At the court of Tsar Putin

Mickey Rourke, Gerard Depardieu, Steven Seagal, Al Bano Carrisi. More and more Western stars choose the court of Putin. They are go at parties, wear T-shirts with his picture, go with him to the stadium, play and sing for him. And stand up for him against the criticism manifested by the same countries they come from.

From Hollywood to the Kremlin, the road is short if you are over 60 and you’re rich and famous. And if you’re in love with Putin.
Gerard Depardieu was the first, it must be said. That’s why is that is the only one of the fab four to have won a passport with the two-headed eagle, a year ago. Cynics said he did it to avoid paying high taxes in France. He said that they were right to be suspicious. Since then, the infatuation with Putin has not diminished. A couple of months ago, in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica he flatly said: “Putin is longing to turn off the gas to Europe. So he will solve the whole thing.” Meanwhile, in recent days, he has been welcomed in Chechnya by  Putin’s man Ramzan Kadyrov, while Grozny is in on fire.

Love at first sight
The infatuation of two action men of Hollywood is more recent. Steven Seagal must have fell in love at first sight. He met with the president last year during a martial arts event, of which both he and Putin are experts. “I consider him like a brother,” said Seagal. “I think it was very reasonable decision to defend the Russians in Crimea and the navy base in Sevastopol.” Seagal and Putin did not play a match, for the sake of the American actor. In fact, the President has received a ninth level black belt in taekwondo. To get an idea, another American legend, Chuck Norris, is only eighth level.
Seagal accompanied Putin in Sochi during the Winter Olympics and performed with his blues band in Sevastopol, just after the annexation of Crimea.
Mickey Rourke’s fascination came during a visit to Moscow due to a boxing match, last summer. But just a few days ago he had new heat. Rourke proudly wears his Putin-shirt everywhere. “I will wear it everywhere. I like this guy,” he said, referring to the image of the president printed on the shirt. “If I did not like this man, I would not have bought it, believe me. I met him a couple of times and he was a true gentleman. He looked me straight in the eye. I think it’s a good guy.” After losing two symbols of the years 80-90, Hollywood is holding tight Chuck Norris.

A crystal clear analysis
Italy also sent to the court of Tsar Vladimir a prominent figure. Al Bano knows Russia since long time. His admiration for Putin is deeper and historically and politically motivated, as he himself said months ago on a TV show: “Putin is a man who sowed good dose of democracy, starting from Russia. Because, to live in a country like that for 80 years has been crushed by that kind of politics and see a… first Gorbachev, then he gave the people a good dose of democracy, and above all, has also pulled Russia out of a long period of uncertainty, both social and… we should not forget that famous… that started the Yeltsin era, when even the soldiers started shooting at the State Duma, well… with the great Putin these things are a little changed.”
Someone was angry when, during a concert in Moscow, he shouted out “Long live Russia” (and not “long live Putin”), but no one has had to say nothing about this crystal clear historical analysis.
What unites these four men over the age of sixty, with a bit slicked hair and flabby look? The same cynics have shed doubt that not only Depardieu, but also Rourke and Seagal – whose popularity is fading – have an economic advantage. But there is no reason to doubt of Al Bano, if we believe his words: “With Putin and his fellows I feel good. I make a dozen concerts a year; they pay for the cachet without hassle. Forty, fifty thousand euro, no problem…”