Scandal with "TNT" TV Channel let practice of public apologies beyond Chechnya

Producers of the "Comedy Woman" show hurried up to bring apologies for a joke about an Ingush woman from escort service, and the blocking for the office of the "TNT" TV Channel with a demand to apologize proves that the Kremlin lost the monopoly on violence, claimed Russian journalists and rights defenders. The apologies that followed the show became a part of the practice of public repentance for criticism, which made Chechnya well-known about it.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the show had been released, users of social networks began to address threats against participants of the "Comedy Woman".

On December 11, about 50 natives of the Caucasus gathered in front of the "TNT" TV Channel building and tried to break into the editors' office, the "Ekho Moskvy" reports.

Members of the "Comedy Club Production" likely realized by themselves that the joke about an Ingush woman from escort service was inappropriate, but the producers could also recall "a story of public apologies to Ramzan Kadyrov and the Chechen people clearly got through threats," believes Alexander Verkhovsky, the director of the Human Rights Centre "Sova".

In the performance of the "Comedy Woman", a video of which is available on the "News. Events" Channel on YouTube, there was no talk that girls might be engaged in prostitution. It was said that they were engaged in escort services and accompanied top-ranking guests. It was users of social networks who came to the conclusion that the performance showed a miniature about a prostitute from Ingushetia.

On the Russian TV Channels, the number of jokes about Russians, Americans, Ukrainians "is too high and it cannot be counted," noted Nadezhda Guzheva, an observer of the "Sobesednik.ru".

The producers of the show have themselves realized the joke was inappropriate and they found "a simple way out of an embarrassing situation," believes Alexei Simonov, the president of the Glasnost Defence Foundation.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.