In 1981, as the sentimental "photo-roman" (photo-novel) was a staple of sentimental popular press like Nous Deux , the anarchic Hara Kiri team, led by Professor Choron and Georges Wolinski, turned the medium into a weapon of mass satire. Les Romans-photos du Professeur Choron , released that year, wasn't merely a collection of jokes; it was a curated assault on social taboos, traditional morality, and the rising celebrity culture of the era. Through a mix of crude absurdity and visual subversion, the 1981 volume—which featured stars like Coluche, Renaud, and Gainsbourg—redefined the genre as a cornerstone of counter-culture humour.
Choron used these photo-novels to challenge established values. Les Romans photos de Choron 1981
By using the high-contrast, often over-saturated photography style of 1970s/80s pulp magazines, they mirrored the aesthetic of what they were mocking to create dissonance. In 1981, as the sentimental "photo-roman" (photo-novel) was
Georges Wolinski (Script), Chenz (Photos). the anarchic Hara Kiri team