Otar Kushanashvili, a noted journalist and television host, has voiced strong criticism of Evgenia Medvedeva and Danya Milokhin, who teamed up on the Channel One reality show Ice Age. His remarks surfaced after their appearances together, sparking discussion about the dynamics of celebrity collaborations on Russian television and the kinds of personalities that audiences tend to embrace or reject on such platforms. Kushanashvili’s take reflects a broader conversation about standards in interview quality, guest selection, and the balance between star power and program integrity.
On the air, Kushanashvili dismissed Medvedeva as lacking certain professional skills. He accused her of failing to showcase interview technique and questioned her judgment in choosing guests for the program. His critique extended to the premise of featuring Milokhin, asking who benefited from the pairing and suggesting questions about the fit and purpose of the collaboration. The host framed his criticisms as rooted in expectations for seasoned broadcasters to elevate conversations, rather than simply ride the wave of familiar faces. The exchange underscored how disagreements over talent and direction can become focal points in celebrity-driven media discourse [attribution: Channel One correspondence].
Medvedeva, a well-known figure skating athlete with a long public record, was acknowledged by Kushanashvili for her achievements and the potential she brings to any project. He conceded that she could align with a different caliber of guest and project type, implying that the show’s format might have offered a broader canvas for her talents. Nevertheless, he attributed the friction to a participant’s conduct on set, suggesting that actions perceived as disruptive or narcissistic could undermine a program’s trajectory and audience trust [attribution: Channel One press coverage].
Danya Milokhin’s involvement with Medvedeva on Ice Age drew particular scrutiny. The duo did not clinch the season’s top prize, though they did win the audience prize and earned a substantial cash reward. The ultimate victors were Tatyana Volosozhar and actor Fyodor Fedotov, a pairing Kushanashvili referenced as a benchmark for what the show could achieve when the right chemistry and performance converge. This backdrop illustrates how viewer responses and prize outcomes can diverge from star alliances, shaping public conversation about what constitutes real success on such programs [attribution: Ice Age season results summary].
In a move that kept media cycles alive, Milokhin departed the project on October 25, 2022, eventually leaving Russia. Yet, the public narrative continued as Medvedeva later invited him for an interview on BeS Comments, a decision that kept the topic in the spotlight and prompted further debate about the boundaries of collaboration, reconciliation, and continuity within long-running entertainment formats [attribution: BeS Comments interview timeline].
Earlier, Kushanashvili had also weighed in on Rodnin’s criticisms of the Russian Grand Prix, signaling a pattern of public figures weighing in on high-profile events in the sports and entertainment spheres. The broader takeaway from these episodes is the way media personalities navigate reputational risk, audience sentiment, and professional standards when engaging with controversial or evolving storylines. The conversations reveal how much influence a single host or critic can exert over the perceived success or failure of televised partnerships and public personas [attribution: related channel discussions].