Russian media uses comedy sketch as actual news in Estonian fascism report
The Russian state-owned television channel Rossija 1 has used a sketch from ETV's New Year's Eve comedy show to illustrate Estonia's fascist tendencies, forgetting to mention the sketch was comedy fiction, not real life reporting.
The “Tujurikkuja” (translated as mood spoiler) clip shows an America Idol/X-Factor-type TV competition called “Estonia's Next Neo-Nazi” in Tartu. It aired in 2008. The Rossija 1 report focuses on newly elected Estonian MP Jaak Madison, who said in a 2012 blog entry that the Nazi regime helped Germany out of an economic downturn after World War I.
The blog post caused an uproar in the Estonian media, with many political parties ruling out cooperation with Madison's party, the Conservative People's Party. Conservative People's Party Chairman Mart Helme denounced Madison's blog post, although Madison himself defended the post, saying it was an attempt, written hastily, at applying moral relativism to different political systems, and that the post had not caused controversy before.
Rossija 1 said the competition “Estonia's Next Neo-Nazi” was held in the same school building where Madison, who is only 23, went. That claim was also untrue. The sketch was filmed in the Athena Center in Tartu, Madison graduated a secondary school for adults in Tallinn. Rossija 1 said the competition “Estonia's Next Neo-Nazi” was held in the same school building where Madison, who is only 23, went. That claim was also untrue. The sketch was filmed in the Athena Center in Tartu, Madison graduated a secondary school for adults in Tallinn.
Watch the report on Russija 1 here (from 1.08:33)
The comedy clip in question (with English subtitles):
