Mikhail Shats: “Consequences come not because of jokes, but when you speak seriously.” Mikhail Shats: “I am a typical henpecked person

Mikhail Shats and Tatyana Lazareva on the set of the program " Good jokes".

press service materials.

Mikhail Shats: “I am a typical henpecked man”

The famous TV presenter is the strong half of a creative and family duet with Tatyana Lazareva. The couple’s television career took a new turn: “Good Jokes” returned to the screen.

Famous TV presenter is the strong half of a creative and family duet with Tatyana Lazareva. IN Lately his name appears more often on the pages of newspapers in connection with articles about the opposition, but we also have a reason to talk about TV: “Good Jokes” has returned to the screen.

— Mikhail Grigorievich, I remember you very well from the days of “O. S.P.-studios,” but a lot has changed since then. You have become a big TV boss, producer, and instead of acting, now in a noble suit you mock our stars. What do you think: as a result of all these changes, have you gained or lost something for yourself?
- Firstly, I don’t really agree with your definition of my status. I don’t consider my position to be big and, first of all, I remain a TV presenter. Although, probably, having gained experience over the years, I use it, trying to produce the programs that I like. And I am in no way making fun of our stars. Moreover, I am not inclined to agree that having status allows you to do this. Secondly, I guess I just got older. And the whole logic of changes in my life is dictated by curiosity, which leads me forward. Out of curiosity, I became a doctor, then out of curiosity I started doing KVN, and also out of curiosity, then I became a TV presenter. And now - to some extent, a functionary.

— But you haven’t lost your sense of humor?
“It’s not for me to judge this, but for the people who communicate with me.” I haven’t lost the irony of life, that’s for sure. And a sense of humor - God willing.

— Do you regret that now there is no opportunity to study? acting profession on TV, as it was in “O. S.P.-studio"?
— At one time at O. S.P.” we replayed everything that was possible for us at that time, and a certain fatigue accumulated from this. Again, the question arose: is it possible to make a program without playing something? This is how programs based on improvisation appeared, which allows us not to prepare for them in advance. And secondly, don’t play anything.

— With one of my colleagues at O. S.P.” do you keep in touch?
- I can’t say that we maintain a relationship. We rarely see each other, rarely communicate; rather, each of us has our own life. But we roughly understand where everyone is in this moment. Some on the Internet, some on television, some between television and the Internet. Everyone has been scattered far and wide in life different directions.

— I read that in preparation new series“Good jokes” you have experienced almost all the competitions yourself. Would you like to invite former Special Special Forces members, split into two teams and all take part in the program together?
- I don’t know what would come of it! I'm afraid I would have to participate in all the competitions alone. (Laughs.)

— In general, how willingly do stars agree to play the fool in your program?
- Differently. Nobody perceives it as something obligatory. This is a fairly old show, and, in my opinion, everyone has been on it before. Those people who come to us now do so because they enjoy it. And not because they feel a desire to “shine in the box” so that they will be remembered.

- What do you really understand? good humor? The name of your program is very telling.
“I get asked about this so often that I’m even embarrassed by the name.” Surely it hurts the ears of many, because there is some kind of self-confidence evident in this phrase. But we didn’t come up with this name: they gave it to us, and we forgot about it. Good jokes for me are those jokes that make you and those around you enjoy. It's difficult to say what good or bad humor is. Everyone determines this for themselves, without anyone’s advice. Advice in humor is the last thing. I can recommend you a movie with good actor. And talking about humor is quite difficult.

— But do you follow what appears in this genre?
- Of course, I'm watching something. I am not a fan of any program other than football. But if something new appears, I look. I can't say that anything has amazed me lately.

— How do you feel about jokes?
- Terrible! (Laughs.) When people ask me to tell a joke, I feel like a complete idiot. A good jokes I forget quickly.

— KVN, as a veteran of the movement, look?
— Veterans of the movement practically don’t move anymore! I watch KVN very rarely, on major holidays. For example, I watched the 50th anniversary of KVN because I took part in it. I haven't watched anything since then. And I was already on the jury there - my dream came true, and that’s enough. If I get invited often, I might turn into Guzman. And I don't want this. (Laughs.)

— Do you value your image?
— The last thing I think about when I do something is image. This is the last thing that pops into my head. Perhaps this is wrong. Upbringing, environment, children - these are the things that probably influence my actions.

— But is it important to you what the press writes about you?
- Naturally, especially in recent months. Finally, I can say that I took part in some scandals. That was a real feeling! Of course, I read and watch something, but I don’t always react to it. Yes, something sticks in my head, but that’s not what guides me through life. Sometimes it is offensive, sometimes there is bewilderment. This is not the main thing.

— Recently, your name began to appear in newspapers in connection with political events. Unexpected for you.
- Unexpected for you. (Laughs.) But for me - why? I do this in my right mind, not drunk, not under the influence of drugs. And for me everything is absolutely expected.

“You haven’t been seen doing anything like this before.” What prompted you to go to the barricades?
— I think age. If you continue to put everything off for the future: they say, with next week I’ll start saying what I think... So you might not live to see next week. Therefore, there is no need to postpone anything, that’s what I decided for myself.

- Do you think you can change something?
“I am absolutely sure that I am able to say something.” This is already the first step. And when you are confident that you can say something, you increasingly have the feeling that you can change something.

— Are you thinking about any logical continuation? Maybe join the party?
“I only think about ensuring that my words do not diverge from my deeds.” And in this sense, I do not rule out any continuation of this story, because I really want it not to turn out to be just a bright, entertaining winter that we all spent outside.

— You went to all the rallies with Tatyana...
- Yes, it was ours general choice.

— So you are like-minded on this issue?
- Absolutely.

— How common are family disagreements for you?
- Of course, they arise. We are an ordinary, normal family. Although, probably, not quite ordinary and not quite normal. (Laughs.) Since we have three children, these disagreements arise every day. This is absolutely typical for everyone. People often ask me: “Do you joke at home?” or “Do you work together because you are a family?” I've answered all these questions so many times that I don't even know the right answer. That’s how it happened, that’s how Tanya and I worked out.

- They say in time long marriage spouses become similar to each other...
- Externally? I hope Tanya doesn't read this. (Laughs.) And regarding the internal similarity... In any case, we began to forgive each other more. And since we forgive, it means we understand our differences. Everything is logical.

— When the story of your acquaintance was just beginning, you spent a long time wooing Tatyana, courting her, one might even say, waiting for her. That is, the initiative came from you, which probably refutes the stereotype that the choice is usually made by a woman. You showed by your behavior that things could be different.
“I’m glad I proved something to someone.” And first of all, apparently, to Tatyana. So if anyone uses my method and is successful, please send me flowers. (Laughs.) This is how we did it. I am sure that there are several billion more ways to achieve your goal. And that several billion people will find them.

— If the initiative in the relationship came from you, perhaps you should definitely be the main one in the family?
- No, in this sense I am a typical example of a henpecked person. In general, most of our decisions are made by Tatyana with the words: “Misha, let’s consult!”

- And children make ropes too?
- Rather, they just live. Children are very different, good, and evoke only positive feelings. Everyone is at their own age, each has their own pros and cons, problems. But overall they certainly bring joy, which is what children should do. This is their only responsibility.

-Which of the children need to pay more attention?
- Everyone now has some turning points in life. Naturally, the youngest, Antonina, is now our leader in attention. She talks a lot and funny, moves funny. Actually, he does what a person should do at five years old. The eldest son, Stepan, is on the threshold adult life, the average Sophia has her own teenage story. Everyone needs to say something, to listen to something from them - this ordinary story.

— Do you have any specific responsibilities as a father? What, for example, are you the only one doing?
— Oddly enough, there are not very many of them. For example, I read to children at night. They only address this to me. In all other cases, they walk by shouting: “Mom! Mother!". So in that sense I have quite a few responsibilities.

— Do you read the magazine “Krasnaya Burda” to Antonina, it seems?
- Yes, we had such a period. (Laughs.) Tonya always looked forward to new releases. And now we have read “The Wizard Emerald City", "Oorfene Deuce and his wooden soldiers" and began "Seven underground kings" Antonina listens a lot and, it seems to me, she has already listened more books than her older brother and sister in their entire lives. I'm glad about this.

— Looking at children, do you remember your childhood? Is it very different from the childhood of your heirs?
- Certainly. Their life is in full swing and passes in such an information flow that they are already ahead of us from the very beginning. This is not negotiable. They know us much more, travel and travel more. Really, what will this lead to? big question. Probably every generation deserves its own childhood. I somehow calmly analyze all this, without drawing conclusions.

— What are your most vivid memories of this period?
— I always remember my childhood with warmth. It was wonderful, and I am incredibly grateful to both Mom and Dad. This is a normal childhood Soviet boy, in the family of a doctor and a teacher. With a kindergarten, with a school, with a circle at the Palace of Pioneers, with trips to Estonia. It was good, light, warm, not hungry.
— Is the circle in the Pioneer Courtyard a boxing section?
— I went to an aircraft modeling club, but not for long. The boxing section was separate.

— Do you have any skills left?
“I didn’t take up boxing for long, just over six months, until I was expelled from there for pushing a boy in the hallway at my school. Our coach was not simple, but Soviet, with morals. And I thought that since I pushed the boy, it means I won’t do boxing anymore. Then there was chess. But, to be honest, I can’t say that I found anything useful from what I learned in clubs and sections. Apparently, my skills and abilities were not formed there.

- But what remains from the profession of a doctor is the ability to give injections. If your children suddenly get sick, can you give them an injection?
“It seems to me that everything has been erased from me.” It was as if there was some special button that turned off when I took off the white robe and hung it on the hook. Either you are a doctor and must follow the Hippocratic Oath, or you are not a doctor. I prefer the second one. I worked in quite specific areas of medicine, where qualifications, skills and knowledge are very important. And if you understand that all this does not correspond to the level, then it is better not to consume or use them at all. But, of course, if anything happens, I can provide first aid - count the pulse, measure the blood pressure.

— And when you turn to doctors for help, does it happen that those who know your biography look at you as a colleague?
- Mostly in St. Petersburg. If I visit hospitals there, sometimes I meet my classmates who are already heads of departments; there are professors, but there are few of them. The end of our course coincided with a catastrophe in Soviet medicine, and many were forced to leave the profession and do something else.

— Now your biggest hobby is football.
— From games, perhaps, yes.

— You once dreamed of making a comedy about football.
— Someone has already made such a comedy. I watched it and stopped dreaming about it.

— But they themselves recently starred in the film “Chapaev, Chapaev.” Is filming over?
- Yes, I’m starting to voice-over now. But it was quite a boring job. Not just underground, but even lower. (Laughs.) Although I really liked it. I have known Mitkov since college, I remember the exhibitions they held. The curiosity for these people remained, and when I received an offer from them, I was flattered and pleased. Then, I agreed to act not for a fee, but out of interest. I added to my collection of works, nothing more.

— Recently you were asked what else can be expected from your duet with Tatyana, and you said: either a new television project, or the fourth child. What's more likely?
— Most likely, a new fourth television project. That is, something in between. (Laughs.) I have several new television projects that I am currently producing and which should be released in the fall. There are still a number of ideas that will need to be implemented somewhere. To be honest, I am quite happy with my television destiny.

— You once said that at the age of 60-70 you imagine yourself on a white yacht, rocking on the waves in some beautiful bay. Have your ideas about the future changed?
“I don’t renounce what I said, and this option suits me.” Although recently I realized that there may be others. Depending on how the situation develops in the country, it could be a completely opposite story, associated with not very beautiful scenery in other regions. So lately the thought of a yacht has begun to elude me.

- Other regions of the country - I hope, ours? Or do you intend to leave Russia due to opposition sentiments? It seems like you have a house in Spain?
— No, we just rent housing there often, we like to relax in Marbella. I have no thoughts of leaving the country forever. And yes, we love to travel. This summer we are planning in addition to Spain big Adventure to the States with children. While the whole family can still get together, the older children have not yet sent us away, we want to take advantage of this opportunity.

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I am attracted to what gives me new sensations and tastes of life. For example, I recently began to often go to football games not in the VIP seats, but in the fan section. There's a completely different energy there. The genre of stand-up comedy in which I currently work also excites me. This story began relatively recently, in December, and is now actively developing.

I had to learn a lot. I have a lot of experience performing in front of an audience, but stand-up is very different from television formats, in which I feel confident. First of all, the rules of behavior and presentation of material. And the material itself is different. You are not talking about something abstract, but about yourself. It's like some kind of total psychotherapy. You tell people about yourself and it’s like you’re healing.

Stand-up is tricky, you can make a mistake with the material and not expect any reaction from the audience. Has this ever happened to you?

Of course it happened. There is only one way to deal with this: quickly get dressed after the performance and leave. (Laughs). The hall is always different, and it is impossible to trace any logic. Everything is very unpredictable. Sometimes you go on stage and get such a wonderful return that you didn’t even expect. But it happens the other way around. You need to be prepared for such moments so as not to be dumbfounded during the performance because no one is laughing.

You once said that you stopped watching KVN completely, but Comedy Club close to you. Why?

Well, I exaggerated. I wouldn’t say that Comedy Club is really close to me. But I often come across some of their performances on the Internet, and I watch many of them with pleasure. Especially if one of my favorites is performing. Garik Kharlamov, for example. In general, I am impressed by comedians who joke with a serious face. I'm like that myself.

What's wrong with KVN?

I won’t undertake to speculate on what’s wrong with him. I think I just grew out of it. KVN and I, so to speak, went in different directions. KVN became big show, no longer as sincere as 15-20 years ago, the severity of the jokes has greatly decreased. In the 90s, when I played, there was much more freedom. You could joke about anything, no one forced you into a certain framework.

Do you miss those times?

Has your approach to humor evolved over time?

Maybe. In the same stand-up, I can afford to polish some points in the text for a long time, test it, think about it. You don’t have to work in a wild assembly line, as before, when we produced one or even several programs a week. Because of this, quality suffered. Actually, it's almost the main problem television. When a successful idea is put on the assembly line, the quality gradually evaporates. And it seems to me that it is not possible to correct this situation.

How do you see the future of television?

Heavy. I don’t think that it will die, at least in the next 30-50 years, but the volume of consumption will only decrease, and at an increasing pace. Television in the sense of a stationary box that stands in the corner is already fading away. We need new formats and ways of communicating with the audience. Personally, I even watch football more and more often on my tablet. I only turn on the TV in the dark evenings to watch, for example, a series that interests me.

After all these years on television, you probably get recognized all the time random people. Is there any benefit from this? Maybe they let you jump the line or something like that.

They will find out, of course. Sometimes this helps in communicating with service workers; various everyday issues are resolved faster than usual. Traffic cops also sometimes show a loyal attitude. But more often they just ask me to take a photo, they don’t let me jump the line. In principle, it’s not difficult for me to stand in line; I feel fine in it. In general, this medal, like any other, has two sides. Sometimes you want to hide from everyone, but you can’t.

On the contrary, have you encountered a negative reaction to too bold jokes?

Unpleasant consequences, as a rule, occur not because of jokes, but when you are talking about something serious. That’s what happened with Tanya and me. When we spoke seriously, then the consequences arrived (in 2011, Shats and Lazareva spoke at protest rallies, because of which, in fact, they lost their jobs on television - note of the Club). Did we realize what this could lead to? I think no. It was difficult to imagine the scale of these consequences. They came as a complete surprise; I had never imagined such a future.

In interviews, you often answer even frivolous questions seriously, which is quite unusual for a comedian. Does this happen to you in life too?

In fact, I am always different. There is no consistent behavior; I don’t play the same role. In communicating with loved ones, I can be the way I want. This, in fact, is the advantage of communicating with loved ones. But I understand why you ask this. Will I be real soul companies in our ? I really hope to get closer to the people who will travel with me. This the most important moment for the trip, so that later it will be pleasant to remember it. It really is my long-time dream to go to South America. I think we will have fun, satisfying, sometimes drunk and generally free. For my part, I will do everything for this.

Why did you choose Argentina?

I think it's a desire that goes back to my childhood when I heard famous phrase Kastorsky’s boos about “Argentinas slamazle.” A distant and, as it seemed then, completely unattainable land. And now - please. I think I was also influenced by the enthusiastic stories of friends who visited Argentina. Plus I like it Spanish. I love listening to them speak it. I even understand something basic level I can talk myself.

By the way, did you think about emigration after you left television?

I thought about it, but brushed aside such thoughts. Well, where will I go, Russian language for me - essential tool. I can’t exchange it for another; freedom of communication is important in my profession.

What goals are you setting for yourself now?

The main goal is work. I'm used to doing things that bring me joy. Lately I've gotten used to unexpected turns, so life can turn out any way. I do not rule out that new directions will appear that are not related to humor. The only thing that can be said for sure is that I won’t go into business, it’s not my thing.

Mikhail Shats: “We are on stage – like at war”

– It seems that during “Good Jokes” you are constantly improvising?

M.Sh.– The basis of our work on stage, of course, is improvisation. There is a short, pre-written text that lists the scheduled competitions. So, using this text, we announce competitions and then complete them. And what happens inside these tasks is improvisation.

– How are responsibilities distributed in your creative duo?

T.L.– From my point of view, Mikhail decides everything in our duet, and I take great pleasure in blaming everything on him.
M.Sh.- Tatyana is disingenuous. In fact, she decides everything, but she pretends to give me some authority. In other words, she behaves like real woman in relation to a man. Pretends that the man is in charge. But in fact, it's the other way around. In any male-female pair, only the woman is in the lead.
T.L.- So you should already be henpecked...
M.Sh.“But outwardly I manage to maintain my dignity.”
T.L.“And I also hide this and pretend that I am very soft and ask Misha, choosing the most crowded place for this: will you buy bread or is it better for me to go to the bakery myself?”

– Maybe Mikhail is the master of the house?

T.L.– Misha is a man without arms. I recently conducted an experiment. In the shower stall, which no one except Misha uses, the lamp burned out. Two weeks later I asked him: did he really not notice anything? He says: “Can’t you screw it in?” I was indignant and explained who the man was in the house. What do you think he asked me? “Where do we even have light bulbs?”

– How do you choose heroes for the show?

M.Sh.– While preparing the first releases of the program, we tried to find some internal conflict between the participants, and then realized that it was simply not needed. We try to find those characters who will be relaxed, free on stage, and thereby interesting to the viewer.

– Is it easy?

M.Sh.– Oh, with these guests... They come so relaxed, softened by their own great achievements. As a rule, they wear the mask of an all-seeing and all-knowing person. They are very lenient towards us. There are very few people who truly work professionally for the viewer. And going on TV programs and talk shows is part of this job. But only a few take this seriously. That’s why we’re on stage – it’s like we’re at war. And not only with guest stars. But also with the situation. And sometimes with yourself. It’s part of our profession to be happy “on camera,” but you know, sometimes you don’t really want to be happy.

– You don’t really like show business stars?

M.Sh.– Because they are corrupted by the widespread interest in themselves from the media, from outside ordinary people, and so on, and that’s why they often appear in the studio not just lazy, but swollen, their eyes are literally glued together... Oh, they’ll read it and be offended...
T.L.- They won’t read it. Why do they even need to read anything?!

– What happened to OSP-Studio?

M.Sh.“It just ended as a program.” We do not and have not had contradictions similar to those that existed in the Beatles group. For example, we didn’t have Yoko Ono...

– Tatiana cannot claim her role?

M.Sh.- What are you talking about? And she is not Yoko Ono, and I am not John Lennon. We all parted ways without intrigue or scandals. Although, of course, we have a certain jealousy towards each other.

– Do you have any envy in your creative relationship with Tatyana?

M.Sh.- There is no envy. There is jealousy. Internal competition is mandatory - without it there is no self-development in the profession.

– You both came on stage from outside...

T.L. – Higher education I have no. I came to the stage from the Kaveen team.
M.Sh.– And I graduated from the First Leningrad medical school, then residency. He worked as an anesthesiologist-resuscitator. And then... it rolled down. And I got to the “Good Jokes” program.

– Anyone who professionally deals with humor in life is serious and even gloomy...

T.L.“Our viewers are so accustomed to the fact that we are always cheerful, cheerful and always joking, that when they suddenly, at an inopportune moment, receive from us some kind of real life reaction without jokes or humor to this or that event, they are extremely surprised. “How can she not smile? Capable of being rude! Nightmare!" And they get the misleading impression that we are actually rude, gloomy people. And we are the most ordinary.

– When girls pay attention to your spouse, do you react?

T.L.- This irritates me terribly. I remember at a sports party a girl approached Misha and began to twitter languidly. I swept her off the face of the earth with one glance. Then my husband explained that this was some kind of Olympic champion. It turned out to be inconvenient.

– Does Mikhail have annoying fans?

T.L.– No, we have long positioned ourselves as husband and wife. In addition, everyone knows that Lazarev can bite off a person’s head, and they are very afraid. I have heard talk about my severe character. People probably think that because I don't like giving autographs. It's not a problem if the audience comes up after the performance. But when you are choosing pads in a store and you have bags in your hands... Or when leaving the toilet they once tried to get my autograph. I told them: “Why were you ashamed, you should have gone straight there.” Such moments, of course, are terribly annoying. At a McCartney concert, an unfamiliar lady, seeing me, shouted throughout Red Square: “Lazareva! Now I’ll take a photo with you!”...

– Do you have a desire to become serious dramatic actors?

T.L.– No, it doesn’t arise enough to take it seriously. Mish, don’t you dream about becoming a dramatic actor at night?
M.Sh.– I’m worried about auto racing now. The example of Nikolai Fomenko shows that a TV presenter can then work as a racer...

– Many people treat entertainment programs on our TV with disgust...

T.L.- Indeed, there is such a thing disdain many intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals turn to entertainment television. But we are absolute patriots of entertainment broadcasting. First of all, we put it on most our lives! And secondly, entertainment and stupidity are far from synonymous.

– Could it happen that your life will change dramatically and you will suddenly become the host of the Vesti program?

M.Sh. And T.L.- Never!
M.Sh.– I believe in sharp turns. But in such a turn - no! Maybe I’ll go read the weather on TNT. But for the presenters of Vesti - no way!

– Why such a negative attitude towards the Vesti program?

M.Sh.– This is the balanced position of the Rossiya TV channel and mine in relation to each other.

– Do you avoid politics?

T.L.– Why do we need to talk about politics?
M.Sh.– I do not consider myself to have the right to make any political statements. I understand: aliens have landed and the fate of planet Earth depends on me. I will definitely speak out. Or, suppose I found the keys to our country's gold and foreign exchange reserves! I’m ready to make a statement and say: “Comrades, I have the keys. Do not worry, everything will be OK". This is where my political statements are appropriate. And in everything else... Why should I declare something, call someone somewhere? Be indignant about something and make loud political exclamations?

- Well, maybe some news programs on other channels will be pleasant to you, and you to them?

M.Sh.– I really like Discovery. I would like to work on Discovery.
T.L.– You wanted to be a racer?
M.Sh.“And that’s what I wanted too.”
T.L.– Misha is still deciding on his profession: what he will be when he grows up.

– What is your attitude towards sports?

M.Sh.– I would like to be a coach football team"Zenith". I support Zenit.

– Tatyana also likes football?

M.Sh.“She is forever lost to him.”
T.L.- Why?! I know some names...
M.Sh.- Which I say in my sleep!
T.L.“And that’s what irritates me.” I forbid him to talk about football in his dreams.

– You also said that you would like to become a racer.

M.Sh.“I don’t even bother with all sorts of scratches now - a car, like a man, scars only decorate it!” I only fix things that prevent me from moving normally. I used to run around with a rag and immediately go and cover up any small scratch. And I don’t even have any signs: I don’t knock on the wheels, I don’t empty the ashtray every morning, I don’t kiss the steering wheel.

- Speaking of your wife, do you travel with her safely?

M.Sh.– Tatyana may even be a better driver than me, but she is a very tough driver, so when I drive with her, the only thing that saves me is a sports newspaper. I cover myself with it and go, I can’t do otherwise.

– How are your relations with our guards?

M.Sh.- Differently. If you smile at someone, they will let you through, but someone, on the contrary, will want to show you that he doesn’t care who you are. It’s easier for Tanya, she’s a woman - you can make eyes at her, but sometimes I have to put on a whole performance. Tanya watches it all from the car, like in a silent movie: all these squats, antics, jumping, waving her arms - she says it’s very funny. Although at such moments I often feel sad.

Showman, producer, member of the Academy of Russian Television, husband of TV presenter Tatyana Lazareva Mikhail Shats in big interview Radio Liberty talks about how his life is shaping up after participating in protest movement and leaving the big federal broadcast.

– We all know perfectly well who Mikhail Shats is. But you haven’t been seen on TV or heard on the radio for a very long time. I think a lot of people are interested in what you are doing now.

- I'm very interesting activities Now. Firstly, I am involved in the “Creation” charity foundation, with which I have been collaborating for fifteen years. It all started with the usual corporate party, and it all ended with me, Tanya (Lazareva) and Sasha Pushnoy joining the board of trustees. And I, moreover, have been heading it since April. And I am doing this quite actively. This is an interesting and very substantive task, which I like.

- Secondly?

– The second subject of my activity is HOA. This is also very interesting.

– Seryozha Belogolovtsev after a significant break on television, in which he worked theatrical enterprise, returned to the air in several programs at once. On NTV he appears in the satirical “Saltykov-Shchedrin Show”. By the way, they mostly speak out about housing and communal services. And he also hosts a quiz about cinema on the Che TV channel. There is also the mysterious Pasha Kabanov, aka Klara Zakharovna. I don’t know what Pasha does. But he's alive. Alive and self-sufficient. He traveled a lot. But I don’t know what exactly he does, what he earns.

– What is happening with humorous entertainment television in Russia? Are you following this?

– I’m not exactly a big and attentive TV viewer. If something comes into view, then I look. I’m not Arina Borodina in this sense for sure. I don't track. But in general, in my opinion, entertainment television thrives in different forms. There are, of course, undisputed leaders - Vanya Urgant. Vanya made his dream come true. He is doing the same late night show that he has always dreamed of. Does it professionally and reliably.

– Question about a sense of humor. Over the years of working with this very feeling, you have understood what it is Russian feeling humor? Is it something special? Is it different in any way from English, German, American?

– In my opinion, a sense of humor is a limitless thing. You can laugh in any company, no matter who is in it: British, Germans, Jews or Russians. A successful phrase will cause laughter in any company. The main thing is to have a sense of humor to be understood. But I don't see any national characteristics In this sense. A funny and understandable thing for everyone will cause laughter. Humor is so diverse, it has so many facets... Why do we need to talk about rainbows? It just exists and gives pleasure. I remember how in the “O.S.P. studio” we read the textbooks of Evgeniy Vaganovich Petrosyan: he laid out on graphs how to present a joke correctly, when it was necessary to finish it off on the second wave, the third and, finally, on the fourth, to completely destroy the hall . It's all quite funny.

– Are there such textbooks? Petrosyan's ABC?

- Were! Exactly! Theory of humor. If you want, read it. It will give you pleasure, I'm sure.

- Don't want.

- Do not read.

– Are you still a member of the Academy? Russian television?

- Formally, apparently. But I absolutely deliberately do not participate in any events.

- Why?

The light has not emanated from me for a long time - I have nothing to spread, I have nothing to share with young television people

- Because I don't see any point in it. Is this the title? Job title? I don't know what to call it. This title obliges people who have achieved certain success in television to bear some kind of social burden, spreading their light throughout the country. But since the light has not emanated from me for a long time, I have nothing to spread, I have nothing to share with young television people. In addition, the reform that took place at the Academy a couple of years ago cut off the cluster of academicians from making specific decisions. I haven’t received any invitations to any ceremonies for three years. I do not receive invitations to participate in the committees that determine nominees. Formally, no one expelled me, but in fact I am not an academician.

– Still, the essence of membership in the Academy is not to spread your light, but to collect pieces of light and choose which of this light is brighter.

– This is generally quite a complex system. As an active member of this community, I had little understanding of how it all worked. There were huge problems, some constant corporate grievances against each other. And all the activities of the Academy in recent years have been aimed at accepting VGTRK back into its fold, reconciling with NTV, and giving TNT the opportunity to nominate someone. All this is somehow tough surgical methods happened, but as a result of these surgical measures we were cut off and ceased to be part of the next world.

- Like appendicitis.

- Or something worse. Some kind of cyst.

– Would you like to return to big television? And if so, what kind of broadcast would it be? What kind of program would this be? Do you have such fantasies?

– In recent years, in connection with everything that has been happening, I clearly understand that it is already difficult to engage in entertainment television - a simple laugh. When we made such television, we had an inner indifference, drive. This is the kind of thing when you just rush, and you do it because you want it. This desire fades away. If something can happen now, it will most likely happen in sports. In general, sport is a neutral territory... although not quite neutral anymore. Last year she is shaking violently.

– Sport is now in the political vanguard.

– Yes, but in sports you can find a small area surrounded by a fence. Football is more suitable for this. The Olympic movement is very exciting, it’s better not to interfere there. But I would like to do something in football.

– Would it be interesting to laugh at the topic of the day?

– This is a very cool genre. Three years ago I was just burning with this. But now it's laughter in a room filled with silent people. It’s quite a strange feeling: you’re the only one laughing, and everyone is sitting and just looking at you. It's not very pleasant. There is no point in doing this now.

“You mean there’s no request for political satire right now?”

– There may be a request. But you won’t have feedback. We did “Television on the Knee”…

- And why did you stop?

– It all started with the fact that there was a drive after my dismissal. I wanted to show: wait, we have a lot more to come! An amazing team has assembled. At that time, we were just walking around without work talented people, not understanding what to do. We gathered together in the kitchen, sat and discussed something. I never thought that I would be able to do a program with Philip Bakhtin, for example. Or with Andrey Loshak. Why am I suddenly with Andrei Loshak?.. It’s not completely clear, but it’s wildly interesting. There were young guys Arseny and Katya, known for the project “Persian of Russia”. Katka Gordeeva visited us for some time. Demyan Kudryavtsev advised us. In the mid-1990s, no one would have ever believed that all these people could do something together. Dream team! And so we put together a program that we threw onto the Internet. After the release of the first video, I was driving in the car and listening to Kommersant FM: Mikhail Shats and Tatyana Lazareva released new program, according to the expert community, this is something completely unimaginable, and we simply don’t know what to do about it. I was shocked because I simply did not expect such a reaction.

“You were just drinking in the kitchen.”

– Essentially, yes. This was filmed on camera. We paid five to six thousand rubles for the studio. Another thousand was paid to the editor. The budget for each issue was definitely less than ten thousand rubles. Then, quite by chance, it coincided that Putin divorced his wife Lyudmila, and at that moment we were sitting and trying to compose something. Two hours after this news we got together release and collected about 800,000 views. And we realized that this was a serious matter. This is an audience comparable to federal channels. And the consequences were the same, by the way.

- Which?

– Many began to abandon this project. Philip Bakhtin refused, saying that he had other plans. He wants to raise children, educate them, gather them in camps. Few people remained nearby, and we understood that this was not some kind of sticky thing that simply delivered drive and excitement.

– And this is a responsibility that no one shared with you.

- This is a responsibility. We need to hire people, look for money, authors, put it all on stream... and all this will again result in some kind of boring routine television picture, only on a different scale. And in the end, everything gradually faded away. This is the story of “Television on the Knee”. But overall the project is pleasant. So many good memories about him.

– Do you think there will be a global reunion of all these wonderful people, which you mentioned above, but not on the scale of your kitchen, but on the scale of a large television broadcast?

- I'm sure it will happen. I don't have the slightest doubt about this.

- When?

– When will these people unite? Please don’t ask me the year and date – don’t.

- Not a year or a date. I'm asking about an event. What needs to happen for a reunion to happen?

– I believe that talented people are in demand anyway. And someday it will become clear on some other level. There will be a different combination of feelings, emotions and circumstances that will allow these people to come together. I have no doubt about it. For all these people, Russia, everything that happens in Russia, is important. This remains important. It doesn't matter where they are now. They are still mentally here. And the desire to get here and work here will remain. Something must happen for this to happen. Or even more than one thing.

– Tell us a little more about the charity that you and your wife are involved in. Does this have any personal motives? In this way you filled the resulting void, the resulting free time? What prompted you to do this?

– As for Tanya, she always paid a lot of attention to this. Pushny and I were carriage workers on this locomotive, and Tanya always gave a lot of time to the foundation and the desire to do something good. Circumstances that have changed recently are such that there really is a lot of free time. These circumstances are such that you can do whatever you want. Charity is something that is definitely worth doing now. This is a very good excuse for your life. I can really change something: not on a large scale, but on the scale of a specific life. It would probably be stupid not to take advantage of this opportunity. If it's not criminal. It is very cleansing, gives meaning to life, I recommend it to everyone.

– Are you still interested in politics? Are you following her?

- I'm watching. Politics run along the wall like slides. I'm reading, and out of the corner of my eye I see something. But politics has never been an ambition for me. I didn't want to be a politician. The vaccination I had completely discouraged me from going there. Not mine at all.

– Will you go to the elections in the fall?

- No, I won’t go to the polls. Although I was a member of the precinct election commission. I went to St. Petersburg for elections two years ago. It was a simple area high school downtown. The chairman of the commission was the school director. It was physically hard work. You come in at seven in the morning and sit until three in the morning. Everything that is written about in the media happens before your eyes...

- Carousel?

They brought packs of already signed ballots with the entered data. This was a significant number of votes that changed the result

- Not even a carousel. Technologies change all the time. Fantastic things happened the year I was there. They brought packs of already signed ballots with the entered data. This was a significant number of votes that changed the result. I began to fight, shout, and threaten for the very idea of ​​fair elections (although how can I ruin the life of a member of the election commission?). And now the elections are in September... I don’t understand, for whom am I going to the elections? For the sake of three Right Russia members entering the next State Duma? Or some kind of communists? This is all so boring that it makes no sense at all now. I understand that I will cause some kind of negative reaction, but this is my opinion. I don't want to participate in this.

– Changes in Russia are possible not thanks to elections?

- Well, not thanks to these for sure. One hundred percent.

– Rosstat has published the latest statistics, according to which Russia has been experiencing a significant wave of emigration over the past twenty years. Last year alone, 350,000 people emigrated from Russia. Do you think this is an alarming signal for the country and for the state? Or should we not dramatize this situation: just as we left, we will come back?

– Any person leaving the country for some reason is always a warning sign. I know quite a large number of people from my circle who left, I understand their motives. This is very worrying. Because the guys who can change the world and want to do it are leaving.

- They will do this. Just in another country.

- Maybe. Yes. But it is important for us that they do it here. It would be much more effective for us. These people change a lot around them. I won’t name the names of the guys who are now doing absolutely fantastic things in Silicon Valley. Katya Romanovskaya came to the USA and took part in a startup about a panic button: how beautifully and accurately she did it! The same Philip Bakhtin organizes his children’s camps not here, but in a neighboring country: this is a shame, because these are very important things that shape a person’s character and shape their views on the world.

– But tell me, would you, as the father of your many children, want to raise them in Russia or abroad? As Father. Not as a citizen.

- As Father. In general, I act more often as a father, and not as a citizen of Russia, to be honest. Tatyana and I accepted a fairly simple postulate: children should do what they want. Children must grow up, learn, get what they want - where they want. What has fundamentally changed over the past 30 years is the idea of ​​the transparency of the world, of its globality. Our children are absolutely free to move. Stepan (senior) and Sofia (middle) have already studied in both Moscow and England. And they will continue to study. Stepan has already decided, he is engaged in CG, this computer graphics. He will be relevant to the world of television and cinema. I hope. Sophia has not yet decided. We can provide for them for now, so they study where they want. If they want to return to Russia, they will return to Russia and use their knowledge here. It seems to me that all fathers and mothers think so.

– How does your sense of time change over the years? Has it started running faster? Do you feel that it is running faster than you, that you do not have time to do something terribly important under the pressure of various circumstances?

– The speed of time is not constant. She is changing. The speed of time is affected by your feeling of happiness. Usually, when you are happy, time flies very quickly. You don’t have time to notice it: bam, and five years have passed, Lord, and now it’s already ten.

- Bam! And a nursing home.

- TO suits him, This is true. I was in different situations: both when time dragged on terribly long, and when time fled. I'm sure it depends on how much fun you get from life.

– How is your time now? Is it running? Or has it slowed down?

– To be honest, it has slowed down now. I would like to increase the speed.

– Do you plan your life? Can you imagine what will happen to you in five years?

“I used to do this kind of bullshit.” And now I understand for sure that longest gap The time I can look into is a maximum of a year. I would even say even less. Nine to ten months. Because a lot of things are changing: quickly and unpredictably. Distant horizons are inaccessible to me.

– In general, does life in Russia require planning?

I am immediately alarmed when people talk about some kind of Russian spirit, Russian consciousness, Russian mentality

- Why not? I’m generally not inclined to give this unique flavor to life in Russia. I am immediately alarmed when people talk about some kind of Russian spirit, Russian consciousness, Russian mentality. All this, of course, exists. But we are all people with approximately the same advantages and approximately the same disadvantages. We can live in Russia approximately exactly the same as in the rest of the world. At least in that Russia, which seems better to us.

– Why can’t you plan in Russia? I will answer you with the thought of Sergei Shnurov. He once said that in Russia everything changes very quickly and dramatically every 10 years. But nothing has changed in Russia for 200 years.

– Well, by the way, I don’t really agree with Shnurov on this. In 200 years, a lot has actually changed in Russia. A lot has changed here in 60 years. People are no longer killed in batches. Ramps are being built. There was more kindness. More compassion. More tolerance. They talk about it. These are steps that we do not see because we are in the flow. But if we go ashore and look from the outside, we will notice a lot. Much has changed. Even more will change in the coming years. I have no doubt about this. All this will happen. We are just inside the flow, it seems to us that nothing is moving. But this feeling is an illusion. Everything is moving. You just need, as they say, to sit on the shore, and the body of the enemy will definitely float past you. It will be clearer from the outside, but the children will tell us about it.

– What change are you looking forward to most?

– Good question…

- What needs to change for you to throw off your clothes on your shore, jump into this river and swim further with a completely different mood?

- I need to be in demand. I must understand that people need me, that I can bring them something in return. I would like this ratio to somehow change in my life. As for the rest, let everyone be healthy, nothing more.

- And then, in addition to everything else, you’ll also put on fins.

– Fins, a suit, I’ll take a supply of oxygen with me and go ahead.