14 July 2016

“Everyone has their hair done, don’t they?”

"...now the balding pate of the French president is at the centre of an embarrassing scandal dubbed coiffeurgate after the weekly paper Le Canard Enchaîné revealed that his personal hairdresser is on contract for almost €10,000 a month, paid from the public purse.

The publication of the contract with the hairdresser, named as Olivier B, has sparked a row over extravagant spending by a Socialist president who once liked to see himself as “Mr Normal”.

“I can understand the questions, I can understand that there are judgments,” said the government spokesman and Hollande ally Stephane Le Foll as he confirmed the hairdresser’s salary of €9,895 (£8,265) a month.

Everyone has their hair done, don’t they?” said Le Foll, known for his own bouffant style. “This hairdresser had to abandon his salon and he’s on tap 24 hours a day.”..

The Canard Enchaîné reported that in addition to his salary, Hollande’s hairdresser was entitled to a housing allowance and other family benefits... employed since Hollande took office and accompanying him on most of his foreign trips...
More at The Guardian.  It never ceases to amaze me how far removed "public servants" are from the realities of normal citizens.  In every country.

Photo cropped for size from the original at Time.  Credit Florian Gaertner—Photothek/Getty Images.


4 comments:

  1. Most people don't feel vapid and dull, although they should, when talking about someone's appearance especially on TV. So if a politician didn't try to appeal to this vast majority of the electorate especially left wing or right wing populists, it would be rather negligent.

    Also the arsenal of Zoom lenses and digital cameras, doesn't do any favors to anyone's visage.

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  2. We might also remember the Bill Clinton "runway" haircut from 1993 where he brought a hairstylist into cut his hair on Air Force One. Not normally an issue and not outrageously priced at around $200 -- but AF One was idling on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport. And while he was getting a haircut, 2 main runways at LAX were shut down, forcing flight delays and traffic congestion for many people.

    Hillary also likes good hair styling too. Reportedly she pays at least $600 per styling at Bergdorf Goodman.

    http://pagesix.com/2015/07/28/hillary-clintons-600-haircut-puts-bergdorf-on-lockdown/

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  3. $10,000? What's that, $2 per hair?

    Lurker111

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  4. "Everyone has their hair done, don’t they?” Stephane Le Foll [said] as he confirmed the hairdresser’s salary of €9,895"

    Sure, the problem is the €9,695 hush money.

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