Rowling, Inc., Releases Statement about Russians Who Pretended to be Zalensky

Those in the Rowling, Inc., bunker miles beneath King’s Cross met in special session yesterday morning to craft a public response to the video released by Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus. I posted the remarkable TheRowlingLibrary YouTube video yesterday with three comments you can read here to catch up on the subject. The Hollywood Reporter, a curious venue for the release but perhaps Rowling’s agent and barrister has an ‘in’ there from his days with Warner Brothers, printed the statement in part:

The author’s spokesperson called the hoax “distasteful” and noted, “J.K. Rowling was approached to talk about her extensive charitable work in Ukraine, supporting children and families who have been affected by the current conflict in the region. The video, which has been edited, is a distorted representation of the conversation.”

I think it’s fair to call that reaction “predictable” because I predicted yesterday that this would be the party line, though I hoped they’d not give the subject any oxygen at all. The video itself, with Rowling’s several allusions to children followed by breaks reflecting edits and cuts, all but confirms that this ‘spin’ from The Presence’s handlers is almost certainly true. This explanation makes why Rowling was deceived into thinking she was talking to President Zalensky but does not make her several embarrassing comments any the less humiliating given she was trying to win Zalensky to the Lumos cause.

What we haven’t seen yet, is a translation of the Putin Fans Trio’s serenade to Rowling (10:15 in video), after which she told them more than once that she loved them. I’m confident that this must have been the funniest part of the hoax to viewers in Russia and Ukraine because Rowling cannot read their shirts (“Only Putin”) or understand the lyrics but feigns an enthusiasm for the group. I will share a translation of these lyrics here when I have them. I’ve reached out to Russian speaking friends, but welcome your version in the comment boxes below.