Coffee Club Newsletter ©
Volume 18, No. 18 - March 27, 2008

Any similarity to persons actually living or events actually happening is coincidental.

TR: Good afternoon. Are you Carla Bruni Sarkozy?
CB: Yes sir. You may call me Carla. I don’t like being so formal, unlike my husband.
TR: I’m always formal because I’m somewhat shy.
CB: No, no. That’s not right. You can relax a little, but if you prefer, you may call me Ms. Bruni. Is that ok? .
TR: Yes Ms Bruni.
CB: Excuse so many security people but my husband is terribly concerned with my safety. He is so protective of me.
TR: I can understand. I never have this many people around when I do an interview but I’ll pretend they’re not there.
CB: You will find that impossible I’m afraid.
TR: Did your husband know I was coming?
CB: Oh, yes. He gets a copy of my agenda first thing in the morning.
TR: Is he close by?
CB: Oh, no. He is exercising. How do you call it? Working out?
TR: Have you become adjusted to your new way of life?
CB: I am almost adjusted but not completely. I can’t sing in public anymore, of course.
TR: And the modeling?
CB: The modeling is still the same for me. When I go out in public, it’s the same as modeling, except now I feel like I’m modeling for everybody, not just the rich and snooty people. And now, I can wear anything I like, no matter how expensive it is. The public pays for it.
TR: I heard you prefer the color gray.
CB: Most of the time, yes, but there are many shades of gray – my husband taught me that.
TR: He should know – he is a politician.
CB: He is very, very smart, and I love him so much.
TR: Were you nervous when you met the queen?
CB: Oh, no. She was very nice to me. She whispers all the time and that makes you feel more comfortable. I felt like a queen, too.
TR: And you also met Prince Charles.
CB: Yes. He is almost as tall as I am and very charming although I couldn’t understand anything he said. He mumbles a lot.
TR: What did you do?
CB: Nicolas told me to just smile and nod my head. It was a good thing that Camilla was there and she understood the situation so she translated some of the funny things he said.
TR: How do you like English cuisine?
CB: Well, I wouldn’t call it cuisine. It’s just food.
TR: Did you like it?
CB: I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I can do like Nicolas when he doesn’t want to answer a question. He just says “no comment.”
TR: What about the English people?
CB: They are so warm you know but they try not to show it - very, very formal but very, very polite and tolerant. They remind me of classical music – it’s very emotional and exciting but all under the surface. You can’t jump up and dance.
TR: What has been your most exciting moment as first lady?
CB: When I had to pose for the new postage stamp.
TR: New postage stamp?
CB: Yes. It’s top secret. It won’t be issued until May. When I was sitting for the portrait, I was crying for about ten minutes because I just realized at that moment I was like Joan of Arc or someone like that representing the whole Republic. They had to call Nicolas to come and calm me down. He was so nice and gentle. He didn’t scold me or anything. It was very touching. I will never forget.
TR: Have there been any embarrassing moments?
CB: Oh, yes. The first time I was getting ready for lunch in my study and when the phone rang and it was her.
TR: Who?
CB: Cecilia.
TR: Oh.
CB: She pretended she had a wrong number but I recognized her voice right away. I told Nicolas about it so he immediately had all the numbers at the residence changed. He changed even the cell numbers. I felt a little guilty.
TR: Why?
CB: The public pays for everything you know. I was brought up to be frugal and here Nicolas is spending all this money just to change numbers.
TR: How many numbers had to be changed?
CB: Nineteen – plus seven cell phone numbers.
TR: Has she bothered you again?
CB: No.
TR: So, it worked?
CB: Yes, but now we get calls for people who used to have all those numbers before we got them. They are all wrong numbers. The first few times it happened, I actually told the person who I was and they just laughed and didn’t believe me and hung up. I don’t answer the phone anymore.
TR: Will you be going to the United States soon?
CB: In October, just before the elections.
TR: Have you met any of the American candidates?
CB: We met Chelsea, but that’s all. Nicolas said not to get involved. It’s too complicated your politics.
TR: Thank you Madame Sarkozy.
CB: Thank you, sir.