PARIS -- Coluche, the vulgar-mouthed comic who is running for president of France, grinned under his peaked clown's hat and painted red nose like the oaf he is supposed to be.
Then he stopped blowing his clown's whistle and got serious.
'Coluche has changed,' he said. 'He was at first making a joke. But perhaps he has the idea now that all this can serve for something.'
Coluche, stage name of Michel Colucci, 34, son of an Italian immigrant, was invited to lunch by the Anglo-American Press Club, as have been other presidential candidates, ambassadors, ministers and even kings.
But while some of his journalist hosts guffawed and waited for him to be funny, the round-faced, curly-haired comic in overalls made clear he is sincerely awed and concerned by reaction to his candidacy.
First public opinion polls gave the music hall specialist in low comedy and four-letter words a surprising 10 percent of the vote. Later polls went as high as 17 percent, although it now appears doubtful that he'll be allowed on the ballot.
The polls indicate 3 million to 6 million voters possibly are weary of French presidential voting that will be dominated by the same two candidates as last time -- President Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Socialist Party leader Francois Mitterrand.
'People are disgusted with politics -- that's why I got 10 percent,' said Coluche. 'I thought I'd get 2 percent and the joke is good. But now the situation is very different.'
The comedian, eyes crinkling earnestly, said, 'I reproach all party politics. Actually for 25 years I've been interested in politics, so I did not really do this just for publicity. I don't need it for my music hall show, my films and records.'
He said he has no intention of trying to get into the final runoff election May 10. 'I am the only candidate who does not think he will win.'
But he obviously wants to be on the ballot for the first round of voting April 26.
Because presidential elections always attract many candidates, including those merely seeking attention, the government requires hopefuls to present by March 7 signatures from 500 elected officials in 30 of France's 95 departments, or provinces.
'I have 632 promised signatures (but) they are the object of pressure' from authorities to withdraw their names.
Some French and certainly many in authority regard Coluche as insulting the political institutions of France.
'I've been kept off (the state-run) television and radio,' he said, sounding indignant.
'I was asked to appear in a television sketch but suddenly it was canceled. A journalist interviewed me on tape for the radio but that was canceled, too. The French newspapers don't write about me now, so I talk to the foreign press.'
After lunch Coluche went back to a theater in eastern Paris, far from the Champs Elysees that foreign tourists know, where he does his latest one-man, stand-up comedy show.
The theater's 800 seats, as usual since his candidacy, were sold out at 100 francs ($25) a ticket. At the end, well-dressed, well-mannered spectators joined the comic in roaring, 'Coluche for president.'
To some foreigners in the audience, Coluche's act was a surprise. He was good. He was the typical French workingman, overalls, gutter language, obscene gestures and all. He sounded like all the French workers pouring cognac into their morning coffee and cursing away at life in general and politicians in particular.
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