Eduard Khil, a Brezhnev-era Russian singer who was dubbed "Mr. Trololo" after an old music clip went viral, has been hospitalized after reportedly suffering a stroke.
According to the Interfax and ITAR-TASS news agencies, Khil is in the Mariinsky Hospital in St. Petersburg, although medical staff would not give reasons for his hospitalization. Russian media reports had earlier said Khil had suffered a stroke.
In 2010, Khil was in the dusty pantheon of Soviet crooners, until a clip of "I Am Very Happy Because I Am Finally Coming Home" went viral in America.
Translation wasn't an issue because of Khil's distinctive brand of baritone yodeling.
Now watched over 12 million times on YouTube, Khil hit super-stardom once again, receiving thousands of fan mails, spawning a boat-load of memes, and an online petition was launched asking the singer to go on a world tour.
In an interview with RFE/RL in 2010, Khil said he found out about his new-found fame when he heard his 13-year-old grandson humming the tune.
"My grandson, Eduard Junior, told me, 'Grandpa, everyone knows your song on the Internet -- all around the world, in Japan, in England, in America. They're even selling T-shirts,'" Khil said.
According to the Interfax and ITAR-TASS news agencies, Khil is in the Mariinsky Hospital in St. Petersburg, although medical staff would not give reasons for his hospitalization. Russian media reports had earlier said Khil had suffered a stroke.
In 2010, Khil was in the dusty pantheon of Soviet crooners, until a clip of "I Am Very Happy Because I Am Finally Coming Home" went viral in America.
Translation wasn't an issue because of Khil's distinctive brand of baritone yodeling.
Now watched over 12 million times on YouTube, Khil hit super-stardom once again, receiving thousands of fan mails, spawning a boat-load of memes, and an online petition was launched asking the singer to go on a world tour.
In an interview with RFE/RL in 2010, Khil said he found out about his new-found fame when he heard his 13-year-old grandson humming the tune.
"My grandson, Eduard Junior, told me, 'Grandpa, everyone knows your song on the Internet -- all around the world, in Japan, in England, in America. They're even selling T-shirts,'" Khil said.