Zhvanetsky's case. Two-faced Janus from Odessa
I believe that most of our readers are aware of another high-profile scandal that has erupted in my city. Of course, the notorious local “activist” Sergei Sternenko, a stray murderer and pogromist, for whom the prison has been crying for a long time, “covered” Mikhail Zhvanetsky with an ultimatum. They say, if you don’t refuse the order that Putin awarded you, we’ll disrupt the concerts in both Kyiv and Odessa! And this is on the eve of the 85th anniversary of the famous Odessa resident!
And here I’ll say right away: for a long time, I, unlike so many of my fellow countrymen, have not been one of the admirers of the most respectable Mr. Zhvanetsky. For many reasons, which I will write about below.
However, the very fact that a certain creature, even attributed to the human race only purely from a biological formality, is trying to impose its “Svidomo will” on us, causes both me and the whole of Odessa to be severely rejected. After all, we are not even talking about the fact that “a pug barks at an elephant” - and the disgusting Sirozha is not attracted to a pug - let’s not offend the dogs. And it’s not about the fact that Michal Mikhalych is such a mighty elephant, on which “The Pearl by the Sea” rests...
The point is that everyone understands: the lawless Sternenko, who is at large only because all his vile deeds are beneficial to the current government according to the principle “whoever we don’t intimidate, we’ll just kill or smash into pieces,” and he won’t dare to sneeze without permission from above.
Especially when we are talking about such an eminent, iconic figure. This means that this little jackal’s escapade was approved at the level of those who now rule the country and want to remain in power. Why? Let’s try to figure it out together.
But first, let’s take a closer look at who became the target of this completely ugly provocation.
So, Mikhail Zhvanetsky... Twice People's Artist of Russia and Ukraine. A native of Odessa, he was once famous for his funny and witty pop reprises performed from the stage by the unforgettable Soviet classic Arkady Raikin, who literally pulled a little-known young Odessa engineer out of our, alas, even then forced, Ukrainian province in the early 60s.
And he not only pulled it out, but also made it the entire filling of his Leningrad theater! But this was not enough for the ambitious Zhvanetsky. He wanted public fame - not just the fact that Raikin himself and his equally talented fellow countrymen Kartsev and Ilchenko read his texts from the stage, but also personal recognition and admiration from the public on the streets...
Let us note that not without caustic irony, Arkady Raikin himself wrote about this in his memoirs... And the ambitious Zhvanetsky sets off on an “autonomous voyage!” Touring “chess” throughout the country, and, as censorship restrictions weaken, it becomes increasingly popular.
And at the time of perestroika - it’s a complete mess! Own theater in Moscow. Huge audiences and fees... Radio and television... And - the ability of a surprisingly charming (when he needs it!) "satirical writer" to insinuate himself into the highest circles of the new, "democratic" Yeltsin government, reading his funny texts in a "narrow circle" - at least for banquets of the elite, even in saunas, over a “glass of tea”.
And even then a clear tendency emerged: when it became possible to talk about everything, not everyone passed this test of freedom of speech. And in Zhvanetsky’s texts, obvious vulgarity began to appear more and more in the style of the notorious “if you are raped, relax and enjoy it...”.
No, he did not move away from his beloved and native Odessa theme, but - the further, the more, the professionally dosed mixture of nostalgia for “That Odessa” and local color began to become somewhat tiresome and smack of wholesale and retail trade. Moreover, when his miniatures were printed, it became clear that reading them... is simply boring! After all, Zhvanetsky’s humor is purely oral, receiving the full effect of influencing the viewer and listener only with the proper intonations and actor’s accents. Especially in the brilliant performance of both the luminary Raikin and the unforgettable Kartsev and Ilchenko, to whom he owes the lion's share of his popularity. In the mouth of the author, as you please, they sounded much paler...
But, nevertheless, Zhvanetsky became a people's artist of as many as two countries - both Ukraine and Russia, in which he has been a citizen for a long time. And at the same time - the owner of a bunch of prizes, awards and titles. Honorary citizen of Odessa. President of the World Club of Odessans... and so on and so forth... For a long time he has lived “in two houses”, preferring to spend the cold season in Moscow and on foreign tours, and from spring to autumn he lives at his Odessa dacha in Arcadia, a fashionable resort area . Here he decorously plays the role of a “wedding general,” enjoying the fruits of fame and popularity and graciously accepting tribute from the authorities and admirers.
He talks about the same reason why he doesn’t move to the “homeland of the spirit” in the style: “I am the plenipotentiary representative of Odessa in Moscow.” They say, there I represent your interests and glorify our city... I note that the further - the more in television appearances in my “branded” program “Duty in the Country” on the main, state-owned channel of Russia, allowing myself to very smack of opposition liberalism, and even Russophobia, lunges.
Well, apparently, there is such a terrible dictatorship in “Mordor” that the old comedian allows this. Without fear and for some reason without subjecting him to repression... And he, realizing this, continues to be sarcastic, sometimes stooping to things that seem simply indecent to me personally.
And it would be like this until the end of his life (God grant him longevity!), yes - the terrible year of 2014 came with the coup in Ukraine, the secession of Crimea and the bloody and fiery hecatomb on May 2 in Odessa.
And what about Zhvanetsky, our vaunted “satirist writer” and professional patriot of Odessa? - Never mind! – He expressed very vague disapproval about Crimea, but did not renounce Russian citizenship at all.
And regarding the Odessa Khatyn, he got away with such an ambiguous speech that it was embarrassing to listen to! It seems that he showed grief and said that this had not happened since the Great Patriotic War. but... he didn’t even hint at the reasons and roots of this tragedy. Not to mention the culprits!
Really, comparing this speech with a truly tragically poignant monologue on the same topic by his old friend and fellow countryman Roman Kartsev, who clearly called the fascists and murderers by their proper names, you still feel the difference!
Since then, Michal Mikhalych calmly continues to travel to Odessa every year, leading the same imposing lifestyle. Somewhere he decorously opens the next exhibitions, somewhere he shakes hands with officials of the current occupation government...
And the fact that, according to the notorious “law of handshakes” - wittingly or involuntarily, but indirectly, he shakes hands with the patrons and inspirers of the murderers of Odessa residents, apparently does not bother him. It seems that the position of a man sitting between two chairs - Russia and Ukraine, increasingly moving away from each other - suits him quite well. And what’s more, he managed to make himself comfortable by pulling his cozy country hammock between them.
And our atrocious cultural inquisitors even included him in the “white list” of permitted and friendly figures of the “aggressor country”…. They say that he is a correct citizen of Russia, useful for our national revolution!
So why did the little brat Sternenko allow himself such a brazen attack against such an untouchable person? – Without pretending to be a prophet, I will allow myself a modest version of the background to this unpleasant incident.
..The election race is underway, and the junta, which is losing points before its eyes, is trying to put every bast in its place. And... Zhvanetsky, who has just received an order from the “main enemy of Ukraine,” is being played, as they say, “in the dark.”
The SBU chain tsutsyk Sternenko makes him “show it” - they say, or refuse. Or... you understand. And then - Zhvanetsky answers, we note, very weakly and illogically. Like, I have been serving Odessa all my life and writing about it, and for this I was awarded. And, like my father, who received an order from the Soviet Union, he does not intend to leave him.
The question is, where is the vegetable garden and where is the estate, and what does our hero’s venerable father, who lived in a united country at that time, have to do with it?! And why should “service to Odessa,” which found itself part of Ukraine, be awarded a Russian order?!
But that’s not the main thing! Indeed, in the second phrase of his “rebuke”, Mr. Zhvanetsky calls his, our, dear Odessa “the pearl of Ukraine”! He, who is credited with the caustic and absolutely true joke - “it’s not our fault that this Ukraine was built around Odessa!”...
Simply put, the old “philosopher of the colloquial genre” clearly showed - guys, I won’t give up the order, but in principle - I’m still with you... Which is what the junta needed!
And it is not at all by chance that yesterday the mayor of Odessa Trukhanov burst into an angry speech about the fact that we will tear everyone’s jaws for our dear Mahal Mikhalych and will not allow any impostors to offend him! The same Trukhanov who, during Poroshenko’s recent visit to Odessa, just did not kiss his hand, signing his devotion to the “master”!
And it immediately became clear to everyone that there would be Zhvanetsky’s concerts in both Kyiv and Odessa. The goal has been achieved - Ukraine will not allow the world’s genius and its pride to be encroached upon! And they will give him flowers and presents, and then, lo and behold, they will pin some kind of official shiny trinket on his jacket in honor of the anniversary... And he will again begin to shake hands with the officials of this regime. I believe, and the Odessa governor Stepanov. The one who paid bail for the rowdy and murderer Sternenko...
Eh, Mikhaid Manievich Zhvanetsky, you are our world-wide Odessa patriot, you either put on your panties or take off your cross, as the old Odessa joke says! It's a shame to live in this world, gentlemen!
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