1 week Ago By Firstpost
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comments, endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, sent everyone into a tizzy. “She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that she’s doing well," he added, a remark that many interpreted as a taunt, echoing Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump’s frequent criticism of Kamala Harris’ public demeanour. The Russian President was clearly in a sardonic mood as he went on to denounce Donald Trump for “placing more restrictions on Russia like no other President has ever introduced to him”.
This was thinly veiled sarcasm, as Donald Trump has openly criticised the continued use of sanctions against Russia and is often whispered to be Moscow’s first choice. A sense of humour, lighthearted or scornful, does not often find a place in global politics or diplomacy, but Vladimir Putin seems to be a sincere fan. By “flattering” Kamala Harris, not only did he take a swipe at her, but he also managed to stir the pot of US politics in the run-up to the hotly anticipated US presidential elections, to be held later this year.
And he did this in the most Russian fashion, known for their unique brand of humour—dark, cynical, and deadpan. A very particular brand of humour that is necessary for survival in the Siberian Tundra. When you think of the Russian President, an ex-KGB officer turned authoritarian supremo, funny is not the first word that comes to mind.
However, it turns out that Putin does indeed possess a tickle bone, ironical and distasteful as it may sometimes be. The man has had a penchant for trolling before it was ever a thing. Early in his career, he made a promise “to rub out terrorists in the outhouse.
” Well, we all know how that’s gone down. He once remarked at a public political event that if your grandmother had male genitals, she’d be your grandfather. Another attempt at dry humour in 2022 was comparing the West’s focus on renewable, or as he termed it, “unconventional” energy, to the West’s “obsession with homosexuality”.
This kind of jarring statement gives you an insight into the man and his worldview. Unlike other politicians, he is clearly not a believer in following a strict script while speaking in public, instead preferring to speak “his heart out”. Whether this is a carefully crafted attempt to appear “edgy” and “cool” or the hallmark traits of narcissism is anybody’s personal guess.
One thing is for sure: his jokes always seem to have an agenda, and boy do they land! Be it the trolling of Kamala Harris and his veiled support for Donald Trump camouflaged by sarcastic flattery or his sexist and xenophobic remarks likening renewable energy to homosexuality, the joke always has a hidden objective. The enemy of any raw material economy such as Russia is technology, since the dependence on natural resources is automatically diminished. Scientific and technological progress aims to reduce people’s dependence on oil and gas.
It is a slow trend, but definitely one to watch out for in the future. A fact that is clearly not lost on Putin, judging from his caustic humour. This side of his personality is not reserved only for political matters; the man also enjoys a personal quip or two.
In 2006, when then President of Israel Moshe Katsav was investigated for sexual harassment, Putin famously said to an Israeli delegation, “He turned out to be a strong man! Raped ten women! I never would have expected this of him. He has surprised us all; we envy him.” It was one of those unbelievable moments for the international press.
Some were left dumbfounded, while others burst into laughter. Later, Kremlin had to do damage control as they confirmed the remarks but explained that since Russian is a complicated language, words tend to get misrepresented and that the President meant dealing with ten women and was not condoning rape. However, the damage was done, firmly cementing Putin’s position as a man with a very strange sense of humour.
Also, a man so fearless, he couldn’t care to mince his words or bother about what people think. Very Russian and very KGB traits, both. In 2022, at a press conference, while commenting on the Russia-Ukraine war, he regaled a joke that he said he often repeats to his colleagues.
He said he heard it from a German friend. “A family—the son asks his father, Dad, why is our house always so cold? Father replies, Because Russia invaded Ukraine. The child asked—what does it have to do with us? The Dad replies, We imposed sanctions against Russians.
Son asked, Why? Dad replied, To make the Russians feel bad. Son asked, Are we Russians?” Putin guffawed after this, at his joke, meant as an ominous warning to the countries imposing sanctions on Russia because of the ongoing war. It was also a carefully worded reinforcement of his message that Russia is a superpower and the holder of natural resources that the world needs so desperately.
After Biden once rather inappropriately called him a “crazy son of a bitch”, Putin responded by praising him, explaining sarcastically that this was the very reason Kremlin held Biden in such high regard. Behind Putin’s crude and high-voltage humour, especially while talking about global politics, conflicts, and fellow leaders, is an attitude and personality that is unconventional for a Head of State in the public eye. Yes, political leaders have been known to make gaffes, but Putin’s humour is very deliberate and almost always hits a bull’s eye, with a scandalously complete disregard for any consequences or collateral damage.
Might makes right, and power offers you the freedom to not have to answer questions or be rude to those who are asking. Putin has over the years relied heavily on style, and his press conferences and live speeches are now no less than any rock concert. He is the rockstar, and his fans are always ready to sing along to his songs, loudly enough to drown out any other noise.
A showman needs his show, and in Putin’s Russia, it seems like the show must and will go on. The author is a freelance journalist and features writer based out of Delhi. Her main areas of focus are politics, social issues, climate change and lifestyle-related topics.
Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views..
