Flamboyant makeup and fashion stylist to the stars Jean-Pierre D'Alpuget, 45, was caught on closed circuit television last Wednesday trying on frilly laced underwear at a swanky department store in Vancouver, Canada.
When stopped by store security, D'Alpuget was quick to claim that he was "undertaking in-depth research for an upcoming episode" of his hit TV show The Jean-Pierre Show.
His actions have attracted considerable media attention in North America, while in D'Alpuget's native France most people have found the whole affair quite amusing.
Such is his celebrity in France that fans have begun wearing What's thong with that? T-shirts.
