TV presenter Ivan Urgant commented on the meeting of the “Group for the Investigation of Anti-Russian Activities in the Sphere of Culture”, created at the initiative of Zakhar Prilepin, proposing to rename the “GRAD” to the “Group for Detecting the Enemies of Our Society” (“SHIT”). He published a "statement" in the Telegram channel.
Urgant himself, after the first meeting of the "GRAD", was included in the list of "agents" of foreign influence.
“The abbreviation GRAD does not fully reflect the gigantic amount of work that will have to be faced, I propose to rename the “Anti-Russian Activities Investigation Group” into the “Our Society Enemies Detection Group”.”
Urgant also made a few more "proposals" – for example, as part of the development of the idea of \u200b\u200b"Russian McCarthyism" to withdraw from sale all Paul McCartney's albums, with the exception of the album "Back in USSR". In addition, the host proposed to release members of the Just Russia – For Truth party from the “SHIT” meeting, by which on that day “the guilty verdict is announced in the Moscow City Court.”
In conclusion, Urgant suggested using Yaroslav Evdokimov's song "Dreamer" as the anthem "SHIT". He also attached a photo, jokingly asking writer JK Rowling to influence her "heroes".
The first meeting of the GRAD was held on August 3, the recording is available on Prilepin's YouTube channel. In addition to the writer, actors, senators and deputies from various parties gathered at the table to discuss the "anti-people position" of cultural figures in Russia. Prilepin said that "liberal artists" received too much freedom, as a result, through them, "the West has a detrimental effect on Russians."
On August 4, GRAD participants sent requests to the leadership of Channel One, the Bolshoi Theater, as well as to the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Digital Development and the Ministry of Sports with a request to consider the termination of cooperation with Urgant, director Alexander Molochnikov and art critic Alexander Vasiliev. State Duma deputy Dmitry Kuznetsov said that all of the above could avoid being fired if they publicly supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine. The deputies also demanded to clarify the circumstances of the invitation of the Bi-2 group to perform at the Russian Super Cup-2022 in football.