Laissons Parler Les Gens (“Let People Speak”) did not emerge from a well-funded media house or a large editorial operation. Conceived in Lyon and built in Abidjan by a team of three, the stand-up-comedy-meets-social-commentary format has amassed 20 million views and 100,000 followers across platforms in the space of a year.

A lean team and a hybrid skillset

At its core, LPLG is produced by three young creatives based in Abidjan, who oversee every aspect of the project: editorial direction, guest research, production logistics, and community management.

They are supported by Istorias Media core team, which provides broader infrastructure, including editing, graphic design, sound engineering and strategic input, linking the Abidjan team to a network of media professionals developed over 15 years.

The format rests on an unusual for journalism combination of skills. Stand-up comedy forms its backbone. Host Clentelex, an award-winning comedian, anchors each episode with a stage presence that allows him to engage guests and audiences while keeping the tone accessible. He also creates sketches on specific issues related to toxic online behaviour. 

Around this, the team adds editorial judgement, and a close understanding of Ivorian pop culture and digital communities. The show is shaped in dialogue with its audience, refined through feedback, focus groups and listening sessions. From the beginning, LPLG was built to exist off-screen as much as online. Its live events bring together audiences from different backgrounds, creating a shared space for collective exchange.

Reframing difficult conversations though the Trojan Horse Method

LPLG is the first podcast in Côte d’Ivoire to address topics such as mental health, hate speech, gender-based violence and cultural identity through humour and popular culture.

The audiences are drawn in by humour and familiarity, then confronted with more complex discussions. A rapper speaking candidly about mental health or a public figure addressing sensitive social issues becomes possible in the world of Let People Speak.

Listen to singer Reine Ablaa as she reflects on the emotional and cultural significance of performing in Baoulé, her mother tongue. Or activist Eva Amegboh as she addresses gender-based violence with clarity and empathy, reaching audiences who might not otherwise engage with the subject.

The format operates as a form of narrative misdirection: audiences arrive for entertainment and leave having engaged with ideas they did not expect.

Laissons Parler Les Gens is funded by the European Union. The views expressed across our episodes belong entirely to the creators and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the EU.