Yuli Gusman: "KVN is played with tenacity, courage and passion, which is inherent in Caucasian peoples"

On November 8, the Club of the Funny and Inventive People (KVN) marks its birthday. On this day in 1961 the first edition of the program was aired, which today is considered one of the oldest on Russian television. A permanent member of KVN's jury, the former captain of the national team of Baku, which did not lost a single game since 1967 to 1972, which was a multiple champion of the USSR, and which won the Cup 'The Champion of KVN Champions' in 1970, Yuli Gusman, told Vestnik Kavkaza about KVN now and then.

- In your opinion, what has the Caucasus given KVN?

- It is very easy to answer this question, because every year there are new, original, bright teams from the Caucasus, the South Caucasus, from the entire southern region, the Middle East and Central Asia. However, this does not indicate a desire to expand the geography and specifically organize a broad representation of the Russian peoples and the peoples of the former USSR. In fact, the guys from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Pyatigorsk (this list is long) play KVN with pleasure, with perseverance, with courage and passion, which is inherent in our people. I think that the southern temperament, southern passion, southern lightness are very visible in KVN. I think that these southern spices, this pepper, this coriander benefit the giant dish – millions of people who represent KVN.

- What has KVN given the Caucasus?

- KVN gives generously to all those who play it, participate in it, think about it, love it. These are wit, brightness, activity, abilities, even if you are not an artist, but a physicist, an astronaut or a baker, then you still always need humor, quick reflexes, a friend's shoulder, as it happens in a good team.

As for my hometown, the team from Baku won all the championships in 1960. We cannot say that it glorified the city, because it has already been famous for its oil, its cotton, its sea, fruits, sun, sandy beaches, the beauty of the surrounding nature, the wonderful character of people and their kind hearts, but our team has given it an even greater gloss and shine. The game was broadcast from Moscow, and Baku was glorified in the whole country, which was perceived by all Azerbaijanis and all the inhabitants of our country with very great enthusiasm, joy and love.

- What was KVN like in those days, when you played? And what has changed over the years?

- Older people like to say that KVN was stunning in their time, and today's KVN is not the same. This is absolute nonsense. Today's KVN is brighter, it is more theatrical and musical, and richer than the teams of that time were. The main difference is that the teams of that time had the ability to improvise. Today there is little improvisation, there is almost no it at all, but this is not the fault of the organizers. Once there was only KVN, it did not have any competitors. Moscow aired parades on the Red Square, solemn assemblies, "Little Blue Light" and KVN. There were almost no people, no vehicles on the streets, when they aired KVN, because everyone were watching TV. Now there are a huge number of humorous and entertaining programs. The vast majority of them were created by the guys from KVN. This is also a phenomenon, the phenomenon of social elevator, of Maslyakov's Academy, which each year gives us many talented people after a long selection of the regional, urban, national leagues. Many of them start working in television, and not only as artists, but also editors, producers, writers, directors, organizers. In general, it turns out to be the KVN dominance in a good sense.

I even think that now there are a bit too much comedy programs, each channel is committed to have a team of such guys to do entertainment. But it is another issue - the social one.

- Does KVN unite the post-Soviet countries?

- I would not say big words that KVN or the Union of Cinematographers, or the Union of theatrical figures, which did not break links with the former fraternal republics, unite them in a great social sense. But they help to unite, make their contribution. Where else can you see Armenians and Azerbaijanis playing at one stage? The KVN teams are really friendly to each other, they love each other, they are a family, a network. We have never had any national or ethnic scandals. KVN players are just like this - they can arrive in any city, find other KVN players and they can help you.