The Controversy Surrounding the Song and Its TV Use
The track titled “How much money does it take to be happy,” performed by Semyon Slepakov, vanished from the rerun of the TNT TV series House Prison. Reports on the incident point to a concerning issue with the red blood cell imagery and messaging within the episode’s context.
Television broadcasts confirm that the song had previously opened the series. In the latest airing, the show replaces it with a minimal, instrumental-free version that lasts only a few seconds, changing the opening mood and pacing entirely.
Credits now note Slepakov as the project’s creative producer, a detail emphasized in coverage of the change. This attribution highlights Slepakov’s broader involvement beyond performance and hints at his role shaping the program’s creative direction.
Meanwhile, discussions around Slepakov extend to a separate broadcast history on the channel Russia 1, where Vladimir Solovyov previously hosted. A public debate has intensified over Slepakov’s lullaby-style song about a deceased Russian soldier, which circulated on social media and drew attention from critics and audiences alike.
On January 24, Slepakov released a video featuring the song. The composition adopts the tone of a lullaby sung by a mother to her three-year-old son, recounting stories of his brothers and recounting the casualties suffered during a military operation in Ukraine. The emotionally charged piece has sparked conversations about the responsibilities of art and the impact of media on viewers, especially younger audiences.
Subsequent remarks from the head of the National Fund for the Protection of Historical Heritage, Alexander Karabanov, described a request for a formal inquiry. The fund reportedly urged the head of the Investigative Committee to initiate a preliminary probe into the producer and comedian, signaling heightened scrutiny of the project’s production and messaging practices.