Groland

The landlocked nation is described as a 'presipality' (a neologism made from "principality" and "president"), and its main regions are: Upper Groland (le Groland-du-Haut), Side Groland (le Groland-de-Côté), Lower Groland (le Groland-du-bas), and Other Side Groland (Groland-de-l'Autre-Côté). The capital is Groville, the main river is the Gro, and the main prefectures are Grugny, Mufflins, Maroufle and Vichumes. The placenames, certain elements of Grolandais speech (e.g. the use of "ch'" instead of "le" or "la"), and the generally crass and unintelligent character of the Grolandais themselves, reflect popular stereotypes about rural northern France. Groland has the distinction of having a border with every country in the world.

The motto of the country is Joie, hospitalité, lâcheté ("Joy, hospitality, cowardice"). The country remained neutral during World War I, and was famous for being a haven for soldiers on leave, with its cheap alcohol and prostitutes. During World War II, the country's leadership collaborated with the Nazi occupier; the government engaged in policies of persecution and deportation of Jews and homosexuals. After American troops liberated the country, a sudden change of mood happened, and alleged former collaborators were murdered.

Groland had been the star and permanent character of a continuous news television channel, CANAL International (pronounced CNL), a clear parody of CNN, until the style of the programme was renewed and updated. After CNL, the tone has slightly evolved towards a parody of a famous programme once called Aujourd'hui Madame (Madame Today), the soundtrack of which used to be a landmark of the two-channel, state-owned French TV of the late seventies.

After September 2008 a new visual line put the emphasis on a collection of not-so-clean old people dancing around in home-mixed music selected by Sylvain Fusée, the historical pillar-director of the programme. This visual evolution reflects a more profound comeback of the programme to its original inspiration: depicting Groland as a character who by the voice of its various and colourful citizens embodies the hidden face of the French society. This repositioning left the systematic criticism of the then-current Sarkozy Administration to the other parody programme of Canal Plus, Les Guignols de l'info (The Info Clowns, or The Info Puppets).

As per the words of the founders of Groland, Jules-Édouard Moustic and Sylvain Fusée, the programme takes its roots in two sarcastic magazines, Fluide Glacial (Icy Fluid) and Charlie Hebdo (Charlie Weekly), that formed the background of their typical post-'68, neo-leftist culture. This form of black humour that prohibits puns is the essence and the main differenciator of this programme which has no equivalent on French television.

A deeper scrutiny of the situations and narrative style of Groland's main host, Jules-Edouard Moustic, would reveal a clear Rabelais influence in Groland. The special reports convey a permanent allegory of alcohol and food as well as an omnipresence of all aspects of both digestive and reproductive functions. The images, visual line (by Jérôme Letué) and soundtrack are carefully crafted to depict the Groland characters as driven by greed and luxury.

Notable Groland citizens:

• President Salengro;
• News anchor Jules-Édouard Moustic;
• Journalist Francis Kuntz;
• Former investigative journalist Michael Kael

Notable honorary Groland citizens:

• José Bové, syndicalist and altermondialist;
• Valérie Lemercier; Aki Kaurismäki;
• Noël Godin;
• Gustave Kervern;
• The puppet of Jacques Chirac from the Canal+ show Les Guignols de l'info;
• Yannick Jolin; and
• Michael Moore.

• Théodocle Fion Groland Citizen and Philosopher