- How was the team "Guys from Baku" created and how did you join it?
- The team was created in the 1960s, I was not yet thought of. I was born in 1972, when Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev closed the KVN in an easy state of mind. A few days ago I returned from Moscow, where we celebrated the 49th anniversary of KVN and, unofficially, the 69th birthday of Alexander Vasilyevich Maslyakova. I am grateful to him for all he has done for the Azerbaijani KVN team "Guys from Baku". We twice became CIS champions, winners of the Winners’ Cup in 2000, the holders of the summer Cup in summer 1995. Aleksandr Vasilyevich is the only person in the former Soviet Union who unites former Soviet youth.
In 1960 Yuli Gusman was the captain of the Baku team. When Gorbachev's perestroika started and the KVN was revived, I was 14 years old and I started to play in the KVN in school. I entered the "big scene" at the age of 19, in the second year of my studies at the Directing Department at the University of Arts – I was taken on the team as a dancer. I was dancing in the crowd, but then I was noticed by Yuli Solomonovich Guzman. He suggested to the captain of our team to put "the young Gascon" in the first line. Then guys from the team "Gentlemen of Odessa”, after having seen my colourful presentation in the first line, advised the leaders of my team to put me in the centre and to give me the role of a collective image for the Azerbaijanis.
- What was the recipe for the success of your team?
- The attitude towards the "Boys from Baku" has always been respectful, because we were playing an intellectual game. And we are still respected. Although it’s been 10 years since I have played in the KVN professionally, Mr. Maslyakov personally invites me to participate in the symbolic teams of the USSR and the CIS, I perform and present in Azerbaijan. With regard to the formula for success, I've always said that a successful man is the one who is surrounded by successful people. A team of successful people was formed, a team of talented, educated, skilled, right-on people, who graduated from the best schools in Baku. Although, when we were studying, all schools were at the highest level. We went through Soviet schools, received a Soviet education. Secondly, our parents played an important role, they were educated people, mostly teachers. Their intelligence kept us from getting into fights. Thirdly, we had discipline and self-discipline. We were called “the machine” in the CIS. We resembled the German national football team for our stability, our game. We were rehearsing 16 hours a day, for months in Moscow's Central House of Tourists. We were able to change the entire musical competition in one night. If we felt that we were losing any contest, for example the musical one (after having seen the dress rehearsal), we were able to write a new music competition in one night, stage it and rehearse it the whole morning.- How did the team find hot topics for the contests? writers, but they are never spoken about - the actors know them, but they remain behind the scenes. I want to mention it. The authors are the very clever Elnur Mammadov, Mehdi Mirsalimov, Zaur Tagiyev, Mamedaga Mamedov, Heydar Huseynov, Timur Aliyev, and many other guys - Maslyakov and his editors were giving us the topics. We had strong who wrote us wonderful jokes. 10-20 years have passed, and after my the First Channel will show the anniversary of the KVN where we performed, I suggest to all fans of the KVN to watch this game. I think there were a lot of funny moments. When I entered the scene on a bike (a 120-kilogram man, entering the scene on a yellow bicycle), there was loud laughter. And I went on stage, waiting until the applause died down, and said: "As Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, no matter on what vehicle you've come, its colour is the only thing that matters." Then, wearing my flight-cap, I turned to the KVN president, Alexander Vasilyevich, and said: "Mr. President, despite the fact that last performance in Moscow I became convinced that they are not losing their form. It was they who wrote the script, jokes and reprise. If they now once again played the big game, they would not lose to other authors or other teams. We actors could lose, because we are already too old for the job, but the authors are great. Incidentally, on the 3rd of December at 21:30 I am wearing a cap, I hope you have not lost confidence in me." Then on stage I was talking about what I would do if I became mayor of Moscow ... I will not tell you everything, let the readers of “Vestnik Kavkaza” see it on the 3rd of December and laugh.- Your hat, is it the one with which you started to play in the KVN?
- Yes, it is a champion’s cap. It was made in 1957. This cap belonged to the father of my friend. I once asked him for it and they gave it to me. I always have it.
- After having won the Winners’ Cup in 2000, the "Guys from Baku” began to slowly leave the big scene. In the past 10 years, Azerbaijan has not created such a strong team. Why?
- Probably petrodollars. People sensed how to make money, so young people want to do more serious work. Thank god we have a lot of universities opened, many institutions where you can learn and then settle in different firms, where you can earn money. Some went into business. I think that the KVN became uninteresting because it does not involve a lot of money.
- There are teams in Azerbaijan, but they play in the second league and cannot get to the highest.- There is the team “Impromptu of Baku” and the “Black Gold" team, which consists of Azerbaijanis from Moscow. We have created a national team of Azerbaijan from these guys.
- Do you follow the performances of these teams?
- No. Unfortunately, there is no time for it. Because I am the head of a family, the father of two children, I now have a crazy lifestyle. But I would like very much for Azerbaijan to have a strong team to represent Azerbaijan at international level.-Does humour help you in life?
- I joke with the people who understand humour. Of course, I don’t walk all day on the main street of Baku, on Kommercheskaya and joke. In life I am generally a serious man. And not only me, but all the actors of the team are serious people 90% of the time. Only serious people could become champions. If we were not serious, all of it will turn into an orgy. Only serious people can succeed.
- Yes. I accomplished the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, in 2001, and now I'm living according to the laws of God. It helps me in my life; I became more responsible, I walked away from bad habits. When a person comes to Islam (not just to Islam but to all faiths - in the Creator, in God), he starts to fear God. Twelve years ago I gave up drinking, I do not drink alcohol at all, I quit smoking and a lot of other habits that a man does not need.
- What is your occupation?
- I have a publishing house. I publish books, magazines, and sometimes work on television.
- Do you draw?- Only caricatures. If I come up with some interesting caricatures, I first draw a rough draft, and then during the summer I make a nice copy of it. Every three years I organize personal exhibitions of my caricatures and invite friends.
- Some time ago you wanted to shoot a film ...
-One day I will. I graduated from the Directors’ Department, although on a theatrical directing track, but I have my word to say in the cinema, God forbid. I recently read an interview with the Russian director Lungin, who said that he began making films at the age of forty. Of course that's late, but he felt a creative commitment when he was forty years old. So I have two more years. - Do you stay in touch with the members of the "Guys from Baku"?
- We are friends.
- Many famous members of the KVN stayed in Moscow to live and work. Why did not you stay?
- First, our government has created all the conditions for me to make my living in Azerbaijan and be successful. Secondly, I probably did not want to be regarded there as a Gastarbeiter.
