Swedish Comedy Duo Build Gay Bar on Vladimir Putin’s Island

Comedians could face arrest. Or worse: Putin’s steely gaze.

Sep 19, 2015

Swedish “hip-hop” comedians Far & Son may be in hot water after building a gay bar on land owned by Russian president Vladimir Putin. The bar, meant to protest Russia’s anti-gay legislation, was modeled after the Blue Oyster gay biker bar in the Police Academy films and constructed on a plot of land in the Åland islands, an archipelago located between Finland and Sweden. 

Local police didn’t find the prank funny at all, and indicated the duo could net up to 3 months in prison for “trespassing, as well as some sanitation violations,” reported the Guardian. The paper also quoted the Russian consul to the Åland region, who termed the gag “pure hooliganism.” That’s no idle talk: “hooliganism” is, after all, the charge that put Russian punk rockers Pussy Riot behind bars in 2012.

The Guardian related a challenging statement the comedians gave to a Swedish paper. “We expected a bit more of a vigorous response from the Russians,” they told Aftonbladet, “and that they would immediately send the Scud missiles into the gay bar, but it seems they can’t keep up with Far & Son.” They ended with a flourish: “They are simply cowards.”

We admire the bravery of Far & Son for their symbolic middle finger to the tiger tagging, Judo expert Vladimir Putin. Challenging Putin while living so close to his border takes real courage and a true commitment to comedy. But we don’t envy the fact that they’ll now have to spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders, hoping they don’t see the Russian president speeding after them bare-chested and riding a bear. 

Photos by Escape to Suomi/Twitter

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