MONTREAL - It's viewed by nearly one-third of Quebec voters and has been known to make or break political fortunes.
Michael Ignatieff stepped into the hot seat on Sunday night with an appearance on the massively popular French talk show "Tout le monde en parle."
The Liberal leader emerged largely unscathed from the interview and even grabbed the endorsement of a Quebec icon in the process, though it may not be enough overcome Jack Layton's recent surge in Quebec.
In what was pegged as Ignatieff's last chance to connect with a wide Quebec audience, he showed a sense of humour and made no major slip-ups.
He shared the spotlight with Dominique Michel, a legendary Quebec comedian and actress who has survived a battle with cancer.
In what could prove to be the most significant moment of the evening, Michel told the crowd that "if people want a change, it's time to make it happen" and said simply, "I like Michael Ignatieff."
That endorsement seemed to galvanize support online for the Liberal leader, who has so far failed to resonate with many Quebecers.
"Michael Ignatieff was very pleasant in the interview (I'm surprised), with a little help from (Michel)," read one typical comment on Twitter after his appearance.
In his interview, Ignatieff managed to dodge any major mishaps when peppered with questions by host Guy A. Lepage.
The Liberal leader skirted around a question about the constitutional debate, telling Lepage he was more preoccupied with the economy.
When asked about the sponsorship scandal, Ignatieff agreed the Liberal legacy has some stains but is proud of its overall history, dating back to Wilfrid Laurier.
"We are in 2011," Ignatieff said, "we have paid for our mistakes."
His only notable miscue occurred when he told Lepage, during a rapid fire round of questions, that he doesn't seek advice from other politicians.
A moment later, he said he consulted regularly with Liberal Denis Coderre, a popular Quebec MP.
He also said, in a game of word association, that Quebec makes him think of "cheese" -- an answer he later acknowledged was off the mark.
The Liberals also bought a half-hour TV slot in English Canada on Sunday, which the party billed as an "up close and personal" look at Ignatieff.
The infomercial and his appearance on the Quebec talk show could be the Liberal leader's last shot to make a big impression on voters before they cast their ballots May 2.
But his performance on "Tout le monde en parle" -- which translates to: "Everybody's talking about it" -- was where he could really make an impact.
Layton's popularity surged in Quebec after a successful appearance on the show earlier in the campaign and a solid performance in the French-language debate.
The New Democrats are now weighing the prospect of expanding their Quebec beachhead beyond the lone Montreal seat they hold.
Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe has also been on the show, while Prime Minister Stephen Harper has declined invitations.
Canadians who aren't familiar with "Tout le monde en parle" might find it difficult to grasp its popularity and impact. Every week the expansive talk show draws an estimated 1.5 million viewers -- the equivalent of what would be an Academy Awards-sized audience in the rest of Canada.
Ignatieff has come under fire on the show before. His assertion that Israel committed a war crime during its conflict with Hezbollah in 2006 cost him support when he was the front-runner to become Liberal leader. Stephane Dion went on to win the leadership.
But Dion's flat performance on the show during the 2008 election campaign cemented his poor election in the province that year.
At the end of each interview, Dany Turcotte, the show's "jester," gives the guest a card to read. His card for Ignatieff read: "If one day you find yourself between Duceppe and Layton as leader of the coalition and you need help, don't hesitate."
That's a far better fate than the one handed to Quebec Premier Jean Charest. After being mercilessly attacked during an appearance late last year, Charest was handed a card that urged viewers to sign a petition asking him to resign so he can "finally take a well-deserved, long vacation."
With the election campaign now entering in its final week, time is running out to woo Quebecers to the Liberal fold. One poll has even suggested that the New Democrats have surpassed the Bloc Quebecois in the province.
Speaking in Toronto, Ignatieff acknowledged it's getting down to the wire.
"We have got a week in which we choose a government, and we have to choose a team, he said. "We have to choose people who've been there and people who know how to say yes and know how to say no."
