This video is pretty funny. A video of the actual cartoon is available if you click the link. I like the idea that they're apparently not afraid to show this kind of stuff on Russian TV. Though I question whether it actually is a sign that the government is getting more tolerant of free speech. I wonder if there is some hidden political motive behind their letting this one through. In any case, it's fun to watch.
Putin, Medvedev Featured in Russian Cartoon Show
For years the Russian media have shied away from making fun of the country’s leaders out of fear that the government would crack down on such criticism. But as the new year began, a Russian cartoon show left some wondering if times had changed.
President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin appeared on New Year’s Eve as cartoon figures on “Mult Lichnosti,” or “Animated Personality,” a humor show on Russia’s Channel One, which frequently pokes fun at top officials.
In a 2 and 1/2-minute clip, Medvedev and Putin dance around Moscow’s Red Square while singing a satirical number about Russian foreign relations and other political issues. Medvedev is seen playing an accordion while Putin shakes a tambourine and periodically slaps it against his backside.
Read the full story and watch the video here.
