Have you heard the one about Vladimir Putin's ratings?
Stand-up comic Ivan Garkushko addresses the audience during his performance in Moscow, Russia, October 6, 2023. REUTERS/Lev SergeevCracking jokes about Russia's president is a sensitive business these days in Moscow's comedy clubs, where performers say they walk a fine line in a country at war.
Fellow comedian Boris Zeliger says a politically risky joke "usually doesn’t even get a laugh, but causes a reaction like 'Wow, you daredevil!'". The contrast in their material is striking. According to one of them, Ilya Ovechkin, any reference to Putin in a joke boosts laughs by 70%.
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