France: death of Grichka, one of the Bogdanoff brothers, TV stars and controversial scientists
Grichka Bogdanoff, one of the star twins of the 1980s, on the Croisette during the 71st at the Cannes Film Festival, May 17, 2018. AFP - YANN COATSALIOU
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Cosmonaut outfits, controversial scientific works and faces of "
extraterrestrials
": Grichka Bogdanoff, one of the star twins of the 1980s and accustomed to television sets, died this Tuesday, December 28 in Paris at the age of 72 years.
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"
Surrounded by the love of his family and his relatives, Grichka Bogdanoff passed away peacefully [...] to join his stars,
" his family wrote in a statement sent to AFP.
“
The time is now for meditation.
Thank you,
”said the agent of the two brothers, in reaction to information from the
World
affirming that Grichka had died of Covid-19 and that her twin brother Igor was hospitalized for the same reasons.
Star twins
Made famous in the 1980s by their science fiction show
Temps X
on TF1, where they evolved in a spaceship setting with futuristic suits, Igor and Grichka had become the object of mockery for their deeply transformed faces that they themselves called "
extraterrestrials
".
If everyone is not a fan - the magazine
L'Express is
ironic in 1985 about "
these circus clones who invented the sanisette look, asexual
" -, they are however propelled to the rank of icons by a whole generation that admires their brilliant talent.
“
When we were 11, we took tests that told us that we are part of the 0.01% of the population with an intelligence quotient above 190
,” noted Grichka.
The case is rare, but we are invested with all the advantages of twins - a physical, intellectual and moral resonance - without the major inconvenience that one installs his government on the other.
"
Single, Grishka Bogdanov had no children.
Controversial works
In 1999, Grichka validated his thesis in mathematics and, in 2002, Igor in physics. The controversy then began on the value of their work, especially since they took advantage of the title of "
doctor
" even before having passed their theses. Their scientific works had also caused their share of controversy and had won them the wrath of part of the scientific community, criticizing the "
low value
" of their work.
Overall, it turns out that their work is not hoax but is just low value.
The defendants consider that the scientific community finds it difficult to bear that they are media personalities, successful popularizers.
They had been accused of plagiarism by the American astrophysicist Trinh Xuan Thuan for one of their best-known publications, “
Dieu et la science
”, interview with the philosopher Jean Guitton (1991).
Returned in January to correctional for "swindle"
Recently, legal cases had tainted their plan to resume their cult show
Temps X
with the Canal group.
The two brothers had been sent back in January to correctional for "
swindle
".
They were accused of having defrauded a millionaire suffering from bipolar disorder to settle their financial woes and relaunch the show.
The trial was due to take place at the end of January.
"
This procedure is therefore extinguished
" for Grichka Bogdanoff, declared by press release the lawyers of the two brothers, Me Edouard de Lamaze and Eric Morain.
"
He will definitely remain presumed innocent,
" they added.
►
To listen: the podcast on "The end of chance" by Igor and Grichka Bogdanov
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