The former humor mogul Gilbert Rozon denies having sexually assaulted actress Patricia Tulasne and in turn sues her for $ 150,000. Rather, he claims to have had an intimate “passionate” and “consenting” relationship with her.
« [Patricia Tulasne] completely distorted the reality of a simple adventure that occurred more or less 27 years ago, putting all the problems experienced in his personal and professional life on the back of [Gilbert Rozon] “, We can read in a counter-lawsuit made public on Friday.
After suffering a setback with Les Courageuses, actress Patricia Tulasne filed a $ 1.6 million civil lawsuit against the founder of Just for Laughs in April. She accuses him of having “brutally raped” her in 1994. The alleged assault allegedly occurred after a dinner at the restaurant Le Piémontais with several actors from the Diner de cons, a play in which she played a role and which was presented at the Just for Laughs Festival.
Until November 2020, Ms. Tulasne was the spokesperson for the Courageuses, this group of twenty women claiming to have been assaulted by Gilbert Rozon between 1982 and 2016. The force of numbers had not however succeeded in shaking the columns of justice. The Supreme Court rejected their appeal, which ended their process.
Neither Gilbert Rozon nor Patricia Tulasne wished to comment further on the procedure.
“Charming” attitude
This is the first time that Mr. Rozon has given his version of the facts concerning these allegations. He therefore confirms having had a sexual relationship with Ms. Tulasne in 1994, but “vigorously denies” having raped him. He even argues that the actress had a “charming attitude” towards him.
“This unique intimate relationship was passionate and between two consenting adults, or at least that’s what [Patricia Tulasne] led to believe [Gilbert Rozon] », Is it mentioned.
According to Mr. Rozon, Ms. Tulasne changed her version of this evening following the breakup of the #MoiAussi movement in October 2017. He notes that during her first interview, Ms. Tulasne herself said that he did not was not rape.
He accuses the actress of having wanted to take advantage of the media attention and of having modified his version of the facts to arrive at “a serious and sordid story of sexual assault”.
Ms. Tulasne also returned to this interview granted at the time to Radio-Canada in her pursuit. Fearing to be sued for defamation, the actress explains that she was not able at that time to admit having been raped, in particular because she would not have done enough to avoid the assault.
Mr. Rozon claims $ 150,000 in damages, noting that Ms. Tulasne’s lawsuit is “baseless, false, abusive and defamatory”.
Recall that three other women have decided to follow in Ms. Tulasne’s footsteps since April 2021, namely the director Lyne Charlebois, who claims 1.7 million from her, the artist Danie Frenette, who asks for 2.2 million and Annick Charette who is asking her claims 1.3 million. The founder of Just for Laughs was acquitted last December after his criminal trial for the alleged rape of Ms. Charette. The trial looked at events that occurred 40 years ago in Saint-Sauveur, in the Laurentians.
Mr. Rozon also filed a $ 450,000 libel suit in October 2020 against hosts Julie Snyder and Pénélope McQuade, who both returned, on the show. The week of 4 Julie, on what they went through.
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