we can do it backstage!
Both men were laughing while Soraya just stood there smiling, looking uncomfortable. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, and the fact no should always mean no, they continued to ask her for a kiss on the cheek.
Maire, after deciding to ignore Soraya’s ‘no’, thought he’d kiss her cheek regardless. However, when she turned her head away to avoid his advances, he ducked down and kissed her breast instead.
Following the incident, a number of complaints were made to the CSA – the government body which regulates French TV and radio – and they launched an investigation.
A spokesperson for the television network C8, which aired the programme, said Maire was asked to apologise to her immediately after the incident, which Soraya says he did.
In an interview after the incident Soraya said [translated]:
I did not find the gesture of Jean-Michel Maire very professional. I knew my family was watching me. I did not know how to react, it shows on the video.
Yes, I reflect a certain image, I know it, but I have a personality. I am intelligent. I am a human being, not just an object!
Soraya continued:
I want to remind you that I also played Kim Kardashian . It happens to me to dress like that, yes, but it’s not because I have a cleavage that it means that it must be kissed without my agreement.
People need to understand no means no. Always.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence contact the Rape Crisis
England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 (12-2:30 and 7-9:30). Alternatively you can contact Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111. Male Survivors Partnership is available to support adult male survivors of sexual abuse and rape. You can contact the organisation on its website or on its helpline – 0808 800 5005.
