Yana Lantratova, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Education Committee, criticized the creators of the Family Guy episode about Chelyabinsk for presenting what she called a deliberately offensive artistic image that has little connection to reality. The deputy expressed her views during a public discussion, noting that the portrayal crosses the line into information warfare disguised as art. According to her, books, textbooks, films, and even cartoons can distort perceptions of Russia by implying that life here is unsatisfactory, filled with drinking, drug use, and bribery. She urged channel managers to consider restricting the broadcast of certain stories so as not to mislead viewers. Lantratova emphasized that the Chelyabinsk region is more than its metal works and factories; it has a growing cultural scene that deserves fair representation and attention.
“Beyond industry, culture is developing in the region”, she said. She pointed to two local productions that recently achieved notable box office success—Cheburashka and Kholop—arguing that they reflect a broader trend of cultural vitality in Chelyabinsk. The deputy linked these developments to a broader national conversation about how Russia is depicted in international media and questioned the impact of foreign productions on domestic attitudes. In her view, responsible broadcasting is essential to avoid fostering misunderstandings about the region and the country as a whole. The discussion followed prior commentary about a controversial Family Guy joke concerning Ukraine, which had already sparked comparisons between American humor and regional sensitivity. (Source attribution: State Duma press office)