Patrick Lagacé began his second back to school last Monday at the bar of the 98.5 fm morning. He considers himself “much more relaxed” than last year, when all eyes were turned to him when he had the ungrateful task of succeeding the Grand Paul Arcand. Certainly, it is no longer number one. His program was dethroned in the spring by the one who animates Patrick Masbourian on here first. But the old Maladder Hope to reconnect soon with the title of King of Waves.
In interview with The pressthe newspaper in which he has written for almost 20 years, Patrick Lagacé acknowledges that he had not had a very nice day when the last listening figures of Numeris were published. A good player, he still wanted to congratulate Patrick Masbourian for his first place. The two competitors maintain cordial reports. They even dined together in December, tells Patrick Lagacé, who refuses to give in to panic.
“Radio is a media usually. People need time to get used to a new animator, that’s normal. Add to that the fact that there is now a third player. Auditors were curious to go and see elsewhere. But I make the bet they will come back, “says Patrick Lagacé, referring to the arrival of Mario Dumont on the antenna of the 99.5 FM, who came to grab some market share.
As we know, a lost market share can cause the loss of an animator. Commercial radio is a merciless environment. A pressure that Patrick Lagacé prefers to put into perspective, failing to be able to really disregard it.
“It’s a pressure of pressure. The day you receive Pierre Poilievre and François Legault in the same show is pressure. The day you have a breaking news and you are afraid to say anything in the air, it is also a lot of pressure. And when you have a columnist that you feel on the edge of slipping into the air, it is still pressure to try to bring it back. These are not so different pressures that we live at the time of the polls, ”he tempers.
Photo Martin Chamberland, La Presse
Patrick Lagacé
On his X
Despite the stress, the host of Lagaceous in the morning likes his new functions, even more than he expected at the start. None of the projects he led outside his role as a columnist in The press had not given him such a satisfaction, he adds. Neither The snipers in Two gold men – emission for which he remains associated producer.
“I have the ambition to do this for 10 years. I know it doesn’t belong to me, but that’s what I said to myself last year when I started. I was 52 years old. I would have 62 when leaving. It would not be worse. I tell myself that Foglia wrote in the newspaper up to 75 years old, “said Patrick Lagacé, who was from 2019 to 2024 the host of the return to 98.5 FM before being promoted morning manthe most prestigious position of the station.
His first year at the bar of the morning was like an adaptation period. He believes that this period is now practically closed. Patrick Lagacé believes that he has managed to find the right tone today. When he started in this time box, the journalist with a strong character recognizes that he has happened to be far too incisive in an interview. Anxious to improve, he hired someone from the industry to listen to the whole of his programs. This person reports to him every week that worked less well.
Photo Martin Chamberland, La Presse
Patrick Lagacé
If you are to leave with the calf of someone who does not answer, as a pitbull would, it is really necessary that it is all black or all white. There is no point in ordering otherwise. Everything is a question of dosage.
Patrick Lagacé
“You have to remember that you may have risen for almost four hours, but the people who listen to you, they probably haven’t taken their first coffee yet,” illustrates Patrick Lagacé, who wakes up at dawn.
Workaholic
It generally sets between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. We suspect that his days are well filled with four and a half hours of radio live at the schedule five times a week. And yet Patrick Lagacé still finds time to continue writing in The press. The star columnist had to take a six -month break, the time to tame his new role at 98.5 FM. However, the “sabbatical” of writing will have been shorter than expected.
I am not able not to write. It’s like second nature. I think I have been a better columnist since I was driving. And I think the chronicle allows me to be a best animator.
Patrick Lagacé
So is it only the work that counts in the life of Patrick Lagacé? “Well no, there is also love,” he replies with a candor who completely contrasts with the image of the journalist a little drove, even arrogant, that many have him.
Usually discreet about his private life, Patrick Lagacé married this summer in Italy this summer. From there undoubtedly partly the overflowing optimism which he displays at the start of the season.
Lagaceous in the morningduring the week from 5:30 a.m., on 98.5