Vladimir Pozner on patriotism in the USA and Russia, immigrants and failed interviews

Vladimir Pozner. Photos from the personal archive

Vladimir Pozner has been in journalism for more than 50 years. Born in France, at different times he lived and worked in Russia and America. In the 1980s, he hosted teleconferences between the USSR and the USA - during one of them, the phrase that later became a catchphrase about the absence of sex in the USSR was heard. In the 1990s, he hosted a weekly program on the American channel CNBC with Phil McDonaghue. For the last 20 years he has been working on Russian television.

ForumDaily met with a journalist on the eve of his tour to the United States to ask how America has changed since young Vladimir smashed newspapers in New York, worked on American television, and together with Ivan Urgant made the trip movie “One-story America.”

Are your performances in the USA positioned as “autobiographical essays” and “communication with the audience”? Will it be interesting to those who already know your biography, read your books, watched programs?

I still perform differently in different places. This year my first performance in this format took place in Minsk, and when I perform for the first time, I introduce people to who they are dealing with, who I am. If I speak in front of people who are familiar with me and my work, I don’t talk about my biography at all, I occupy the room with something completely different. As a rule, there are several topics in one speech; I voice my point of view on certain events that have occurred recently. Surely, during my speeches in November in the United States, I will talk a lot and in detail about the elections in America - what this means for Russia, for Russian-American relations - and I will not talk about myself.

During filming “One-story America”When describing a Russian-speaking immigrant, you said that his preferences were on the Republican side. Has your feeling changed something from that moment on?

The film was shot in 2006 year, 10 years have passed, but I have a feeling that people from Russia still occupy conservative positions. They, of course, for the most part support Republicans. There are those who view Barack Obama and now Hillary Clinton as people who can, as some say, impose, “the socialist order”. This gives me a laughter from Homeic: in order to present Hillary Clinton as a socialist, you need to have a very strong imagination. But yes, in my opinion, the sympathies have not changed.

Russian immigrants are still racists - that is, they have a bad attitude towards blacks - and supporters of the most conservative forces. I did not find any major changes.

Russian-speakers play their role not only in the elections in the United States, but also affect the course of life in America. In your opinion, why is the Russian-speaking media in America not developing? Place Dovlatovskogo "Russian words" so no one took.

I would not consider the Russian-language media in isolation from all others. The print media is going through hard times all over the world, they are noticeably shrinking. Some have completely disappeared and are only online. Television, too, is experiencing rather great difficulties, since many have ceased to watch TV and watch the news online. Perhaps the strangest exception is the UK only.

I absolutely do not follow the Russian-language media either in America or anywhere else. Firstly, I spend much more time in Russia, and secondly, honestly, I can’t say that they are very interested in getting information. I regularly read The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist magazine, the local press, because it gives me more sensation and understanding of what is happening in the country. The immigrant press, which existed long before Dovlatov, even before the war, is still more focused on the subject of Russia. And this is natural. Well, of course, the impact of the Internet. Only radio in this sense continues to hold its position.

Vladimir Pozner at a creative meeting in Moscow. Photo: pozneronline.ru

What cultural events in America, in your opinion, can be compared with a premiere at the Bolshoi Theater or an exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery?

When I talk about the Bolshoi in my program, I speak to my viewers in Russia, referring to those things that are available to them, and not to some wonderful musical that is on Broadway, but people cannot go there and see. Of course, there are absolutely wonderful things in America, especially the museums - they are, in my opinion, absolutely first class. I really love the Museum of Modern Art in New York, I always go there. There is the Frick Collection, not many people know it, but I think it is a gem! The American Museum of Natural History, the Maritime museum and, finally, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, dedicated to immigrants. It is made amazingly, with great taste.

I can mention a few American films that amazed and pleased me: Spotlight (“In the Spotlight”), Trumbo (“Trumbo”), Money Monster (“Financial Monster”). In my opinion, this is a real movie. I even envied Hollywood, which, fortunately, produces not only blockbusters and thrillers. I don’t think at all that there is no art in America.

In New York's Greenwich Village, where did you grow up, surely there are places you must visit?

First of all, this is my home, where I lived for several happy years. This house is protected by the city. I don’t want to sound pathetic, but my heart beats especially when I’m there. My favorite school is on the West Side—I try to go there too whenever possible. Washington Square, which I loved very much, has, in my opinion, changed in a very strange way. Bleecker Street, where I lived, Perry Street, where a curious incident happened to me at the age of 7 regarding my origin.

Older boys greeted me and asked if I was Jewish. My answer that it was none of their business did not suit them. Then they decided to take off my pants for the purpose of checking, which I could not understand: why, if you take off your pants, can you understand whether you are a Jew? The policeman saved me.

The area is not just my home, I know it like the back of my hand, I delivered newspapers there. But the most incredible thing is that since then it has practically not changed - neither architecturally, nor in mood.

Your Canadian-American tour will take you through New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Toronto. How would you characterize each of these cities?

You put me in a difficult position, considering that I have to perform there. I can't say anything negative. Toronto is an important city for me: when I was banned from traveling, which was more than 30 years, one of the first Western cities was Toronto. He left quite a lasting impression. Although there is an opinion that this is a rather boring copy of New York. New York is simply a beloved and hometown, and for me it’s not just Manhattan. Los Angeles is incomprehensible to me; I just can’t grasp the character of this city. Apparently, you have to live there longer to understand it. I also love San Francisco very much, despite the rather nasty weather. He is very distinctive, with a reckless character and a stunning bridge. This is the most liberal city in the best sense of the word. I also have a performance in Miami, which, let’s say, is not my favorite city in America.

Your “American history” is very rich; you have lived and visited the USA many times and at different periods. How has the portrait of a Russian emigrant changed? Who is leaving now?

The first wave is my father. He left at the age of 14, it was 1922. It was an aristocratic, intelligent wave. It was a wave that adored Russia, that did not revile it, that taught children Russian without fail. They believed that something would change, and were never ashamed of their “Russianness” - on the contrary, they were proud of it.

The second wave is those who fled with the Germans, but let’s leave them aside, this is a separate issue - to run with those who destroyed your country, pouring blood on it.

The third wave is the Jewish one, which began after the meeting between Nixon and Brezhnev in 1972, after which only Jews were allowed to leave. This is a completely different wave, quite anti-Soviet. These are people who really don't like Russia for various reasons.

But now there is a wave of people younger, better educated, who do not see a future for themselves in Russia, who believe that in emigration they will be able to fulfill their desires.

I do not think that they have strong anti-Russian sentiments, like those who fled from Soviet Russia. It is, rather, people who are looking for where better. Although I have very little to communicate with such people.

Is the influence of the Russian community preserved if no one survives and does not support his “Russianness”?

At certain times, especially in the Russian regions, there was influence, and even the local authorities were able to delegate their representatives. But, whatever one may say, assimilation occurs, and in this connection the Russian enclave becomes less and less noticeable. Its inhabitants become Americans. This, in my opinion, is a natural process.

What is American and Russian patriotism?

In a strange way, there is something similar, a feeling of some kind of exclusivity and fatefulness, that it is “my” country that should play a special role. American politicians often speak of the special significance of the country. In Russia, the same. Imagine that the British or French will sing the national anthem during a football match, as it happens in America or Russia, is ridiculous. Although they, of course, are no less patriots, therefore, our ways of expressing love for our country are also very similar.

Only now in Russia are very concerned about patriotism. According to Putin, the national idea of ​​Russia is patriotism. Perhaps this is due to his criticism, or criticism of what is happening in Russia, but now the role of such a national idea has certainly grown.

According to Bill Gates, AIDS and education are the main problems of America, do you agree with this definition?

I know Mr. Gates and interviewed him, we talked about this. I didn't expect such depth from him at all. I thought a techie, a hi-tech guy, would talk about it. However, we talked about the history of education, about how the system was built in different countries, as it was in Ancient Greece, in Rome, how everything has changed. I agree and think that these problems are also the main ones in Russia. Especially school education, when the mentality of the nation is formed.

You are one of the most famous journalists of our time, writer, TV presenter, and film author. Do you have hidden talents or hobbies that the general public doesn't know about?

I have long been fond of photography. All I think someday to arrange an exhibition. I like black and white photos very much, I am especially interested in the portrait. I am very fascinated by the human face, but in order for this not necessarily to be a staged photo, with it the person immediately becomes different.

You had a lot of different interesting interviews, for what interview would you give yourself “Taffy” or any of your many journalistic awards?

When Alexander Pushkin finished writing Boris Godunov, he added: “Oh yes Pushkin, oh yes son of a bitch,” giving himself credit for this wonderful work. Of course, there are interviews after which I also want to say “Oh, Pozner, what a son of a bitch!” For example, two interviews with Tatiana of Chernigov, from whom I got great pleasure, but I remember the failures much better.

During the American tour, Vladimir Pozner will spend creative evenings in New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles.

See also:

Viktor Shenderovich about new Russians in exile and Putin's bluff

Churchill's grandson on the legacy of grandfather, the threat of Russia and the greatness of America

American Nobel laureate: salvation during the Holocaust in Ukraine

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