Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, has posted a video that he shot of his wife, Tatyana Rogozina, singing her "smash hit" original song "Stay Forever."
In awkwardly clipped scenes, Rogozina dances aimlessly (like your mom's youngest sister at a wedding) around what seems to be their lawn in Brussels (due to the prominently featured Russian flag), picking leaves and wilting into hedges.
The song is long -- over three minutes of clumsy lip-synching -- and a few short scenes show Rogozin in his office in front of his computer busily working (on this video?) and even mouthing the words once or twice himself.
Rogozina -- who is a singer, poet, and member of the Foundation to Support Traditional Industry -- recently announced via Twitter that due to the attention her two YouTube videos received, she has decided "to make her own site with songs and poems."
However, Rogozina is not the only one with a YouTube presence.
Back in 2005, Rogozin became infamous for his role in a commercial made by the Motherland party. In the 30-second clip, called "Clean The Trash From Moscow," Rogozin and a colleague approach a group of what are meant to be "non-Russians" -- who are, as the stereotype begs, eating watermelon -- and ask them if they "understand Russian." Shortly after the commercial went viral, Rogozin was made to step down from the party.
In 2008, Rogozin, a United Russia member, was promoted to the NATO ambassadorship by Prime Minister (then President) Vladimir Putin.
Rogozin -- who diligently tweets away in Russian and English -- recently noted that the NATO-Russia Council is interested at "fighting the ghosts of the Cold War."
The ambassador is currently in Lisbon, the site of the upcoming NATO meeting, where he is "filming the roads and the fools," though he quickly adds, "No. I won't film the fools."
-- Ashley Cleek