On March 14, 2025, Amazon Prime Video debuted its latest comedic offering, "Liars Club," a show designed to entertain and engage audiences globally. This new series, which has already sparked conversations due to one of its star's controversial comments, aims to blend humor with a game format where truth and deception collide.
The premise is straightforward yet intriguing: five celebrity duos compete in a bluffing game where they share three stories and try to convince their opponents that one of them is true. The challenge for the competing teams is to identify the actual tale while the 'liars' must creatively spin their narratives. "Liars Club" has promise; however, it’s Melha Bedia, one of its stars, who has garnered headlines for her remarks on the show. During a lively moment, she referred to some male characters in a story as "bande de gwer." While one might assume the term is benign or humorous, its significance is more problematic—"gwer" is a derogatory term referring to white people, often used pejoratively.
This incident isn’t entirely isolated. Bedia, well known in France for her comedic flair, previously made headlines in 2019 for asserting, "Comme je le dis dans le spectacle, nous, les Algériens, on est au-dessus de tout, on est la race aryenne des Maghrébins. Notre drapeau est partout sur la planète." Her comments sparked outrage as they suggest an ethnic superiority complex, which raises questions about her brand of humor.
Such remarks inevitably fuel the larger conversation about racism within comedic spaces in France. Critics argue that anti-white sentiments remain largely unchecked in the realm of modern humor, juxtaposing this with the scrutiny faced by those making racially insensitive remarks against other ethnicities. The contrast between the societal tolerance of such rhetoric towards white individuals, compared to the swift backlash other groups might face, is notable.
Amazon Prime Video has stated it has no comment regarding the controversy surrounding Bedia, signaling a perhaps calculated distance from the situation. Marking a new trend, it seems these types of proclamations are tolerated or overlooked when it comes from certain comedic figures, which could be interpreted as troubling.
Further complicating the narrative, Bedia’s humor isn’t wholly disconnected from a more extensive subtext of activism within French comedy. Similar to the recently controversial figure Merwane Benlazar, who was removed from the show "C à vous" due to his comments, Bedia is a part of a pattern where humor is utilized to challenge societal norms and, at times, provoke criticism against both French cultural values and Islamophobia.
Bedia declared in 2022, "L’humour, c’est une arme. C’est le meilleur moyen de faire passer les meilleurs et les pires messages en même temps." This assertion encapsulates the dual-edge sword that modern comedians wield. While humor can unify, it can also divide, especially when discussing sensitive topics such as race and identity.
Despite these controversies, "Liars Club" continues to attract attention with its exciting format. Produced by Endemol France, the series consists of six half-hour long episodes, tapping into a growing market of competitive comedy shows. Each episode features talented duos, including Kad Merad and Olivier Baroux, Freddy Gladieux, and Anis Rhali, alongside other notable figures like Ahmed Sylla and Hakim Jemili, and McFly and Carlito—each adding their flavor to this creative brew.
The series invites viewers to engage with a diverse array of humor styles, promising comic moments, dynamic interactions, and suspenseful storytelling determined by truth and deception. Viewers are encouraged to tune in, marking their calendars to partake in this new competition that challenges both the wit of its players and the perceptions of its audience about humor and honesty.
"Liars Club" aims to be a significant addition to Prime Video’s expansive catalog of original French programming. With this series available in over 240 countries, it demonstrates Amazon's commitment to producing culturally rich content that resonates with global audiences.
As viewers, there’s much to look forward to from "Liars Club." The show's high-energy premise and star-studded line-up promise to deliver a refreshing take on classic comedy games, all while walking the fine line of addressing prevalent social issues through humor. However, as it garners more views, the reactions to its stars’ statements will likely continue to impose a significant layer of scrutiny over its success. Can this series both entertain and confront societal issues? Only time—and ratings—will tell.
In a landscape rapidly changing with perspectives on humor, "Liars Club" could potentially serve as a case study on the intersections of race, comedy, and audience reception in contemporary France.
