Khrystyna Soloviy's interview with Masha Yefrosynina is a shock therapy for Ukrainian showbiz. Why are mess important?

After a long break from Masha Yefrosynina's YouTube show "Exam. The New Reality", the blogger and presenter has made a big comeback with a new season of the project. She burst into the information field for almost a whole week. Singer Khrystyna Soloviy was the guest of the first episode of The Exam. The former ward of Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is famous for her difficult character, scandalous antics, and insults.

Most of Maria's interviews are complimentary, but this time we saw two personalities in the frame who are completely different in their views. Khrystyna is a wayward, straightforward person who adheres to the image of a seductress and a scandalous woman. Yefrosinina is an excellent student, with an impeccable image, a branded look, and everything is in the style of old money (i.e., the indigenous classical elite).

During the dialogue, Maria is triggered by some statements made by the singer, which leads to a skirmish in the context of the cultural occupation of Ukraine by Russia and the language issue. Yefrosinina defended herself by arguing that she had been hosting television programs only in Ukrainian for the past 5 years. Memes and clippings where the presenter spoke Russian on TV in 2020 and 2021 have been circulating on TikTok. Of course, this is not good for her, but at the same time, Soloviy is not doing well either: her social media posts from a decade ago are found in Russian, as well as subscriptions to Russian publics and poets. In this context, there is no need to look for "treason".

The Telegram channel "Cultural Laundromat" jokingly posted one of the comments under the interview, asking where to go to see the full version of the shit. Most likely, Yefrosynina's team realized that this could be a trump card. Together with Khrystyna, they announced a fundraiser for the rehabilitation of the military. It was a noble goal, and we respect it. At the same time, the degree of hate decreases, and Maria remains perfect in the eyes of society again.

Why does she need this? You may ask. In my subjective opinion, this interview is a great opportunity to shift attention away from the series of posts by Estonian blogger Anton S., who made a number of resonant statements about Maria's husband, Tymur Khromaev.

But that's not what we're talking about here.

Complimentary interviews lead to stagnation and degradation of the market. It's impossible to create healthy competition when everyone is "licking" each other. I want to watch people with different worldviews who can soberly assess the situation, analyze it, argue their opinions, and hold their own in front of their opponents. In this way, the viewer has several views and a choice of whose opinion is closer to his or her heart.

In our show business, we are used to complimentary attitudes, and viewers want "bread and circuses." The reality we live in has changed, society has changed and, accordingly, its demand for the content we consume. People are no longer interested in a perfect picture, they want to see life. Therefore, the era of glamor and complimentarity is long gone, and the present is about character, discussion, and emotions.

Masha Efrosinina and Khrystyna Soloviy opened the spring scandal season of 2024. But I often hear the thesis "why eat your people?". If you analyze it, you'll realize that shitting is a mental trait that has always been characteristic of us.

So everything is fine. It's just that the scale of scandals today is highlighted from all angles due to the rapid growth of media and social media influence around the world.