Kukly
Encyclopedia
Kukly was a weekly Russian TV show of political satire
, produced by Vasily Grigoryev and shown on Saturdays on the TV channel NTV. It used puppets to represent celebrities
, mainly the major politician
s.
The show was well-loved in Russia
and has inspired spinoffs in other countries. President Vladimir Putin
was frequently represented in the show.
, co-creator of Spitting Image
, it recounts how Russian programme-makers came to London to learn the art of making political puppets, and how the programme came to an end.
Viktor Shenderovich, a satirist and a writer for the show, has claimed that an unnamed top government official required NTV to exclude the puppet of Putin from Kukly. Accordingly, in the following episode, called "Ten Commandments
", the puppet of Putin was replaced with a cloud covering the top of a mountain and a burning bush.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
, produced by Vasily Grigoryev and shown on Saturdays on the TV channel NTV. It used puppets to represent celebrities
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
, mainly the major politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s.
The show was well-loved in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and has inspired spinoffs in other countries. President Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
was frequently represented in the show.
Closure
NTV was forced to close it down in 2002 after pressure from the Kremlin.Spitting in Russian
On January 1, 2010 the programme Spitting in Russian was broadcast by BBC Radio 4. Presented by Roger LawRoger Law
Roger Law is a caricaturist and one half of Fluck & Law , creators of the satirical TV puppet show Spitting Image.-Early life:...
, co-creator of Spitting Image
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
, it recounts how Russian programme-makers came to London to learn the art of making political puppets, and how the programme came to an end.
Legal controversies
The show's producing team was involved in several legal controversies.Viktor Shenderovich, a satirist and a writer for the show, has claimed that an unnamed top government official required NTV to exclude the puppet of Putin from Kukly. Accordingly, in the following episode, called "Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
", the puppet of Putin was replaced with a cloud covering the top of a mountain and a burning bush.