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MOSNEWS, Russia
June 23 2004
Journalist Sues Russian Pop Idol Over Public Outburst
Russian pop star Filipp Kirkorov is being sued by Irina Aroyan, a
Russian journalist whom he had insulted at a press conference in the
South Russian city of Rostrov-on-Don. The preliminary consultation in
the process is scheduled for June 29 and the hearings are to start on
July 5.
Aroyan filed a suit under the article 130 part 2 of the Russian
Criminal Code which stipulates responsibility for insults and
degrading someone's honor and dignity. The journalist is seeking a
punishment in the form of correctional labor - if sentenced, 20
percent of the singer's income will be confiscated by the state for a
certain period of time.
The legal move was caused by Kirkorov's behaviour at a press
conference in Rostov-on-Don on May 20. `Gazeta Dona' journalist Irina
Aroyan asked Kirkorov why he has recorded so many cover versions
lately, wondering if he had a shortage of original material. Kirkorov
responded with a string of obscenities. Among other things, he
questioned Aroyan's professionalism, said that he was `sick of [her]
pink sweater,' made sexually suggestive comments, and made fun of her
Armenian accent, telling her that she should `learn to speak Russian'
before coming to press conferences with stars. He then ordered her to
leave the hall.
According to Aroyan, she was then cornered and threatened by two of
Kirkorov's bodyguards who broke her camera and promised to `shut her
mouth'.
After the story appeared in the Russian media (first hitting Internet
news sites and then spreading to television and the paper press). The
New-York based Russian language newspaper Novoye Russkoye Slovo
published a report of a concert in New York City's Radio City Music
Hall which Kirkorov had been hosting.
According to the paper, Kirkorov repeatedly voiced provocative and
insulting remarks, many of them of an anti-Semitic character. When
the world-famous philanthropist Dr. Ruth Westheimer came on the stage
to greet the performers, Kirkorov made some sexually explicit
remarks. When the US senator Chuck Schumer presented his speech to
the Russian-speaking population of the city, Kirkorov kept talking
simultaneously with him, pretending to translate the words of the
politician but instead commenting suggestively about women he could
see among the audience.
Novoye Russkoye Slovo writes that top boxing brothers Vitaly and
Vladimir Klichko had to interfere to silence the showman.
Filipp Kirkorov is one of Russia's highest-profile pop stars and the
husband of the legendary singer Alla Pugacheva. He has long had a
scandalous reputation for arrogant behavior and has had a number of
run-ins with journalists, but he has always come out with his
popularity intact.
June 23 2004
Journalist Sues Russian Pop Idol Over Public Outburst
Russian pop star Filipp Kirkorov is being sued by Irina Aroyan, a
Russian journalist whom he had insulted at a press conference in the
South Russian city of Rostrov-on-Don. The preliminary consultation in
the process is scheduled for June 29 and the hearings are to start on
July 5.
Aroyan filed a suit under the article 130 part 2 of the Russian
Criminal Code which stipulates responsibility for insults and
degrading someone's honor and dignity. The journalist is seeking a
punishment in the form of correctional labor - if sentenced, 20
percent of the singer's income will be confiscated by the state for a
certain period of time.
The legal move was caused by Kirkorov's behaviour at a press
conference in Rostov-on-Don on May 20. `Gazeta Dona' journalist Irina
Aroyan asked Kirkorov why he has recorded so many cover versions
lately, wondering if he had a shortage of original material. Kirkorov
responded with a string of obscenities. Among other things, he
questioned Aroyan's professionalism, said that he was `sick of [her]
pink sweater,' made sexually suggestive comments, and made fun of her
Armenian accent, telling her that she should `learn to speak Russian'
before coming to press conferences with stars. He then ordered her to
leave the hall.
According to Aroyan, she was then cornered and threatened by two of
Kirkorov's bodyguards who broke her camera and promised to `shut her
mouth'.
After the story appeared in the Russian media (first hitting Internet
news sites and then spreading to television and the paper press). The
New-York based Russian language newspaper Novoye Russkoye Slovo
published a report of a concert in New York City's Radio City Music
Hall which Kirkorov had been hosting.
According to the paper, Kirkorov repeatedly voiced provocative and
insulting remarks, many of them of an anti-Semitic character. When
the world-famous philanthropist Dr. Ruth Westheimer came on the stage
to greet the performers, Kirkorov made some sexually explicit
remarks. When the US senator Chuck Schumer presented his speech to
the Russian-speaking population of the city, Kirkorov kept talking
simultaneously with him, pretending to translate the words of the
politician but instead commenting suggestively about women he could
see among the audience.
Novoye Russkoye Slovo writes that top boxing brothers Vitaly and
Vladimir Klichko had to interfere to silence the showman.
Filipp Kirkorov is one of Russia's highest-profile pop stars and the
husband of the legendary singer Alla Pugacheva. He has long had a
scandalous reputation for arrogant behavior and has had a number of
run-ins with journalists, but he has always come out with his
popularity intact.