|
 For many Poles, "The Chairman's Ear" accurately
represents how their country is governed, with all real power in
the hands of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, chairman of the ruling Law and
Justice (PiS) party, even though he holds no government post.
Since the privately-funded show began to air on YouTube in
January, some of its episodes have received up to 10 million
clicks, compared to an average of six million viewers of the
most popular TV program, a long-running family drama.
"The Chairman's Ear" appears to resonate both with critics of
Kaczynski, who accuse him of tilting Poland toward
authoritarianism, and with supporters who warm to its portrayal
of the "Chairman" as a cat-loving, slightly other-worldly
bachelor who needs help using the phone and reheating dinner.
"It's no secret that the (PiS) chairman is the true leader of
the country and that the prime minister and president are
subordinate to him," said Robert Gorski, 46, the show's creator
and lead actor. "Getting access to him is power."
"Everybody whispers in his ear and he needs to decide whom to
trust. Like any ruler, he is to some extent a tragic figure."
Arguably Poland's most polarizing politician since the end of
communism in 1989, Kaczynski's nationalist, eurosceptic views
have hardened since the death of his twin brother Lech, then
Poland's president, in a plane crash over Russia in 2010.
The PiS government remains broadly popular 20 months after
sweeping to power, despite concerns among liberal Poles and in
the European Union about its conservative social policies and
efforts to tighten control over state media and the judiciary.
For many voters, Kaczynski, 68, represents Poland's best hope of
protecting its traditional Catholic identity and national
sovereignty in the face of globalization and EU pressures.
"LETTING OFF STEAM"
Some say "The Chairman's Ear" provides a healthy safety valve
for Poles, allowing them to have a good laugh at themselves amid
the serious challenges the country faces.
[to top of second column] |
"Every time when the atmosphere gets tense, people try to let off
steam with laughter and jokes," said Andrzej Mleczko, one of
Poland's most popular cartoonists since the 1980s.
"Like many others, I wonder if these shows are true criticism of the
government, or an intended or unintended effort to soften
Kaczynski's image," he added.
The show - bought by the video streaming service ShowMax - doesn't
pull its punches when it comes to mocking Kaczynski's scepticism
toward the EU and his deep distrust of Germany.
In one episode, ahead of a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
the Chairman's assistant - resembling Interior Minister Mariusz
Blaszczak - pulls an EU flag out of a rubber boot to decorate the
office. The assistant says he usually uses the flag to keep his feet
warm while picking mushrooms in the forest.
A globe showing a huge Poland surrounded by the oceans adorns the
Chairman's desk - a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that Poland is indeed
the whole world for Kaczynski.
Merkel is only able to meet the Chairman after his formidable
secretary grants her clearance.
The real Kaczynski appears to be taking the show in his stride.
"It's good (people) are laughing, you need to laugh," Kaczynski said
in a radio interview. "And the fact that they are laughing at me?
Well, you can say its my own fault."
(Additional reporting by Pawel Sobczak in Warsaw and Wojciech
Zurawski in Krakow; writing by Justyna Pawlak; Editing by Gareth
Jones)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
