General

Cue the Napoleon jokes

Nicholas Sarkozy bans tall bodyguards

Tall body guards have discretely been told not to apply for work protecting French president Nicholas Sarkozy, despite their added benefit being able to spot potential attackers in a crowd. A police source told Le Parisien that “there’s no point recruiting supermen” as “large-sized” candidates stood little chance of being taken on, the Guardian reports. The 5-foot, 5-inch politician, who wears stacked shoes, is notoriously sensitive about his height. He has been caught standing on tiptoes in global leader group shots and once stood on a box to remain shoulder to shoulder with President Obama. Rarely is he photographed next to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, his 5-foot 10-inch former model wife, who usually wears flats. Last year, his aides bussed in a group of factory workers who claimed they had been picked to appear alongside the French leader because they were short. This latest move is destined to spur more ridicule. Earlier this year, a German car rental company launched a campaign urging customers to rent a small Citroen C3 hatchback, with the slogan, “Be like Madame Bruni, take a small French model.”

Telegraph

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.