Prigozhin vs Antropenko: New Year artist pay dispute

A dispute unfolded when producer Joseph Prigozhin publicly dismissed State Duma deputy Igor Antropenko as ignorant after Antropenko called for reevaluating the pay of pop artists ahead of the New Year festival season. The remarks highlighted a growing debate about how entertainers are compensated during the holiday surge, and the disagreement quickly drew in industry figures and political voices alike as the calendar shifted toward festive performances.