«This story takes a sharp turn for the chaotic. I never said that we were overwhelmed by the sales of this famous white coffin». M. Ceotto, the boss of the funeral business of Vitry-le-François, in the Marne, could laugh if this story was not stupid to die. Death respects no calendar, but it sets the rhythm of often the lives of journalists. Each year, all saints day, our man receives the special envoys of the local newspaper, Union , for a report on the latest trends in funeral.
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«This time, it was a new reporter, I didn’t know him. After the interview, he wanted to visit our showroom. He stops in front of a white coffin and said to me: ‘But it is Johnny !» I answer him that it is the same in effect as the one in which rests the mortal remains of the singer. But I never said that it was the rocker. It is a white coffin of the range of Joinery Ariégeoises, in the shape of a tomb. Nothing more.» The next day, what was his surprise to discover the article is devoted to the preparations for burial. «There, I saw the title, I couldn’t believe it. «He sells a coffin for Johnny!»», he remembers. Before the snowball effect caused by this article.
«By definition, we are in a profession that requires a certain discretion and there, I saw land M6, C8, national and regional newspapers. We are not accustomed to this kind of hype – »
from this info somewhat distorted to Union , La Dépêche du Midi inferred that «the orders must therefore flow» in the Frames of the Ariège without quoting figures, and still less the representatives of this business in the South-West. This casket, which was sold well before the disappearance of the ex-idol of the young is seen sporting a model name, it would be «Tennessee». Information taken from specialists, it is the model of the «Cluny», a classic in which the manufacturer has added, especially for Johnny, two extra grip.
Away from the madness in the media
In the days following the publication of Union , the contractor of a funeral director, then sees through the emissaries of the editorial staff of France and Navarre in front of his window. «By definition, we are in a profession that requires a certain discretion and there, I saw land M6, C8, national and regional newspapers,» says again M. Ceotto. Frankly, we are not accustomed to this kind of fuss. This is madness».
The person of course recognizes that the white coffin leaves no one indifferent. «It has been noticed since the funeral of Johnny Hallyday to the Madeleine but we didn’t sell more, nor less, than before», he acknowledges. I even asked my colleagues if they had any special requests for this coffin and I can assure you that this is not the case. We all remain in the same proportions of sales. A thousand miles from the madness described by the media.»
At the manufacturer’s ariégeois, which produces 70.000 coffins per year, we prefer not to comment on this story. When questioning the sales department about the exact status of their order book, the answer is invariable: «The instructions of the management to invite us not to communicate about it.» Not worth it to insist, they are silent as a tomb.