[gchp]

> I'm curious how someone made this outlandish claim sound plausible.

From the article:

> Soviet television had, up to that point, been regarded by its audience as conservative in style and content. As a result, a large number of Soviet citizens (one estimate puts the number at 11,250,000 audience members) took the deadpan "interview" at face value, in spite of the absurd claims presented.

I guess this had something to do with it? If people were used to TV being a certain way, and this "interview" was presented in the same way, then it would seem reasonable that it would be taken up in the same was as every other. Nothing (aside from content) made it stand out from other shows.

Saying that, the claim is crazy, and it does seem strange that it was seemingly accepted as truth. I wonder how a similar stunt could be attempted today, and what the reaction would be...

[icen]

For a western analogue, try the BBC's spaghetti plantations.

[kalleboo]

In Sweden we had the Colour TV Stocking http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/instant_color_tv

[vermontdevil]

I was going to post that too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti-tree_hoax

Loved this one as well.

[Rexxar]

They should have tried with this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghetti_squash

[VLM]

or political correctness, as typically indoctrinated in school.

[kodfodrasz]

saying such things to this particular audience will result in massive downvotes.

[boomlinde]

With less variation it seems to result in someone complaining about their imaginary persecution.

[dottedmag]

TV propaganda in contemporary Russia works pretty well, so TV is still seen as an authority.

It does not help that there are no large TV stations anymore in Russia that are not state-owned (openly or covertly).