• Tom Villa, comedian, stood out in 2017 with a very intimate column on Alzheimer's disease.

  • Since 2020, he has collaborated with the Foundation for Medical Research, producing video spots to raise awareness of this disease that he knows well.

  • Indeed, his grandmother suffered from Alzheimer's for thirteen years… then his grandfather after the death of his wife.

    Tom Villa tells

    20 Minutes about

     his experience, his commitment and his fears. 

We know him more biting than tender.

But the comedian Tom Villa, 32, columnist on France Inter and actor in the

Munch

series

,

also knows how to deliver when it comes to Alzheimer's disease.

A pathology that is close to his heart, because he has seen it up close, and this since adolescence.

This is why he agreed to participate in the new campaign of appeals for donations * so that research continues to seek solutions for these people who see their memory fading.

Alzheimer's is a disease that you know well ...

It is a disease that I experienced in 2003 with my grandmother diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

I was 13 years old.

We noticed with my parents that she had forgotten things.

They took him to one, then several doctors.

The diagnosis fell.

She took treatment.

The problem is that at the time, they were probably not as successful as they are today.

I have seen its decline for thirteen years.

Until his death in 2016.

How has she changed?

I take a huge hat off to my grandfather who took care of it.

We only had a preview.

We spent Saturday or Sunday.

We tried to play down, without making fun.

When she asked me for the 8th time the question: "what do you do for a living?"

", I replied" astronaut ".

There were a lot of repetitions, fixettes, sometimes peaks of aggression.

For example, she blocked when she couldn't find her keys and accused someone of having hidden them.

But there are many shapes and nuances with Alzheimer's.

At one point, we realized that my grandfather was less and less in shape, we put my grandmother in a retirement home.

When he died, it was your grandfather who also lost his memory… Was it the same for him?

He has not been officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

I think the death of my grandmother freed him from a responsibility.

Body and mind relaxed.

He too began to exchange our first names.

But he had a softer, lighter form.

The last year he was in a retirement home.

He left two years after my grandmother.

They both left when they were exactly 89.

89-89, it looks like a basketball score!

Would you say you have been a caregiver?

I accompanied them.

But the first helper was my grandfather.

Then there were my parents.

I was a caregiver helper.

Spectator, or rather on the sidelines in case something happens.

I was Adil Rami during the 2018 World Cup [who didn't play a single minute]!

I was trying to set the mood in the locker room… We were all trying to ventilate my grandfather.

I remember my grandmother telling me all the time "what did you grow up!"

"So I replied:" however, I did not put my heels on!

I tried to amuse others, without ever upsetting my grandmother.

If the patient, fragile, feels in danger, it can lead to anger that is difficult to manage.

Why did you decide to support the initiative of the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM)?

Nothing better than being concerned to talk about a cause! I met the people of the FRM four years ago after a column on France Inter, in which I received Thierry Lhermitte to talk about Alzheimer's. I was like "What the hell am I going to say?" I said something personal, tender, sincere. Last year, the FRM opened its arms to me. I offered to make a video. I wrote the little sketch, I sent it to Thierry Lhermitte, one of the Foundation's sponsors, he said yes, and the following week, we were shooting.

My commitment to this disease is obvious.

Everyone knows how to do different things.

I am neither a researcher nor a doctor.

The goal is to educate people, to try to hook them.

We didn't sell the video as a message on Alzheimer's, for a minute and a half, we don't really know what we're talking about, and it's only at the end that we understand.

The impact was all the stronger: 7 million views on Facebook.

This year, you are back with two video spots for a new fundraising campaign ...

It was not necessary to do the same thing.

I wanted something collegial, both with people from civil society and two or three people known to show that it affects everyone.

Known, unknown, young, old, we can be sick, helping a loved one or a friend.

We did a 30 seconds 00 TV spot, not easy.

On digital, we made another video.

We brought together Matt Pokora, Nagui, me, Elie Semoun, who knew this shit well with his dad, Laury Thilleman, the singer Pomme, Tristan Lopin and Marc Lévy.

We talk about forgetfulness.

What is specific about this disease?

It is very hard for the patient, but almost even more complicated for those around him.

We do not see it, physically, the patient is doing well.

Sometimes he doesn't even know he has it.

I saw my grandfather hesitate to go to family gatherings because not everyone was necessarily aware of my grandmother's illness.

Go explain to everyone why she is asking the same question ...

“It's a bit like the burnt leaf pattern: whatever is lost does not come back”.

Do you have the impression that there is still a big taboo?

We know much better what this disease represents.

Twenty years ago, we used to say “Grandpa, he's losing his temper”.

But do not hesitate to be diagnosed.

To take his parents to the doctor if there is any doubt.

We must take the disease as soon as possible to slow the progress.

It's a bit like the burnt leaf pattern: whatever is lost does not come back.

Can we make people laugh about this disease?

Yes.

I know her too well to fall for the ease of the sketch “Hey Grandma, can you give me 10 euros?

"Ten minutes later:" Hey Grandma, can you give me 10 euros?

".

Humor is subjective, but there is nothing better to raise awareness than to try to do things that are a little quirky and funny.

I loved the

Culture pub program

, I cried with laughter in front of some commercials on road safety with a lot of black humor.

It pleases or not, but it makes you react.

Do you ever say to yourself “thin, I have early-onset Alzheimer's”?

Sometimes I say to myself "ouch, I have little memory lapses".

Alzheimer's no, but it's something that worries me, and especially those around me.

When I see the weight it can be, it's very scary.

But the brain is amazing.

When I was little, I struggled to learn ten lines of poetry.

Today, I know by heart my 1h30 show, that of Arnaud Ducret that I also co-wrote.

But that's what we say, when we learn things that we like, it's easier.

* The campaign runs from Friday September 17 to Tuesday September 21 on frm.org.

Participation possible by SMS by sending the word Oubli to 92 300, to make a donation of 10 euros (taken directly from your telephone bill).

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