A Russian actor and star of the TV series Kitchen, Dmitry Nazarov, shared a poem he wrote about artists who apologized for attending blogger Anastasia Ivleeva’s party. The video appeared on Instagram, a platform owned by Meta, which has faced bans in Russia amid various political controversies.
The chef from Kitchen expressed disappointment with those who released public videos to apologize for attending the event. His verse framed the apologies as lacking genuine remorse, suggesting that the apologies were performed rather than felt.
In his words, the sentiment of shame felt by the public could be described as a burning, almost Spanish-style embarrassment. Nazarov asserted that the participants apologized without truly recognizing their wrongdoing, implying that their actions reflected a broader misjudgment among the public at large.
The Ivleeva-hosted gathering took place at the Mutabor club on December 20. Guests were expected to adhere to a bold dress code featuring revealing attire. Attendees included television host Ksenia Sobchak, singer Olga Orlova, pop icon Phillip Kirkorov, the group Glukoza, Lolita Milyavskaya, Oksana Samoilova, rapper Vacio, and Dzhigan. The event drew criticism for its explicit theme and for staging a party that some viewed as sending a provocative message to audiences and followers.
Earlier in January, Dmitry Nazarov and his wife Olga Vasilyeva were dismissed from the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater. Reports indicated the decision was tied to Nazarov’s outspoken anti-war stance and comments about Russia’s actions in Ukraine. In March, Nazarov commented on Konstantin Khabensky’s choice to remove him from the theater, noting that the process was difficult for the theater’s artistic leadership and that initial plans reportedly called for a temporary ban rather than a permanent departure.
Additionally, Anna Asti’s Christmas-time performance faced disruption, with organizers citing Ivleeva’s party as a contributing factor to the cancellation. The ripple effects of these events extended beyond individual careers, prompting discussions about accountability, public behavior, and the intersection of art, politics, and media in contemporary Russia and its cultural scene.