Behind the Scenes

About last night’s show

Last night I wanted to appear on Savik’s [Shuster Live] talk show. Last Friday they invited three presidential candidates, but only I showed up. This time I wasn’t invited. Moreover, I was prohibited. How’s that for equality on Ukrainian television.

Honestly speaking, it was quite silly. Savik Shuster’s service even appealed to the global community and all progressive mankind requesting that Tymoshenko not be allowed to debate Yanukovych…I wonder if TRK Ukraina overdid it or if Viktor Yanukovych is truly afraid of open discussion…Even after I had decided that I wouldn’t go to the program, I told my press service to notify them that I would be at Savik’s soon. I gained moral satisfaction from the hustle and bustle in my opponent’s camp. It seems the Party of Regions was ready to protect the studio better than the Mezhyhirya residence…

This, by the way, is a statement about freedom of speech and who owns television channels in Ukraine. Can you imagine Savik Shuster making a statement about Yanukovych or Yushchenko not being allowed to appear on his show? I can’t...

I don’t regret that I couldn’t make it on air, as the country saw its heroes anyway. A performance of simultaneous hatred took place last night on Inter and TRK Ukraina. And you don’t need any secret documents on cooperation between the two Viktor’s to understanding who they’re fighting against, because it’s clear...

The boys don’t like polemics. The boys like monologues. Their own. They can’t tolerate interference in the flight of their thoughts. There used to be a cartoon about a crocodile who would compose poems and they all sounded like “Bu-bu-bu-bu, Bu-bu-bu-bu.” That was the impression that was made.

However, I am still hopeful that between the two rounds of elections there will be the opportunity to speak and let the people understand who is who, while Viktor Yanukovych hasn’t begun to “restore injustice” as he bluntly put it last night.

...After the show on TRK Ukraina, I changed the channel to National Geographic. There was a documentary about a lion’s pride in Tanzania. After footage of an unsuccessful hunt of a zebra, the speaker said: as you can see, these males have grown old, and if not today then tomorrow they will have to accept it and give up power. I was satisfied with this analogy, turned the tv off and went to bed...