Don’t tell the truth, thanks!

How do you make an expert say precisely what you want to hear on a TV show? Perhaps it’s too embarrassing to publicly advertise your need for a pre-arranged answer – but you can always try with a hint.

The hint was what was in use just before the holidays when someone claiming to be an employee at Russian state-controlled TV Pervy Kanal put up a notice on Pressfeed.ru, a portal used by Russian media professionals for finding commentators for their productions. The announcement said:

“We are looking for a physicist who will try to explain how and why water on Epiphany becomes special. What changes in it and why? We would not like to hear the answer that nothing changes.”

During this time of the year, it is a custom for many Russians to immerse themselves in icy water. We have yet to see if Pervy Kanal will broadcast the discussion, provided they have found a candidate who will give the answer they need. The TV channel might also have backed out after the amusing announcement attracted attention in Russian social media.

(Image: Wikimedia commons)