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Russian Media Explodes With Vulgar and Racist Anti-Obama Rhetoric
'Obama Schmoe,' monkey comparisons and 'chimney sweep' used to disparage American president
Observer
Mikhail Klikushin
12/15/2015
Excerpt:
It’s rare that Fox News mouthpiece Bill O’Reilly expresses an opinion that even those on the American left embrace, but his summary of Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to reflect the attitude of just about all Americans. The cable host has used the following expressions when speaking of Mr. Putin: “a KGB thug,” “a menace to the world” and, simply, “a killer.”
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2015 three-quarters of Americans have been “critical of Putin” with only 21 percent having “confidence” in him. By the same poll, Russian sentiments toward U.S. President Barack Obama are even lower, with only 11 percent of Russians having faith in Mr. Obama—down from 41 percent in 2011. This drop is due, in great part, to the economic sanctions imposed by the West on Russia, and American policy on Ukraine and Syria. But these are not the only reasons.
As in America, the Russian public is largely informed by TV shows and other media, which never miss an opportunity to remind viewers that the current occupant of the White House is the world’s biggest villain—but not one to be taken too seriously.
Russian television has its own Bill O’Reilly. His name is Dmitry Kiselyov, and he is the host of his own weekly program News of the Week. This week’s heroes are Fox’s Ralph Peters and actress Stacey Dash, for the simple reason they “cursed” Mr. Obama last week. That’s good enough for Mr. Kiselyov.
“I am not going to clog your brains with the usual banalities by Obama,” was all Mr. Kiselyov said to his viewers last Sunday, after the U.S. President’s speech from the Oval office. Rather than reporting on the substance of the U.S. President’s policies, Russian media prefers stories on Mr. Obama making faces like ‘Grumpy Cat,’ or on his wife’s adoration of rap music or other easy-to-digest memes:
Barack Obama loves to act like a clown.
“U.S. President Barack Obama started to laugh when asked by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart who the U.S. is bombing in the Middle East. It’s not his first appearance on the comedy show,” reported major Russian news agency RIA Novosti,
Barack Obama is lazy.
“During his presidency, Obama spent more than 1,100 hours on the golf course—or one-and-a-half months without breaks for sleep or food. He played golf 247 times during his presidency, breaking the record of Dwight Eisenhower who did it 210 times,” a major Russian tabloid reported.
Barack Obama is an idiot.
“Obama linked the spread of terrorism to climate change. At the same time, the American president expressed confidence that terrorism will be defeated.” Not having given any specifics on how to deal with the climate change, Mr. Obama cannot be trusted in the war against terrorism, concludes RIA Novosti.
Barack Obama is a liar.
“Together with [German Chancellor] Merkel and [Turkish President] Erdogan, Germans called Obama the liar of the year—39 percent called Merkel the biggest liar, 21 percent called Obama,” announced another Russian tabloid.
In other words, Russian media wants viewers to believe Mr. Obama is the anti-Putin. Mr. Putin is strong. Mr. Obama is weak. Mr. Putin is a doer. Mr. Obama is a talker. Mr. Putin fixes things. Mr. Obama ruins. Mr. Putin is a leader. Mr. Obama isn’t.
Mr. Putin is a macho alpha-male. Mr. Obama is a… what?
Mainstream media dodges this answer, leaving the task to pro-Kremlin propaganda that quickly and willingly provides it through videos like that of popular nationalist comedian Mikhail Zadornov, author of the widely known slogan, “Americans? But they are STOOOOOOOOOOPID!”
Instead, the answer is in the short and offensive motto: “Obama [is a] schmoe.”
In Russian, “schmoe” resembles the Yiddish “schmuck,” but with much stronger negative connotations.
“Obama schmoe” has recently become an all-pervading part of Russian pop-culture. There are “Obama schmoe” bumper stickers (in addition to others, like “Obama is bad” and “Obama is the devil”), and there are tee-shirts with pictures of Mr. Putin whispering into the ear of the embarrassed American President, “Obama, you are a schmoe.”
.............................................
View the complete article, including images and videos, at:
http://observer.com/2015/12/vulgar-a...n-pop-culture/
'Obama Schmoe,' monkey comparisons and 'chimney sweep' used to disparage American president
Observer
Mikhail Klikushin
12/15/2015
Excerpt:
It’s rare that Fox News mouthpiece Bill O’Reilly expresses an opinion that even those on the American left embrace, but his summary of Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to reflect the attitude of just about all Americans. The cable host has used the following expressions when speaking of Mr. Putin: “a KGB thug,” “a menace to the world” and, simply, “a killer.”
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2015 three-quarters of Americans have been “critical of Putin” with only 21 percent having “confidence” in him. By the same poll, Russian sentiments toward U.S. President Barack Obama are even lower, with only 11 percent of Russians having faith in Mr. Obama—down from 41 percent in 2011. This drop is due, in great part, to the economic sanctions imposed by the West on Russia, and American policy on Ukraine and Syria. But these are not the only reasons.
As in America, the Russian public is largely informed by TV shows and other media, which never miss an opportunity to remind viewers that the current occupant of the White House is the world’s biggest villain—but not one to be taken too seriously.
Russian television has its own Bill O’Reilly. His name is Dmitry Kiselyov, and he is the host of his own weekly program News of the Week. This week’s heroes are Fox’s Ralph Peters and actress Stacey Dash, for the simple reason they “cursed” Mr. Obama last week. That’s good enough for Mr. Kiselyov.
“I am not going to clog your brains with the usual banalities by Obama,” was all Mr. Kiselyov said to his viewers last Sunday, after the U.S. President’s speech from the Oval office. Rather than reporting on the substance of the U.S. President’s policies, Russian media prefers stories on Mr. Obama making faces like ‘Grumpy Cat,’ or on his wife’s adoration of rap music or other easy-to-digest memes:
Barack Obama loves to act like a clown.
“U.S. President Barack Obama started to laugh when asked by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart who the U.S. is bombing in the Middle East. It’s not his first appearance on the comedy show,” reported major Russian news agency RIA Novosti,
Barack Obama is lazy.
“During his presidency, Obama spent more than 1,100 hours on the golf course—or one-and-a-half months without breaks for sleep or food. He played golf 247 times during his presidency, breaking the record of Dwight Eisenhower who did it 210 times,” a major Russian tabloid reported.
Barack Obama is an idiot.
“Obama linked the spread of terrorism to climate change. At the same time, the American president expressed confidence that terrorism will be defeated.” Not having given any specifics on how to deal with the climate change, Mr. Obama cannot be trusted in the war against terrorism, concludes RIA Novosti.
Barack Obama is a liar.
“Together with [German Chancellor] Merkel and [Turkish President] Erdogan, Germans called Obama the liar of the year—39 percent called Merkel the biggest liar, 21 percent called Obama,” announced another Russian tabloid.
In other words, Russian media wants viewers to believe Mr. Obama is the anti-Putin. Mr. Putin is strong. Mr. Obama is weak. Mr. Putin is a doer. Mr. Obama is a talker. Mr. Putin fixes things. Mr. Obama ruins. Mr. Putin is a leader. Mr. Obama isn’t.
Mr. Putin is a macho alpha-male. Mr. Obama is a… what?
Mainstream media dodges this answer, leaving the task to pro-Kremlin propaganda that quickly and willingly provides it through videos like that of popular nationalist comedian Mikhail Zadornov, author of the widely known slogan, “Americans? But they are STOOOOOOOOOOPID!”
Instead, the answer is in the short and offensive motto: “Obama [is a] schmoe.”
In Russian, “schmoe” resembles the Yiddish “schmuck,” but with much stronger negative connotations.
“Obama schmoe” has recently become an all-pervading part of Russian pop-culture. There are “Obama schmoe” bumper stickers (in addition to others, like “Obama is bad” and “Obama is the devil”), and there are tee-shirts with pictures of Mr. Putin whispering into the ear of the embarrassed American President, “Obama, you are a schmoe.”
.............................................
View the complete article, including images and videos, at:
http://observer.com/2015/12/vulgar-a...n-pop-culture/