Talk:Hara-Kiri (magazine)

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Untitled[edit]

The article says this magazine was "immediately and permanently" banned in 1970. Well maybe my French isn't quite up to scratch, but doesn't the date on this cover photo say "Feb. '74"? Perhaps someone could work on translating the article at fr.wikipedia.org -- there seems to be a lot more information in there. Sakurambo 07:48, 13 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

That's because there was a monthly and a weekly Hara Kiri. That's the weekly edition that got censored. Popo le Dog 12:29, 13 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

When was the monthly discontinued? The latest cover date I can find is January 1982. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 10:54, 5 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Melvin Van Peebles[edit]

The documentary, "How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)" shows that, in the 60s, while he was living in France, Melvin Van Peebles contributed many articles to the magazine. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.43.140.56 (talk) 17:51, 14 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Reason for ban?[edit]

"In November 1970, following the death of Charles de Gaulle at his home in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, the weekly Hara-Kiri Hebdo bore the headline « Bal tragique à Colombey : 1 mort » (En: "Tragic ball in Colombey: 1 death").

The choice of the title refers to a tragedy of the same month: a fire at a discothèque where 146 people were killed. As a result, the magazine was immediately and permanently banned from sale ..."

This needs more explanation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 101.117.49.202 (talk) 00:14, 8 January 2015 (UTC)[reply]

After the club fire the French news media coverage was intense. Three weeks later investigators were still working to determine what had happened, and many of the victims were still not identified. People of power and influence were coming under scrutiny due to violations of codes being ignored, and they certainly wanted the media spotlight to be removed. Thus, it was their fortune that de Gaulle died.
The news media dropped the ongoing story of the nightclub fire totally, even to the extent of no longer listing the names of victims as they were identified. All coverage went to de Gaulle, even though there was nothing unusual about his death.
Thus, the point of the Hara-Kiri sarcasm "Bal tragique à Colombey : 1 mort", which refers to the earlier headline about the club fire: "Bal tragique à Saint-Laurent : 140 mort".
The shift in coverage may have just been the herd mentality of the news media, but it certainly worked out well for some who may have been found partly responsible for the club fire.
I have no reference for the above, some digging may turn up interviews with those involved. Kid Bugs (talk) 02:38, 13 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]