A Russian TV channel faced ridicule online after censoring a joke at the expense of President Vladimir Putin from the Ukrainian sitcom "Servant of the People." The private broadcaster TNT also stopped airing the comedy series after showing the first three episodes on Wednesday.

The Russian-language sitcom stars Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian and actor who went on to become president of Ukraine. In the show, he plays history teacher Vasyl Goloborodko who stumbles into public eye after his anti-corruption rant goes viral. The fictional Goloborodko ends up becoming president of Ukraine, in a narrative conspicuously similar to Zelenskiy's real-life rise to power. The image of a naive but pure-hearted Goloborodko is credited with launching Zelenskiy's political career.

Watch video 04:46 Share Ukraine: A comedian gets serious Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3FI4m Ukraine: A comedian gets serious

After taking power earlier this year, Zelenskiy signaled a wish to reduce tensions with Russia. Zelenskiy met Putin in Paris on Monday, where the two agreed to a ceasefire to help resolve the conflict with the pro-Russian separatists.

Missing Putin joke

TNT's decision to air Zelenskiy's sitcom, first broadcast in 2015, was seen as another sign of diplomatic thawing between Kyiv and Moscow. TNT is owned by the Russian energy giant Gazprom, which is majority-owned by the Russian state.

However, viewers quickly noted that a scene mentioning Putin was cut from the first episode. The joke makes a reference to a vulgar anti-Putin chant, "Putin Huylo," made popular by Ukrainian football fans. "Huylo" refers to a part of male genitalia in both Ukrainian and Russian.

In the missing scene, Zelenskiy's character is shown choosing luxury watches under the tutelage of a shady mentor. The mentor says that Putin's preferred brand is the Swiss-made Hublot. "Putin Hublot?" Zelenskiy asks. "Yes," the other character responds.

Watch video 06:33 Share 'Zelenskiy has made peace in Donbass a top priority' Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3UWFI 'Zelenskiy has made peace in Donbass a top priority'

Pulled from air for 'marketing' reasons

According to program listings cited by Vedomosti daily, TNT was set to continue showing "Servant of the People" on Thursday and Friday. However, those listings have since been changed.

The channel's representatives claim that they had never planned to show more than the first three episodes. The rest of the show, according to TNT, will be available for paying customers online. The company described it as a "deliberate marketing move."

"Our goal was to entice users of the platform with new content," spokeswoman Ekaterina Trofimova told the AFP news agency.

It was not immediately clear what financial benefit this strategy might bring to TNT, as full episodes of the sitcom are already available for free on YouTube.

Read more: Russian documentary film festival fights censorship with 'Zapovednik'

Putin 'does not watch TV shows'

Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that the Kremlin had any influence on the broadcaster's decision.

"We categorically do not interfere, we have no right to interfere in their editorial policy," Peskov said.

When asked if censorship was getting more common on Russian TV and if Putin's name should not be used in jokes, Peskov also said the answer to both of those questions was "negative."

After the airing of the show on Wednesday, Peskov told reporters that Putin did not watch it.

"He does not watch TV shows," Peskov said.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Fiction comes true Not too long ago, Volodymyr Zelenskiy cracked jokes on screen in the popular Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People," in which he plays a history teacher who becomes president of Ukraine. For Zelenskiy, the story has become reality — the actor won the country's presidential election in April. He isn't the only screen actor enter the political scene.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Terminator to governator Arnold Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilder and actor before he became governor of California (2003-2011). He is hands down one of the best-known celebrities to make that radical change in career. Initially a tough Republican, he later tightened weapons laws and raised minimum wage. He is still active in environmental protection.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Wrestling to politics Jesse Ventura — above in the 1987 film "Predator" — was an actor and a professional wrestler before he served first as mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and then as the state's governor for a term. He returned to the screen from 2009 to 2012 as host of the US TV series "Conspiracy Theory."

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians 'Let's make America great again' Acting gave Ronald Reagan a taste of politics long before he became governor of California and the 40th US president in 1981. Beginning in 1941, he was active in the union at Warner Bros. film company and later became president of the Screen Actors Guild. Decades later, President Donald Trump picked up Reagan's successful 1980 election campaign slogan, "Let's make America great again."

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Brief Intermezzo Clint Eastwood's political career also started in California, where the actor and director served as mayor of his hometown, Carmel, from 1986-88. But the fast-paced film industry drew him back. However he kept his political voice present, and many years later, the legendary film star spoke at the 2016 Republican party convention, endorsing the party's presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Family legacy With a politician father and grandfather who were interior minister and mayor of Athens respectively, the Greek actress and chanson singer Melina Mercouri seemed destined to enter politics, too. She became a lawmaker and later served twice as Greece's culture minister.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Back in Berlin In 1973 the military coup in Chile forced writer Antonio Skarmeta to flee via Argentina to Berlin. His writing focused on life in exile and being a stranger in a foreign country. Skarmeta returned to his native country 16 years later, only to live in the German capital again from 2000 to 2003, this time as Chilean Ambassador.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Actress and MP British actress Glenda Jackson won two Oscars for Best Actress, including for the 1969 film "Women in Love" (above). In 1992 she headed into politics for the Labour Party and served for four legislature periods in the House of Commons. She was one of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's most outspoken critics during the Iraq War. Jackson finally retired from politics at age 79.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians Bollywood to parliament Vinod Khanna was one of the most successful actors in India in the 1970s. Yet he retired from the film business at the height of his career, spending a few years at the ashram of a mystical guru named Osho Rajneesh in the US before winning a seat in the Indian Parliament. Later he served as tourism and culture minister and as state minister in the foreign ministry. Khanna died in 2017.

From stage to public office: 10 celebrities who became politicians A singing president Michel Martelly was president of Haiti from 2011 to 2016 and tasked with rebuilding the country after a devastating 2010 earthquake. Before that he was a popular singer who performed under the stage name "Sweet Micky" singing Kompa, a form of Haitian folk music. Author: Bettina Baumann (db)



dj/msh (AFP, Interfax, Reuters)

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here.