Thread: Is this really genuine..."In the USSR we don't have sex"

I was told a story that this was said after the fall of the Soviet Union during a cultural exchange type of thing.
Is this the case and if so, does anybody know where I get the exact quote? у нас нет секса is not exactly
googling well...

Thanks

Yes and no. I've definitely watched that show, but I was a kid of 8 or 7 back then, so my recollections of the details are vague and (EDIT: may or may not be) based on later second-hand retelling.

[An American] (Asks something about sex&violence on TV.)
[Russian girl] There's no sex in the USSR!
// laughter.
[Russian girl] ... In TV shows, I meant... (blush)

But the line was wa-a-a-ay too good as it was, so the latter part had been dropped.
Oh, and the exact quote was "В СССР секса нет! ... на телевидении..."

The show was called "Telebridge" or something like that the host was Vladimir Pozner.

As I recollect that show, I somehow remember the question was: "How's the sex in the Soviet Union?", and a Russian lady answered: "There's no sex in the Soviet Union, there's love."

But that was long time ago, so I'm not a reliable source for that matter.

Russian Wikipedia has the article on the subject.

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92_%D0 ... 0%B5%D1%82

So my recollections were right... Then again, it's Wikipedia, the thing might still be an urban legend... But I'm sure it isn't.

And there it is!!

В общем, начался телемост, и одна американка говорит: да вы из-за войны в Афганистане вообще должны перестать заниматься сексом с вашими мужчинами — тогда они не пойдут воевать. И пальцем всё время тычет. Я ей и ответила: в СССР секса нет, а есть любовь.

However, I don't recollect that being said in relation to Afghanistan.

Yes, but Pozner himself gives my version. (Or I'm giving his. As I said, I have no exact recollection, and the details in my post might be hearsay.) Besides, both have a reason to invent some excuse for the utterance in question, so strong one, in fact, that they themselves might believe it...

Everybody remembers only the funny (or embarrassing, depending on your point of view) part. If only someone had a tape of the show... This is nearly criminal. Tens of millions of people saw it live, and no one can agree what happened, including the participants! How could it be?

Anyway, either version makes sense in the context.

Originally Posted by ac220

If only someone had a tape of the show... This is nearly criminal. Tens of millions of people saw it live, and no one can agree what happened, including the participants! How could it be?

Maybe Parfenov in his TV series for the year '86 might mention that and show the footage?

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by ac220

If only someone had a tape of the show... This is nearly criminal. Tens of millions of people saw it live, and no one can agree what happened, including the participants! How could it be?

Maybe Parfenov in his TV series for the year '86 might mention that and show the footage?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm one of those freaks who don't watch TV. (since I was 14, I watched... Err... CNN (?) broadcast on 9/11, a few documentaries on the topics that interest me deeply, and New Year Eve programming. That one because everybody else did. ) I do also watch DVDs and some online 'casts but that's not the same thing.

Before that I was a veritable TV addict though, so I know how to switch the thing on at least.

Originally Posted by ac220

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

About this: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%...B4%D0%BD%D0%B8

I don't remember the question. The woman answered "There is no sex in th USSR", after that Posner took the microphone hastily and said "This is mistake". So the woman had no chance to clarify her answer.

It's worth to said that the word "sex" had strong negative connotation then. It is somewhat similar to the question "How are n#ggers in the USA?" The meaning would be quite different for Soviet and American people. I think she just misunderstood the question.

Originally Posted by Crocodile

Originally Posted by ac220

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

About this: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%...B4%D0%BD%D0%B8

Definitely worth looking at...

Originally Posted by Полуношник

It is somewhat similar to the question "How are n#ggers in the USA?" The meaning would be quite different for Soviet and American people. I think she just misunderstood the question.

Yes, it meant roughly "porn" or "perversion" in colloquial or even journalistic usage, that was definitely major part of it, and yes, your analogy is right on. Close-to-Western usage of "sex" wasn't adopted until late 90's or so... Still everybody, even 7-year olds knew what the word was supposed to mean, and blandly denying the existence of the phenomenon was... well...

When I saw this topic, the first thing that rang the bell was the quote from "Deja vu" movie when main character (american gangster) was asked about entertaiments he prefer and his answer was: "Sex, boxing & jazz", he immediatly got responce: "We don't have sex here".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkX6v-vF0II

Originally Posted by Полуношник

I don't remember the question. The woman answered "There is no sex in th USSR", after that Posner took the microphone hastily and said "This is mistake". So the woman had no chance to clarify her answer.

And here goes yet third account. Half the kingdom for a tape!

And THE FOURTH!

"No sex in the USSR, or Rashomon in the Rue Morgue"

Из филма Дежа Вю:
Что вас больше всего интересует в жизни, товарищ американец?
- Джаз, бокс и секс.
- Секса у нас нет, джаза тоже.

Here's a line from the Soviet movie Deja Vu:
Russian - What are you most interested in comrade American?
American - Jazz, boxing and sex
Russian - We don't have sex, jazz neither.

Basil77, you stole my thunder!

Funny story!

It's unbelievable that they would ask ask a question like that on live TV in the Soviet Union....

Talk about culture clash!

The best answer would have been "None of your business!" or "Better than you can imagine in your wildest dreams...."

@ac220 - same here. I only watch TV if somebody else that I'm with wants to watch.

Originally Posted by sperk

Basil77, you stole my thunder!

:P

Originally Posted by Johanna

Funny story!

It's unbelievable that they would ask ask a question like that on live TV in the Soviet Union....

It was live and largerly unscripted, or so it seemed. Anything can happen in such a show

Watching the relevant episode of "Namedni" now.

And good to know I'm not alone

At that time in the USSR the word "sex" had only one meaning - "to f@ck" (бл@дство in Russian).
The Soviet people saw many American films in which a guy meets a girl, they drink, and in a minute... they already in the bed. This simplicity was called "sex" in the USSR.

Originally Posted by BappaBa

At that time in the USSR the word "sex" had only one meaning - "to f@ck".

Erm... But isn't that what it really means? I mean, 'sex' not a synonym for 'love', at least in Russian.