The "ronds de cuir" of the title refer to the exact same thing, "rounds of leather", looking as a flat swimming buoy made of leather with hole in center, on which people working seated all the day as precisely in the Administration, - and here is the story of a fake minister to make fun at all, hence the title nickname - , use under their bottom to stay above contact with the seat, for two purposes. First is to avoid with time the tissue bottom of their pants to shine as used denouncing their (lack of) activity, second is medical to avoid the heat of staying seated for hours, weeks, months, years, occasioning blister or hemorrhoids. About the Folies-Bergère referred to, the name Folies is simply coined with Bergère (sheperdess) but with the simple fact of being close to the Rue Bergère, and the Cité Bergère, which at one time was directly leading to the facade of the music-hall.