Deaf signing talks the talk
ELTON John’s husband David Furnish has called Vladimir Putin “genuinely lovely” and has confirmed the star will meet the Russian leader.
Putin, 63 – who has invaded Crimea, backed civil war in Ukraine and sent his forces to help Syrian tyrant Bashar al-Assad – phoned Sir Elton last month to arrange the meeting to discuss gay rights.
The call came a week after the singer was duped by two Moscow comedians pretending to be the president.
During the talk Putin apparently asked Elton not to be offended by the prank which was broadcast on Russian TV.
Yesterday film producer Furnish, 52, said: “Putin is lovely. He and Elton spoke on the phone and the Kremlin have confirmed that.
“Now they’re trying to get a date in the diary to talk face to face.”
Speaking at the Attitude awards in London on Wednesday night, he added: “That may surprise people but I take people as I find them and he was so polite and lovely on the phone.
“He’s genuinely lovely. Besides, this isn’t about politics – I’m not a politician – it’s about humanity.”
After he was duped Elton, 68, said: “Pranks are funny. Homophobia, however, is never funny. If this unfortunate incident has helped push this vital issue back into the spotlight I’m happy to be pranked.”
Vladimir Krasnov and Aleksei Stolyarov fooled the star for a full 11 minutes into thinking he was discussing gay rights with Mr Putin. Then they broadcast excerpts on a popular evening TV show.
Krasnov said at the time: “Yes, it was us. Aleksei has excellent English so he introduced himself as Mr Putin’s press secretary and interpreted our conversation.” His admission ended two days of speculation u after Elton said on I Instagram: “Thank you to P President Vladimir Putin f for reaching out and s speaking via telephone w with me today.
“I look forward to meeting i you face to face to d discuss LGBT equality.”
In a BBC interview days b before the prank Elton a asked for a meeting with t the Russian leader and s slammed his “ridiculous a and prejudiced” attitude.
The tough-guy former KGB chief says Russia needs to “cleanse” itself of homosexuality if it wants to increase its birth rate, while a law banning “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” among minors has caused an international outcry.
Putin has also been accused by the West of using masked Russian troops to destabilise Crimea and Eastern Ukraine and of ordering the murder of political opponents in Britain.
It’s not about politics. I take people as I find them. He was so polite on the phone
DAVID FURNISH ON ELTON’S TALK WITH TOUGH GUY PUTIN MORE people want to learn sign language than French or German, a survey found.
Six in 10 are embarrassed that they cannot communicate with deaf people.
Only Spanish came ahead of British Sign Language in a list of languages people would like to learn, said the Deaf Children’s Society.