Why Everyone on TikTok Is Singing “I Don’t Wanna Be French”
It started with a song lyric.
A throwaway line from Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance “I don’t wanna be friends” got misheard or reworked into:
“I don’t wanna be French.”
From there, TikTok took it and ran.
@gegnoosoanna Amo este trend 🇪🇸 #tiktokfootballacademy #españa #foryou #fyp ♬ bAd romance – gael
The trend kicked off in the U.S. Creators stitched the Gaga lyric with quick cuts of exaggerated complaints about France or French people.
Things like:
“They put butter on everything.”
“They’re always on strike.”
“No air conditioning, but 50 types of cheese.”
Most were jokes. Some were half-jokes.
A lot leaned into stereotypes, but in the usual internet way – over-the-top, fast-paced, semi-ironic.
Then other countries joined in. Spain, Italy, Belgium. Each added their own twist, mocking the French with that same Gaga line as the hook.
One creator even joked that Sprite pie (a real American thing) was superior to French pastries.
Another said, “You’re going to pick a fight with food? This is France.”
French TikTok claps back
It didn’t take long for French users to respond.
The first big wave of replies focused on the Carte Vitale (France’s health insurance card).
French creators started showing it off like a mic drop:
“You may not wanna be French, but we don’t pay $5,000 for a hospital visit.”
One creator simply held up their Carte Vitale with the Gaga audio and stared into the camera.
That video alone went viral in France.
Others followed with videos showing cheap healthcare, free education, subsidized childcare, and six-week vacations.
Then came the deeper cuts—clips showing French food, old villages, or even their strikes… reframed as “fighting for rights.”
One popular TikTok said:
“We have protests because we don’t let things slide. You call that chaos. We call it democracy.”
A government response (sort of)
Gabriel Attal, France’s former Prime Minister, even joined in.
He posted a video montage showing off French accomplishments – football wins, Olympic medals, the TGV, raclette.
All set to Gaga’s beat.
It was patriotic, yes. But it was also tongue-in-cheek.
And it worked.
Attal’s caption:
“Vous ne voulez pas être Français ? Moi si.”
It worked!
This wasn’t the first viral jab at the French.
But this time, the replies hit harder. There was pride, but there was also humor and timing.
It’s also a rare moment where French TikTok felt unified—and funny—without going into full nationalism.
They didn’t deny the clichés, they reframed them.
Butter? Yes.
Strikes? Yes.
But also: healthcare, childcare, art, wine, cheese, and four-hour dinners without tipping.
And the kicker?
Many Americans in the comments started saying:
“Wait… I do wanna be French.”