— Can the program “League of Cities” be considered a remake of KVN?
– In no case! Despite the large number of faces and the main element of humor that can be recognized thanks to KVN, this show is still a competition of a different kind, although the funniest one wins.
— What is the main difference between the series and other projects of this genre?
— There is no jury member giving notes. There are mentors who form their teams by working with the teams selected in the first stage and share their invaluable experiences and unique visions. Besides the hope of being remembered and becoming famous, a large sum is also at stake: 10 million rubles! In general, the atmosphere and youthful enthusiasm of KVN combined with the courage and scale of TNT is what should play a key role.
— You started your career in KVN, like many other artists. Why do you think “The Club of the Fun and Resourceful” became a career boost for comedians in the 1990s and 2000s? And why is it not so relevant now?
— In fact, for a long time KVN remained the only truly professional platform for young people who wanted to express themselves on a large scale. There was no Comedy Club, “Laughter Without Rules” or Stand Up, let alone “Star Factories”. The talents of that time could not have imagined a more attractive development opportunity, unless it was related to theater or cinema. But getting there was also a lottery. The abundance of advancement opportunities now deprives today’s youth of the enthusiasm inherent in previous generations. Unfortunately, I’m not even talking about the trend in recent years that you don’t need to be talented to be popular. It is enough to get into the trends. Social networks are the clearest evidence of this.
— What advice would you give to those who want to become comedians?
– Do not try to imitate. Find your own voice. Ultimately, it is your unique vision of the world that should give rise to the humor that speaks to you as both an artist and a person.
— In a recent interview, Pavel Volya said: “We live in an era where the end of humor is its beginning.” And soon Mikhail Galustyan said that the humor became “toothless”. Do you agree with this? Do you think there is a future for humor in Russia? And if so, what is it?
“We will definitely have to agree in part.” But this applies not only to Russia. The world as a whole began to perceive jokes differently. Many lack an invaluable sense of personal irony. I said before that being offended has become a trend and apologizing has become a necessity. In such cases, healthy, sharp humor really dies. In such an environment, satire cannot exist at all. But as always “the more complicated, the more fun” and “the more they forbid, the more you want” there is hope that the most working plans will bear fruit.
— Which humor format is most relevant today? Stand-ups, roasts or something else? Which one do you like the most?
—As for suitability, this is for those who are still professionally involved in humor. I moved away from that a few years ago. Talking about my viewing preferences, I’m still a stand-up fan. I’ve always loved cheeky, original humor. But he is not too harsh and sometimes even angry. That’s why “Roasting” and similar things don’t always seem remarkable to me.
—Who do you consider the best comedian in the country right now?
— In my opinion, the dollar and euro exchange rates are now in the most ridiculous situation!
— Other projects you are currently involved in include the travel show “Russo Expresso” with Regina Todorenko. Which cities pleasantly impressed you and which disappointed you?
— People always impress me! Especially those who sincerely love and develop their city and region. He sincerely willingly invests his strength, love, and sometimes his last money to make his small homeland better. Disappointments, as a rule, relate to the level of service and the reluctance of local authorities to pay attention to existing real problems. For example, we have more architectural works than you can imagine. But not everyone wants to spend time and money on them.
— In the autumn, another travel program called “Comrade Traveler” will be broadcast with your participation, where anyone can be your traveling companion. What was it like traveling the world with strangers?
– This is great! First of all, seeing the lasting, real joy of an ordinary person and his pleasure and happiness in what is happening is priceless. Traveling the world is now an unaffordable luxury for many, and I am very happy to be able to take my travel companions to the places they dream of, some even abroad for the first time.
— By the way, which company do you prefer to travel with in real life? With your wife and sons, with your friends, or alone?
— Traveling with your family is always unforgettable. But traveling alone is incredibly beneficial to mental health. Often people trying to take a break from each other go to another room, if available, or in the worst case, to the toilet. Therefore, we can say that I am a very happy person, because – in addition to traveling for work with my family and Regina – I rarely manage to be alone with myself in a magical part of the world, filled with inspiration and recharged with the necessary amount of energy for future achievements.
— Surely, as an experienced travel show host, you have accumulated a dozen interesting stories from your travels. Please share one of these.
– There are really so many stories. I didn’t eat anything, I didn’t drink anything, I didn’t move with anything, I didn’t spend the night anywhere. Perhaps one of the main stories is the Russo Expresso trip along the Trans-Siberian Railway. We went from Moscow to Vladivostok to shoot a new episode, we went to every city. To top it all off, since I’m not an extreme person by nature, I’ve ridden all kinds of surfboards over the years: surfing, wakeboarding, hydrofoils, and flyboards. He also flew a powered paraglider 600 m above the ground and looped on a dragonfly.
— In June, you released the track and video “Never to anyone” on social networks, signing which is how you always wanted it to sound. What did you mean then?
— I meant that I finally stopped chasing radio rotations and TV broadcasts and listened to what was in my heart. I always dreamed of working in this genre, but I was afraid that it would not be popular. When you make music, the only thing you have to think about is the music. I want to be as honest as possible with my audience and myself. And as those who have heard both this song and other material that I will release in the near future say, this is what is 100% associated with me and the mood with which I always release.
— What do your sons do other than studying? What do they want to be? Do you want a career in show business for them?
— Miguel is the eldest, he reads a lot and has already started writing himself, he has a wonderful style. She plays football, volleyball and basketball very well. Daniel paints very well, is interested in equestrian sports and recently decided to master the violin. A few years ago, both brothers started dubbing cartoons, TV series and movies for Netflix, Apple TV and the like. Miguel has been the official voice of Uncle Fyodor in the new Prostokvashino for several years. And also – the program “Drawing Fairy Tales”, where he made his TV debut, received a TEFI several years ago. But with all this, there is no aim to create an artist. I love that they have already tried so many things and achieved impressive results. Whatever they want to do next is their choice and I will support it anyway.