Speaker A
Yeah. G, can you say something? At least for me, I think it's one, two, three.
Casual discussion about job interviews, gym routines, English learning, and logical puzzles with insights on corporate culture and personal experiences.
Ask about this video. Answers come from its transcript only — with the timestamp, so you can check them.
Generated from the transcript and can be wrong — check the timestamp.
Key Takeaways
- Asking companies how they benefit from hiring you can reveal important insights about their culture.
- Early career roles in large firms can be challenging and may involve being undervalued.
- Consistent practice and conscientious attitude towards learning (e.g., English) is valuable.
- Logical and puzzle-like tasks are common in some job interviews, especially in audit and IT-related roles.
- Understanding cultural nuances, such as name pronunciation, can aid communication in international settings.
What the video covers
- Participants discuss their weekly activities including gym visits and English listening practice.
- One participant shares experiences from a second-stage job interview at a well-known audit firm.
- The interview included logical tasks and a unique candidate question about the benefits of hiring them.
- The candidate's question aimed to reveal the company's attitude towards employees and corporate culture.
- The hiring manager's evasive answers highlighted potential issues in the company's approach to new hires.
- Discussion touches on the challenges of starting a career in large corporations, especially in finance and audit.
- There is a brief conversation about the pronunciation and origin of the name Roman.
- The video includes reflections on feedback timelines and the importance of follow-up questions post-interview.
- Additional topics include language learning techniques and casual banter about names and cultural references.
- The overall tone is informal, with a mix of personal anecdotes and practical advice.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and Weekly Updates
- 02:22Job Interview Experience and Logical Tasks
- 04:50Unique Interview Question and Company Culture
- 07:30Discussion on Hiring Manager's Responses
- 10:13Name Pronunciation and Cultural Notes
- 12:47Interview Feedback and Follow-up Plans
- 15:44Additional Reflections and Language Practice
- 19:12Closing Remarks and Puzzle Teaser
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Can you hear? A little bit quiet, but okay. Overall, it's all right. I can speak louder. Louder.
Speaker A
A little louder. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. Yeah. So, you were saying how was your week?
Speaker A
Um, my week was, uh, like working a week. Um, I, uh, I worked, uh, good. [clears throat] [laughter] Okay.
Speaker A
Uh, I went to gym. Uh, I always go to my gym three times. How many times you go to the gym now?
Speaker A
What? How many times a week do you go to the gym nowadays? Three times. Three times a week. Okay.
Speaker A
Uh, what else? Uh, I learned, uh, English. Uh, yeah. Uh, I, I worked about, uh, how to listen English, uh, by hearing.
Speaker A
Yeah. Sorry, the last one. Listen to English. Yeah. Uh, listen to English appearance. Uh, no no, uh, my listening skill, uh, but is, is, uh, worth is worthless, uh, than speaking skill. So I, uh, I have to train
Speaker A
uh, additional and more, uh, for getting a practice, uh, about hearing English. Listening practice and reading practice.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. Listening practice. All practice is good. Okay. I love the attitude. Yeah. Most of, well not most but a lot of my students are like, ah, homework what, uh, who, uh, no you seem to be very conscientious about practicing
Speaker A
from week to week. I love seeing that. Oh Elizabeth tell us a couple of words about you. How is your week going?
Speaker A
Well, nothing special I would say. um just regular work. But today I actually had a job interview like the second stage of the job interview I told you about.
Speaker A
You talked about it last time. Yeah, that's right. Congratulations. Yeah, like audit, uh, this audit firm which is very famous on the market and it was actually really cool. They asked me like, um, hard skills questions.
Speaker A
uh, they also love like I know that or IT specialists for example, uh, some companies like, um, algorithmical tasks.
Speaker A
So this audit firms they really really love logical tasks. So they, they gave me another one this time. Yeah. Uh thank god I, I managed to solve it.
Speaker A
Is it something Okay. I love if it's kind of like a puzzle or a riddle. Uh I love those. Or is it something super of like, uh, it's not related to math.
Speaker A
It's pure logic. So you have maybe share it with us. I don't know. Do you guys [clears throat] maybe, um, uh, let me share it, uh, closer to the end when I come up with how to explain it. Yeah.
Speaker A
Uhhuh. And if there is energy for for all of you. That's right. Yes. Absolutely.
Speaker A
And yeah, uh, my favorite part was when I asked, uh, one question that actually, uh, made those hiring managers not confused but they were definitely impressed.
Speaker A
Well, I think they were impressed. And, uh, I, I want to share this question with you because if you guys have a job interview really soon, ask this question. It's very cool. Uh so the question is what are the benefits of, uh,
Speaker A
you hiring me for this role? Yeah. Okay. But for whom? The benefits for you for the company.
Speaker A
Okay. Yeah. What benefits do you see in hiring me? Yeah. Right. Very interesting. Okay. Yeah. I cannot say it's a standard question from a candidate to the company. So, yeah.
Speaker A
Why would you benefit from hiring me? Very interesting. Isn't that Yeah. Typically, isn't that your job to sell yourself? So, what's the what's the idea here? So my idea here is that this question, uh, highlights how, um, they
Speaker A
appreciate workers, employees, um, and if there is this, um, you know, um, comfortable corporate culture and, uh, if they, um Oh yeah. reverse. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. And if they think, um, strategically because you know there might be like the position I was, um, interviewed for is very low. It's like assistant to this auditor because I don't have any experience in audit.
Speaker A
So, um, anyway like I know that they usually hire, uh, young people like straight from the uni. Uh and, um, well these companies they have a specific reputation of using people and when they answered me they actually, uh, proved that.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. Well if it's not a secret. Yeah. So what was the gist of the answer?
Speaker A
Well at first, um, one of the managers she's like a lower manager. uh, she started trying to come up with not a straight answer.
Speaker A
So [clears throat] like she was answering but not answering my question and and I was like but don't answer pardon.
Speaker A
She was being evasive. Yeah, she was being evasive. Definitely. And I was like I was insist insistent or persistent.
Speaker A
Actually both work in this case. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. uh maybe even pushy a bit.
Speaker A
Uh but I, I decided to like try my best to get the answer and I was like you you didn't answer my question. So could you clarify? And, uh, well after all she actually probably she didn't know how to
Speaker A
answer. So what what she did was that like, uh, when we h if you had experience from a big four company we would definitely benefit from hiring you because you would be an asset you would come to the company and you would make
Speaker A
us better and I'm like so I don't have this experience but I have difference so does it mean that I wouldn't benefit you and she was like well yes And I was like, "So, you, uh, say that when you hire
Speaker A
people, they don't give you any benefits?" And she was like, "Yeah, because we spend money on you." And I was like, "Well, okay. Thank you." Okay. Okay. Fair enough. Well, yeah. So, I guess that tells you a lot about their
Speaker A
approach. Yeah. But Yeah. Well, yeah. But so in the end of the story it it doesn't seem well seems like nobody was especially happy at the end of this conversation.
Speaker A
Exactly. Like what's the purpose then? And, uh, that actually clarified that, um, that idea that they usually hire young people who don't care about the first role and they are ready to just sell their time basically.
Speaker A
So true. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're absolutely right. Of course, every story if you want to build a career in a in a big Yeah. reputable corporation usually. Yeah. The first few years are very tough. Yeah. And you don't forget about private life at
Speaker A
least. Well, as I know in the areas of Yeah. finance, accounting, audit as well, law for sure. Um what about Yeah.
Speaker A
developers? Okay. We have three people from the tech industry. Would you say that? Yeah, actually Roman Roman wants to say something. Uh yeah, let us listen.
Speaker A
Why, uh, [snorts] we discuss about my name on English? Usually Roman. Uh well, yeah, the the English version of this name would be Yeah. Roman.
Speaker A
Really? Yeah. Yeah. the plus, you know, well, it's not a very common name outside of Russia. So, of course, more often when you meet Yeah. this name somewhere in the English speaking world, it still would be Raman. But there is a name
Speaker A
Roman. Yeah. And there was a very popular TV show in the last several years, Succession, where one of the characters is Yeah. Roman Roy Kieran Culkin. Yeah. That means of from Rome, of course. Yeah. Uh right.
Speaker A
But yeah, absolutely. If you prefer Raman, we'll stick to authentic pronunciation. Yes, I think, uh, Rome, uh, it's the city.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. My name is, uh, Roman from name city. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Yeah.
Speaker A
[clears throat] Literally means from Rome. Yeah. Roman citizens, Roman law, Roman Empire. Lisa you, uh, are you discuss about, uh, deadline, uh, in this company?
Speaker A
Uh what do you mean feedback, uh, deadline? Oh not yet not yet because it was, uh, the second, uh, interview with the hiring manager. Uh the next step is like, um, well they are going to give me feedback
Speaker A
the HR, um, is going to give me a feedback next week. Uh [clears throat] so if [snorts] um if there is something I want to clarify I will ask to give me more details to provide me with more details.
Speaker A
Right. But yeah, uh this question specifically and the answer to it, uh, is a point to talk to an HR manager because like you know I have this idea or feeling that, uh, the answer might be a total
Speaker A
responsibility of the hiring manager or it might be this company's agenda in general. So I still need some more information.
Speaker A
Mhm. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. Of course. This international company it used to be, uh, so they were Ernst & Young. Uh is it the correct pronunciation?
Speaker A
Yeah. So nowadays in Russia they are called B1. Mhm. So I guess the Russian branch, uh, bought out like i
Speaker A
As far as I understood, the brand actually existed already. They they probably even worked under this um LLC.
Speaker A
Um so like in Russia they had that name but it wasn't um trans um what it it wasn't promoted. [snorts] Mhm. Mhm. Well, of course, because Yeah.
Speaker A
Ernston Young is a super powerful brand. Yeah. Mhm. Okay. Another question. Uh, this interview was been on English.
Speaker A
No, it was in Russian because I I went there, but they had the English part.
Speaker A
Uh, it was uh just like a couple of questions uh at the end and they were like, "It's not important, so you you don't have to care about your answers." Yeah. That seems like a kind kind of a
Speaker A
downer of a question. Yeah, we're gonna ask you something, but we don't care about Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker A
Okay. I I think uh question about benefits for company. It's really strange for Russian interview. [laughter] Why?
Speaker A
Um because uh because I finished uh 300 uh plus interview interviews and uh I not well as a as a candidate or as an interviewer or both candid candidate as a candidate 300. Okay.
Speaker A
Yes. Right. And yeah and you know in Russia in Russia not international uh I would say it's a very interesting question potentially very useful yes but you would need to read the room like I would say yeah because it seems a
Speaker A
little bit like I think it can be a brilliant yeah psychological technique like yeah why do you think you should hire me and that kind of forces them to think of positive things to say about you and that makes them think about your
Speaker A
positive qualities. So it can be great maybe if the interview went very well. Uh but yeah on the other hand if this is a big soulless corporation and the real answer is yeah we we don't care we need
Speaker A
another cog in the machine a faceless unit that we will crush their soul. Uh yeah, I mean that makes for an uncomfortable situation I guess possibly.
Speaker A
Uh in time I met uh with interesting situation when uh CEO one company write me. Okay. Uh can you please uh write a letter uh why we have hire you like a motivation letter?
Speaker A
Yes. I said okay I wrote letter and after I wrote message now please you write letter why I have choose this company and uh after this message I take offer this company you got an offer okay [laughter] Nice. Nice. Well, yeah, that's an
Speaker A
example. Very similar. Yes, I think that's great. Yeah. Okay. It's was been freestyle for for me.
Speaker A
Mhm. I think why not? [laughter] Yeah, it's it's actually really badass, that's a great word for this. Yeah, I absolutely subscribe. Yeah, very kind of a cool move, right? probably that seemed to this company that you are not in need and so
Speaker A
this is was kind of advantage for you probably because sometimes I think when you're especially if you're a traininee or I don't know for example junior and you there is a picture on your face that you do really need this job and um they see
Speaker A
that probably I think this is there is a I don't know salary for negotiations.
Speaker A
It's definitely one of the negotiation techniques. Yeah, for sure. There is a very classic film uh it's cult film in the English speaking world.
Speaker A
I think it's not so famous in Russia called Office Space. It's from the same guy who later created Silicon Valley.
Speaker A
Uh and it's yeah, it's a workplace comedy. For its time, it was kind of I guess really original like early 2000s.
Speaker A
And the basically the whole idea is that yeah, the guy gets fed up with his boring job and he literally goes into the boss's office and tells him how much he hates him and doesn't respect him and how much everything sucks here and and
Speaker A
the boss is like, "Oh my god, this is the most impressive thing that anybody's ever said to me and starts promoting him and kind of the whole film is like, yeah, he just tells him that they're complete losers and everybody's so
Speaker A
impressed with his confidence and courage that they keep giving him higher positions. can happen again. Read the room. Yeah.
Speaker A
If uh if the situation is right for it. All right. Awesome. Yeah. Art, we haven't had a chance to ask you how is your week. Anything interesting?
Speaker A
Thanks. It was yeah, there was I don't know just uh another regular week. But uh for this week, I just decided to slow down a little bit and I gain more energy for the second part of the week. So I'm just I don't know. I'm
Speaker A
just chilling. I know a lot of technical work. So I don't. So you mean in your time outside of work, you just chill, relax, you know, don't do anything too active?
Speaker A
Yeah. But uh I still do a lot of sport. But this week I just decided to a little bit slow down and I u I don't know I exchanged these uh I don't know extra extra sport uh sessions instead of all
Speaker A
this I got more energy so I'm just chilling and happy. Yeah. You know sometimes you got to have a cheat week to replenish your batteries.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. Let me introduce you with a segue to the topic by asking a question. How do you um well, do you use any apps uh to uh unwind, to relax?
Speaker A
Okay. I I thought we were going to talk about something more about time management, but yeah, let's start with this. Lot I see lots of advertising for such apps. Yeah. for meditation, for relaxation, for background music. Uh, yeah, they are actually called
Speaker A
soundscapes. I've learned this word recently. So, hello. I mean, yeah, sounds sounds like something in the ether, but I recently had a chance to read the definition of it in our teaching materials. Yeah. Soundscape, like landscape, but soundscape. Does anybody
Speaker A
know those apps? Well, yeah. Synthetic music, synth wave, another one. Uh, yeah. Yeah. That create background music for you.
Speaker A
Or they call this is narrow music kind of music, right? Narrow waves kind of.
Speaker A
Oh, yeah. So, getting back to the question, do you guys use any apps to relax?
Speaker A
I could say I I used to use couple of them. I just try because I was uh getting in this uh I don't know this is ad trap I mean advertisement trap because when you see this in in Google on Google or somewhere and it
Speaker A
just oh wow this is really cool thing I should try this but for me personally I I don't think this really cool work for me but um I could share with you a thing which I usually do I just up on
Speaker A
the YouTube and with a campfire or forest sounds with birds. Yeah. And this is perfect for me sometime. Yeah, they're great. Although, yeah, with now with advertising, uh, at least Yeah, I guess it depends on the location. For me, I used to really enjoy
Speaker A
those, but now every video like couple of minutes, it breaks for advertising and it doesn't the ad doesn't stop until you actually click skip. So kills the whole idea.
Speaker A
Yeah, it doesn't stop uh on my end for for some reason. Maybe it's because uh we are located in Russia.
Speaker A
Yeah. You don't get ads, right? Yeah. I didn't use this is a benefit like you know that's a big plus. Yeah. Right. G uh any apps that you can use Yeah. in your free time to help you relax.
Speaker A
Nice music, nice images, maybe some game, something to meditate. Okay. [snorts] Uh uh I yeah I use uh any some applications uh for example YouTube.
Speaker A
I can uh watch uh different video from YouTube uh from YouTube line. Um, and I can uh I can um uh get relax and get uh you useful. Uh I can uh for example, I can um I might uh watch uh videos in
Speaker A
English, movies in English and I'm [clears throat] relaxing and I'm learning right now. Uh also I often listen music. Uh I I have Yandex Yandex music application with my wife.
Speaker A
You have a family account? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I have [snorts] uh and u I I I might uh listen music uh when I'm walking or I can or when I I'm working, right?
Speaker A
I might listen music at at the same time. Uh yeah, I uh I uh really like uh shin karaoke uh recently in the last time. Um Okay. You mean at the karaoke bar or do you use some app for karaoke?
Speaker A
Uh I u I usually I I usually find uh karaoke clips in YouTube. Karaoke trips.
Speaker A
Clips. Clips. Oh, clips. Oh, on YouTube. Okay. And you sing along video, right? Right. So, you find a video of the music and you sing along.
Speaker A
Yeah. Uh I can uh I can uh sing alone or with my friends. But uh I when when I'm sing when I sing uh karaoke with my friends I uh I am I am not using uh my phone. It's uh
Speaker A
not a phone application. Right. Right. Yeah. Applications. It's um YouTube service uh from my computer.
Speaker A
Right. Right. Yeah. I mean I'm sure there are plenty of specific apps for karaoke but yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. It's something you can do with YouTube and you just need a good mic and stuff. Yeah.
Speaker A
Alone by yourself. Sing along like sing together or read along. Can we please all read along? Yeah. All together or Yeah. Uh work or walk alongside each other.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. So you can sing along to a karaoke song. That's fantastic. I love karaoke. Yeah. I cannot say I usually do it in relaxing situations. Usually it's more when there is like some celebration and drinks. So more active vibe. But
Speaker A
yeah, I love singing karaoke. Raman, you know, anything uh uh that you can use on your phone? Any apps that can help you relax, reach a state of flow or yeah, kind of unwind.
Speaker A
Relax. For me it's a process when I reading uh when I listening ebooks electronic books audio books uh in Yandex music app and uh usually I use YouTube uh app because Uh now for me it's very important uh function like offline
Speaker A
too. So to be able to download videos on your device. Yes. because uh so you use some in Russia in Russia uh internet no uh stability maybe it's not [laughter] not stable yeah it's being choked exactly yeah uh I before before my work uh usually I
Speaker A
download a few videos um about English uh psychology, business um Mhm. Mhm. And uh this is u good relax process for me.
Speaker A
Very nice. When I walk and uh uh listen this. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. You know what? I didn't even think about it because for me it is such a regular habit. But yeah, of course, for many years I've been
Speaker A
listening to well podcasts or in a YouTube format, but it doesn't work now. So, in the podcast format or in the YouTube, but in my pocket, whatever. But yeah, there are I have a number of programs and specific journalists that
Speaker A
I'm used to. So, yeah, when I walk around or when I go somewhere for a brunch, I love listening to it as well.
Speaker A
Of course. Yeah. Really feels calm and cozy, right? And I know one interesting app in Russia where uh Russian celebrity uh record records records uh audio meditation like something like mantras.
Speaker A
Yes. M mantras. Uh this is uh film uh actor and actress different ones. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yes. In one one app. Yes. It's very interesting. But but I'm I not use uh this.
Speaker A
What is the name of the app? Uh proa. Say it again. Sorry. Proa. Like simple or Yeah. Cool. That's an interesting idea.
Speaker A
Yeah. I'm sure it's markets ecosystem. Okay. Okay. [snorts] Yes. All right. Cool. Yeah, that's a nice idea. I never tried meditating, but yeah, especially if there were some famous actors doing it. I would definitely listen to it. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yes. Very interesting. It's a idea only Russia but uh in uh world apps we met uh it you mean the idea isn't unique so there are I I don't know is this idea unique or or not I don't yeah I don't think there are
Speaker A
such videos with famous Hollywood stars I think mainly because I know one um I know one service um that has this idea of um recording famous people like uh TV stars or movie stars um what else like uh
Speaker A
famous chefs and so on and so forth. It is called master class. It's actually a cool idea like you can learn from somebody you are um interested in or you think Yeah. Yeah. And they had some very big
Speaker A
celebrities. Yeah. I remember they had a master class from Kevin Spacy right before he got cancelled.
Speaker A
Oh, I think there. Yeah. But I remember even the ad. Yeah. It looked very nice.
Speaker A
I liked him. I like him on the spacy too. Apparently, apparently he's been found innocent, so it's okay to like him right now as well.
Speaker A
But yeah, I don't think he's coming back to Hollywood anytime soon. Doesn't look like it. Yeah. Uh neither is Army Hammer. He's also not coming back to Hollywood anytime soon.
Speaker A
Army Hammer. Oh, you haven't seen Oh, Army Hammer. I don't know about it's a whole rabbit hole. You can Google it. Yeah, he got super cancelled and now he was in the news just a few days ago because he starred in some super trashy
Speaker A
kind of uh movie movie directed by Uve B. If you know this name then you know how bad it is. U B it's like the worst director of all times. Uh anyways is it is it also about like I don't
Speaker A
know. Yeah. Yeah. He was sexually harassing somebody and apparently joking with them about cannibalism a little too much. Uh, so it's a whole weird thing. Yeah, Netflix made documentary about it. Yeah.
Speaker A
Oh gosh. Everything can be a Netflix documentary these days. I mean, got to be careful. Yeah. Uh, nowadays I don't know anymore. Yeah, maybe now. Again, it's not fashionable, but anymore to cancel people now. Again, Woody Allen got cancelled as well. But,
Speaker A
um, this is has been keeping a low profile. I don't think he got super. This is probably like one situation where I divide the artist and the actions of the person. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. The artist and the art. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because I really love his movies. They they're very um authentic.
Speaker A
I love Woody Allen, too. Yeah. Yeah. Some of his films are amazing, but yeah, this whole situation has always been kind of creepy with him. And yeah, again, he wasn't actually cancelled, but when the wave of cancellations started,
Speaker A
he kind of realized that he's definitely next unless he kind of Well, I know that uh some famous movie stars like Zinda and other people uh who well maybe not Zenaia, but people who used to work with him uh they and most of them were like
Speaker A
young actors. Uh they they had like uh a letter uh that they wrote together in support of him.
Speaker A
No, not in support like on the contrary. Yeah. Well, yeah. Yeah. Just his whole family situation is crazy if you never read about it. Uh Kevin Spac record recorded uh Russian interview about him canled about being cancelled, right?
Speaker A
Yes. Uhhuh. I think I saw something like this on the internet. Yeah. I didn't watch the interview, but I think I saw Yeah. him speaking to uh who was the interviewer?
Speaker A
Subject. Oh, okay. I would maybe get I think one one one month ago maybe another person who is going to be cancelled probably because no I mean he was already cancelled.
Speaker A
Yeah. Oh yeah. She's uh Yeah. Okay. I don't know what's going on there. Like her um emails and messages from Telegram were leaked.
Speaker A
Uhhuh. Uhhuh. Okay. And yeah, now she's accused of something horrible. Well, not yet, but probably it's going to happen.
Speaker A
It might happen because well, basically she's like, you know, in Russia uh she is um then one point please. Uh low uh your volume. Uh yeah, there is an echo.
Speaker A
Yes. Yes. Okay. Huh? Lower my my volume microphone or my speakers or micro or speakers because I listen uh Lisa Echo in How about now?
Speaker A
Yeah, I think it is better. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. [clears throat] Uh so like her messages and everything was was leaked and um well in Russia she was like this uh o opposite a person from oppositioner oppositioner. Yeah.
Speaker A
At least she this is the this PR strategy that she has. I think we can discuss about 50/50.
Speaker A
Uh well so the the thing is she might get cancelled because well obviously she um is funded by not the opposite not the opposition not the opposition or maybe she's that type of person who you know uh like in
Speaker A
that old um Pav Durov's interview with the background with those chairs you Yes, like you lost me a little bit.
Speaker A
Well, it is this Russian maybe not only Russian but uh illustration to people who try to um play for both um both sides.
Speaker A
Can somebody tell me the phrase for that in English? There was even special South Park episode about it. What do you call it? Yeah. If you [laughter] try both sides happy at the same time to um eat the well
Speaker A
you can't uh eat the pie and have it too something like that. Yeah. To have your cake and eat to have your cake.
Speaker A
Yeah. You cannot have your cake and eat it too. Yeah. Very nice. There is another idiom I'm thinking about in relation to subchuck. It is uh you can't bite the hand that feeds you.
Speaker A
Okay, that's a common is not an opposition. Then she can't bite those people who If if we're talking about idioms connected to this lady, I would definitely use one uh fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on
Speaker A
me. Or as paraphrased by George W. Bush. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice.
Speaker A
Can't get fooled again or something like this. There was a famous Yeah. He was the stupid president before we learned about Donald Trump. [snorts] Yeah. Yeah. So I think Yeah. If you if I think if you believe time after
Speaker A
time that she's an opposition, you are a very trusting person. Uh at least that's from my point of view. Uh Aron Gman uh our talk took an interesting direction more into current media personalities yet. Do you know anything about Subchuk?
Speaker A
Uh do you ever watch her interviews? The one with Kevin Spy? Is she a nice lady?
Speaker A
Is she an evil lady somewhere in the middle? I didn't heard Well, but she had an interview with Kevin Spy or Yeah. Yeah. A few weeks ago. Yeah.
Speaker A
Wow. I didn't know that. Yes, it's really cool. When when I seen Oh no. Oh It's a Kevin space.
Speaker A
[laughter] I I cancelled all my uh business on the evening. [laughter] Watch it right away.
Speaker A
Okay. Was it uh worth your time? Yes. I think he's icon. Yeah. Yeah. I always like Kevin Spacy as an actor very much. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. Especially in how this TV series play of this thing. I forgot this. Where is it?
Speaker A
House of Cards. House of Cards. Of course, this brilliant Kevin Spacy Rose American Beauty. American Beauty. Yes.
Speaker A
Yeah. Glen Gary, Glenn Ross, Kax. Usual Suspects. Yeah. Baby Driver is very nice. Yeah. Yeah, he's very Oh, negotiator with Samuel Jackson. I really love that.
Speaker A
Yeah. Yeah. Good actor. Uh LA Confidential. Uh yeah. And well, again, acquitted in the court of law, so you know, maybe he'll be able to make a comeback. Well, he might if he uh what word to use, what verb to use uh
Speaker A
when we speak about um cleaning the reputation. That depends again more. Yeah, that can be very nuanced. Exactly. How? Let's say more generally make amends. If he makes amends for what he did, he kind of makes up for it. Yeah. like gets
Speaker A
forgiveness. Uh yeah. Yeah. But it doesn't seem like he's uh he he wants to do that. He feels more I'm guessing like a victim in this situation. I don't know. Actually, yeah. My mom, tell us you're the only one who saw the
Speaker A
interview. Uh he probably believes that he's a victim in this case, right? As you probably would in this case, right?
Speaker A
I'm guessing. Yes. Well, uh at the same time he gave an interview to a Russian interviewer uh who is not that famous probably u worldwide. So uh maybe he is now um like supporting his relationships with the audience that doesn't think he
Speaker A
is guilty. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. That's there was a big thing I don't know have you guys seen it again it was big in global news pro probably not at all in Russian news several months ago there was a huge comedy festival in Riyad
Speaker A
organized by Riyad government and they invited like all the very top uh American comedians yeah all the very best ones Chris Rock uh what whoever is negati I'm not a huge I'm not a connoisseur of standup but all
Speaker A
the most famous people got the invitation. Some of them refused because of course it's a government which is uh accused of human rights violations from the point of view of the west but many of them yeah accepted and there were
Speaker A
some people who are canceled in the west but are still popular outside. Louis CK also one of my favorite comedians got totally cancelled in Hollywood but kind of yeah you can see him around in some places now. Uh yeah. Yeah. There was a
Speaker A
big public debate. Is it okay to accept an invitation to s such events? Yeah.
Speaker A
Jimmy Carr. Yeah. So many different ones. Yeah. Who who your favorite comedians then? Let's ask people favorite comedians. Why not? That's a great question.
Speaker A
I don't follow actually comedy. I have a few. Well, I know that like uh Adam Sandler is a good comed comedian. Well, but he's not like a standup comic. Not sure if Well, he used to be like at the start of
Speaker A
his career, but of course now, yeah, for decades he's been a huge movie star.
Speaker A
Sure. Sure. I mean um are these two things related or not? Like um a comedian and a comedy standup person.
Speaker A
Stand standup comedian. Well, yeah. So comedian I guess can be referred to anybody. Yes. Spec. Well, are you asking about just the term or reality? Because in reality, especially today, all of those mediums are so interconnected. They go from YouTube to
Speaker A
films to standup shows in Hollywood. Yes. But in Russia, I guess it's the opposite. Like there are um famous um standup comics, but they are not movie stars or I just don't most of them are not. Of course, most
Speaker A
people choose one lane probably. Yeah. But the big stars of course they can. Yeah.
Speaker A
Last time very popular uh sorry when when standup comic uh play in movie usually in Russia. English. I don't know about all world.
Speaker A
That's Yeah, I guess if you're Yeah. In Russia, if you're talking about those guys from the comedy clubs, they Yeah.
Speaker A
Many of them starred in films after that. In America, of course, tons of people. Yeah. Jim Carrey started as a standup comedian. Eddie Murphy.
Speaker A
I think it's my Jim Carrey. It's a standup comic. Yeah. He started as a stand-up comedian. Then again, of course. Yeah. Of course. For many decades, he's been mostly a movie star, but yeah, you can find some Jim Carrey
Speaker A
standup. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I think I saw only Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy for sure. Yeah, that's a classic one.
Speaker A
Yeah, there are lots of really talented ones. Uh, again, I think personally my favorite has always been Louis CK. Yeah, very kind of dark and cynical, but very clever humor in my opinion. Um, yeah. Uh, yeah. Recent. Well, I know depends. They
Speaker A
have different styles. Not not what Ricker. Sorry, I know Louis K, but not watch.
Speaker A
You haven't watched it. He was also in a few films again before his cancellation.
Speaker A
Ricky Jerves famous British yeah actor in many films and yes standup makes standup specials you know.
Speaker A
Dana where you from? Uh where am I from? How do I usually answer this question? Uh most of my life I lived in the UK. Uh although I lived in a few different countries but yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. If you're talking about my childhood and school years in UK. Yeah. country in the UK. Uh, yep.
Speaker A
Uh, but also, yeah, lived in Russia for a few years, uh, in Armenia for a few years, in Germany for a couple of years.
Speaker A
But yeah, the, uh, place I associate most with home uh, would be West Midlands and Coventry.
Speaker A
There's my circumstance. [clears throat] Uh, standup comedy is a pretty older genre for me. I uh uh I'm remembering I uh watched uh uh like something like that uh really really alone really far. Um long time ago.
Speaker A
Mhm. Long time. Many uh many time ago. Yeah. Yeah. Long time. a long time ago. Uh uh recently that I watched it was Danil.
Speaker A
Um this person uh uh likes likes to joke about politics, especially politics in Russia.
Speaker A
Uh so he's probably not in Russia now. Yeah. Uh yeah. Yeah. But uh he he he he lives um he lives he he he doesn't live in Russia right now. Uh he he relo he relocated.
Speaker A
Sure. And his what? Sir. Okay. Uh, I continue. His uh his jokes um shows really really funny for me especially when uh you live in Russia.
Speaker A
Uhhuh. Fantastic. Yeah, I heard this name. Never seen it, but I should check him out probably.
Speaker A
[laughter] And how do you usually watch uh those shows? like uh do you use just YouTube?
Speaker A
Um I use it depends. Uh many of those comedians have full standup specials for like an hour long. Uh in this case if they are relatively new then no you would have to go to streaming or use Torrance. Uh the
Speaker A
old ones like from the '9s or ' 80s, of course, you might find all of them on YouTube, but yeah, the new comedy specials from like modern UK people uh UK people use uh to uh not while in the UK.
Speaker A
I think only Russian people use torrens. [laughter] It's a global thing of course. Yeah.
Speaker A
Everybody uses torance or pirate bay peer-to-peer network. Yeah. Yeah. No, you just have to be very careful. Um, I have a friend in Germany. He actually got fined like they fined him €2,000 or €3,000 for using Torrance and
Speaker A
yeah, he got like a special um letter from uh the tax service or what is it? I don't know. And yeah, they actually stated like because you use torance, so they they probably track the traffic somehow. And yeah,
Speaker A
in Germany. Yeah. Yeah. The biggest fear in my childhood is going to come knocking on you for pirate content because I downloaded the game. I I uh listened uh in Russia we have [snorts] green light for tourets after Netflix
Speaker A
cancelled and more I think in Russia yeah Russian that you know it is just it's not probably official so kind of yeah everybody does what they want wild west in terms of intellectual property I guess yeah they they still fine uh for using
Speaker A
uh content without uh permission uh or um what is it like copyrighted content. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. But it is related to the Russian content probably. Not sure. Uh but I know that like companies for example if you have a coffee shop or a fitness gym and uh you have this uh copyrighted music and um
Speaker A
special people come to uh check on you, uh you might get um fines even again international music. Yeah.
Speaker A
Well, I guess then some somebody owns the copyright for Russian market. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's the thing.
Speaker A
I guess that for example, Universal Music or Sony Music, they still have LLC's in Russia. Uh so this is how they um they act through the government.
Speaker A
I'm sure under the hood it works in mysterious ways like with the with the films as well. Yeah. Some films get released, some don't. Some get released as an extra feature for a 15inut movie.
Speaker A
There are some loopholes. Mh. Right. Speaking of which, Spider-Man is coming out, I think, in a week and Odyssey, Christopher Nolan.
Speaker A
Couple of big premiieres of summer. Is anybody planning a trip to to the movies?
Speaker A
I'm not a big fan of Spider-Man, but I really love Zenaia, so probably I have to watch both.
Speaker A
He's in both in Odyssey and in Spider-Man. Yeah, this probably is the only asset for add Odyssey because well the whole movie is like a joke uh according to some YouTube um yeah yeah it caused a lot of huge
Speaker A
discussion about Odyssey yeah I haven't seen I haven't seen uh Elliot Paige as a you know as a as a character yet Right.
Speaker A
Yeah. No, there there are already by the way there was some footage. I know that there are some pictures with him now, but I haven't seen them. So, um if I watch It looks like a scrawny scrawny man. Um
Speaker A
yeah. Yeah, I can I mean Okay. Shall I make it a topic for next week's uh speaking club? Uh what do you think? Yeah. Blind casting and controversies about Yeah. modern Hollywood.
Speaker A
That's that's a great idea actually. Yeah. I don't know if you're not sick of it. Part of the internet has already been in it for months. But yeah, if that's an interesting topic in your guy's opinion, let's do that.
Speaker A
I I don't think um anything bad about uh this uh the Helen of Troy [snorts] that she is an African-American or is she um African actually? Yeah, I'm not sure if Lepita is actually American. I think Yeah, I think she's African. So like,
Speaker A
but once I saw I think she's very beautiful like and she might be an outstanding actress as well.
Speaker A
But once I came across that comment on YouTube uh stating that how can she be uh the Helen of Troy look how the Helen of Troy actually should look. And there was a picture of the Helen of Troy from
Speaker A
uh the Tro Troy uh that movie uh with uh Yep. Mhm. Red Pit. But but she's a fictional character. So yeah, like we actually don't know she uh we know that she should be like Greek or something like from that region and
Speaker A
there are high chances. Guys, rephrase please. Uh, what is the actor actress who plays the Helen of Troy?
Speaker A
Lupita Nyongo. Uh, yeah. She's a black actress. Yeah. Yeah. Which caused a lot of discussion online, of course. Yeah.
Speaker A
Yeah. I read somewhere uh I don't remember actually where, but I read some a joke about the uh this film. It's like the Christopher Long just lost the card game. That's why he just made these kind of decisions to this movie. It was very
Speaker A
funny because sometimes I got to tell you I find I find myself in absolutely opposite cycle with Christopher Nolan. I love you know Batman's and stuff the first two and then I got really tired of Christopher Nolan. I'm not a big fan of
Speaker A
some of his last films like Interstellar, Inception for me, a little too much complicated stuff. [laughter] But now that everybody says now I'm actually finding myself I'm kind of on his side like I don't see what the big
Speaker A
deal is. Maybe I will go see versatile. Yeah, he is definitely very different kind of films. Yeah, Oenheimer I thought was Well, that one isn't my favorite.
Speaker A
It's okay. Yeah, they love biolics in Hollywood, so why not? Yeah, it was okay. Yeah, I mean like any uh any director could actually make uh Openheimer from my point of view because it's a biopic.
Speaker A
Nothing kind of agree. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Anyways, our conversation definitely went some very unusual and interesting places.
Speaker A
Yeah. Do you sure before before we finish, do you guys want to know that uh riddle that logical task?
Speaker A
Please, please. Yeah. Yeah. It's um do three. Sure. Yeah. So, the task is called the riddle is called the wolf, goat, and cabbage.
Speaker A
So, a farmer needs to transport a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage uh across the river.
Speaker A
Uh he has a boat, but it can only hold himself and one of those items.
Speaker A
Uh so how to do that? Uh and the thing is there are some rules.
Speaker A
So the wolf uh eats the goat. The goat eats the cabbage. Uh so basically you leave them alone. Yeah. Yeah. If if you go away and leave them alone. Yeah.
Speaker A
They're Yeah. So there is one uh boat with two seats uh and um one seat is for the farmer, another seat is for one of the items. So how to transport all of them on the other side of the river.
Speaker A
That's a classic one. Yeah. Yeah. That's the first one most people learn. Yeah. Do you guys have you guys ever heard about this one?
Speaker A
Not especially this one, but it's kind of a pattern. So for for this interesting if you think a little metaphorically it's like a logical equivalent of Hanoi tower you know Hanoi tower like big disc smaller discs tiniest disc
Speaker A
actually uh the more you solve such problems the faster you solve the new ones and um five years ago I think yeah in 2021 I wanted to uh go to university and I actually got into one into the
Speaker A
same one where you studied then uh into Yeah. Warrick University. Yeah. And they actually had those uh problems. Uh I uh enrolled into the MBA program and they had those problems and I knew about them. So uh so that I got
Speaker A
enrolled I had to solve many of them and I used that app. It is called aptitude test app or something. So there are thousands of tasks like that and they also have like logical, mathematical uh and other things like that. So the
Speaker A
more you solve such problems, the faster you are. Of course. Of course. Yeah. Comes with practice. Yeah, I love those.
Speaker A
Absolutely. definitely should have a special club. When you guys get uh the um the task the the answer, share on the chat.
Speaker A
Okay. And there are there are only two seats, right? For the farmer and the one Yeah. for one of the items.
Speaker A
Mhm. Are we going to We're unfortunately Yeah. uh out of time. So yeah, probably we're not going to do it live. Yeah.
Speaker A
Plus Well, I know the answer. I can I I can tell you later, Elizabeth. But yeah. Yeah, sure.
Speaker A
You trust me with that that I do. Yeah. Uh yeah. Uh think about the riddle. It's a good one. Yeah. Uh let Elizabeth know uh if you get to the answer. Uh thank you everybody for your time. Yeah. It's
Speaker A
been a lovely discussion. Have a good week. I'll see you guys next Thursday. Yeah. Bye. Thank you guys. Have a wonderful week. Wonderful day.
Speaker A
Yeah. Bye bye.
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