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Michel Gerard (Yanic Truesdale) doesn’t seem to care about much on Gilmore Girls. He walks away from Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy) at the first chance he gets. But underneath it all, the surly, French concierge really does care. A number of times on the 2000s series Gerard has moments where he actually cares about people. 

Michel Gerard ‘cares too much about everything’, according to Yanic Truesdale

Yanic Truesdale smiles for cameras at the premiere of 'Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life
Yanic Truesdale at the premiere of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Gerard appears to hate everyone and everything except designer suits, Celine Dion, and his two dogs. He dishes out sarcastic comments and seems to be miserable in his job. He can’t stand the guests, let alone be nice to them, and doesn’t particularly enjoy working with Lorelai or Sookie (Melissa McCarthy). 

However, over the course of Gilmore Girls’ seven seasons, fans learn Gerard doesn’t truly detest his coworkers. He actually considers them friends. According to Truesdale, as much as Gerard pretends otherwise, he cares a great deal. 

“I think he has a good heart,” Truesdale told Metro in November 2016. “I think he means well. His issue is that he cares too much. He cares too much about everything. Everything has to be his way.”

When does Gerard show he really cares? A number of times throughout the series. Although they’re usually quick and almost always followed up with a rude or sarcastic comment.

1. The ‘Gilmore Girls’ character misses going to Weston’s Bakery with Lorelai 

One example of when Gerard shows he really cares is when Lorelai makes a list of things that need to be fixed around the inn. Instead of getting the usual handyman, Parker, to do the work, she gets Luke Danes (Scott Patterson) to do it.

This bothers Gerard and he finally tells Lorelai why. He admits he misses their monthly trips to Weston’s Bakery where they make the list while drinking coffee and eating cake. 

“We make the list at Weston’s over coffee,” he told Lorelai. “That’s what we do when we make the list. We go once a month to Weston’s together, and we sit, and we decide on the work for the handyman.”

“That’s our thing,” he adds. “We get very large coffees, and we split a slice of red velvet cake, and we gossip, and I eat the whole cake, and you never tell anyone.”

Lorelai admits she likes their trips to Weston’s and Gerard fires back with a sarcastic comment. 

“Oh, yes, that is what I do when I like something, I cut it out of my life completely,” he tells her.

When Lorelai tries to say she hasn’t cut them out of her life, Gerard delivers more zingers. He says, “Oh, then you just forgot? How special those times must have been for you.” A few moments later he suggests he might actually like his job and working with Lorelai.

“Money isn’t everything, you know. People come to work for more than just the money,” he says. 

For all the rude things Gerard says to Lorelai, he really does care about her. Enough to admit he misses spending time with her. Staying true to himself, he shows he cares while being sarcastic. 

2. He’s hurt when Sookie and Lorelai don’t ask him to work at the Dragonfly Inn

The cast of 'Gilmore Girls'
The Gilmore Girls cast | Warner Bros./Delivered by Online USA
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When Lorelai and her best friend make their dream of owning an inn a reality, Gerard’s hurt when they don’t ask him to come along. The women go to the hip hotel where the former Independence Inn concierge now works to apologize. Gerard plays it cool, pretending to love his new job when he really doesn’t. 

Lorelai and St. James think they can’t compete with Dion — she shows up in the lobby — but Gerard ends up leaving to join them in their new business. Choosing his former co-workers over his favorite celebrity is just another way Gerard shows he cares.

3. Michel helps Rory deliver a CD to her best friend

Lorelai’s daughter, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), gets creative when delivering a CD to her best friend, Lane Kim (Keiko Agena). There to help is none other than Gerard.

It’s unusual for him because the French concierge doesn’t usually participate in anything unless he has to. Why does he do it? Maybe because it’s Lorelai’s daughter or because he secretly likes (and cares) about Rory.