KEY:
PP: Professor PIfflensky
I: Interviewer (David Vanderesque, "Ukraine Today" English language podcast)
I: Thank you for joining us today, Professor Pifflensky, it’s…
PP: Pleaze, pleaze! No names, pleeze! No-no. No name. Is better that wayz. My client, they call me "Seeker" becoze that what I do. I seek out, tame trouble of mind, of body, too. And, off record, Davidski, it is some alimony owing I have, so no use my name in article, eh? You know how dat goes. Call me Professorz Seeker, if you like.
I: Ummm. Very well, er, Professor, may I call you Professor?
PP: Yah-yah. Shour-shour. Go headz, Davidski. You ask. I ansourz.
I: Very well. Professor, for our audience to understand, what exactly is a “whisperer” and how did you come to be President Zelensky’s personal "whisperer"?
PP: Davidski, thanks you for queshon. I ben ask many time what dis is. Davidski, ave you evar seen Hollywood moves with Amer'kan aktor Roberts Redford, "The Horse Whispers"?
I: I don’t think so.
PP: Yes-yes. That moves with Robert Redfords. So hansome. Great hairz! He train wild horse. Talk and listen to horse. Calm horse. Later he pokey-pokes with beautifulz Skarlett Johansson. Or maybe was Kristen Scotts Thomaz. She play mother. Hotz! I forget. Anywayz many love scene. Lot of slap and tickle. Yah-yah. Good moves!
I: So, Professor, are you saying you train President Zelensky.. like a horse?
PP: No-no, Davidski. You talk wrong, but your eyes tell trutz. No, Davidski, I whispers to Presidentz in ear—not shouts or threaten with bomb and missile. Calm-like. Quiet talk. Stroke face. Hair. Pat flanks. Soft-soft. Feed treats.
I: You feed the President treats, Professor? What kind?
PP: French pasty most time. He like dose.
I: But what does a “whisperer” do exactly, Professor? Why is President Zelensky here on your ranch as we speak?
PP: Davidski, when horsez act up. When won’t take saddle, or bitz, when dey kick trainer, then I comes. I talk wit horse. Makes feel calm. Gives special feeds. Special treat. Horse learn trust me. I pat flanks. Breathe in nostrils. Then careful, I mount and probe inside for special hurtz or fear that make horse crazies. Some horse take more probe treatmentz than others. Sometime, it take long time. Or maybe short times to calm horse and make okay for trainings. Depend on horse. You see?
PP: Davidski, your gums, they dark. You grinds molars. I hear. It mean your blood flow is clog up. You need loosen pelvis to relax you. Do your teeth ache? Breath bad?
I: No. Ummm. Professor, how did you become President Zelensky’s personal whisperer?
PP: Easy. President wife, Olena, she ride horse from my paddock. Ever see her ride, Davidski? Such great calves. Grip horse tight. Squeeze like vice. Yah-yah. She fine woman and rider, too. She hear what I do and ask me help Presidentz Zelensky who very sad. Mope all time. He loses big-time in war to Russians and new Amer'kan presidenz hate him. He need my helps.
I: How is that going, Professor? How is the President?
PP: Good-good. He learn to take bit the other day an…
I: Excuse me, Professor, did you say “bit”? Do you mean to say you put a bit in the mouth of President Zelensky? Why?
PP: Davidski, how can I ride horse without bit and bridle and saddle? I not Apache warrior from Amer'kan moviez who ride horses bareback! Hah-hah!
PP: Davidski, men need horse in past to ride far distance, yah? To pull plow, to do works too hard for the peoples. Today, we no need horse so much. They lose purpose in life that human once give them. Makes for sad horses, you understands? That where I comes in. I make horse happy to be horse. Give special feed, treats. Soon horse love me. I love horse back. Give loving horse to trainer. Mission accomplish! You see?
But with Presidentz, everybody need him for so long. Now, not so much. Like horse he lose purpose in life. My job is gives him something to do that he like. To feel like old self.
I: Such as?
PP: Like long walk at sunset. Good food. Wine. Roll in hay. All sortz thing. Always-always, though, talk soft-soft. Pat flanks. Earn trust. Then, mount and probe, and soon…
I: Professor, what do you mean by “mount and probe”? You mentioned this earlier.
PP: Yas, well. See, special horse, they get special treat and treatments. Presidentz Zelensky take bit now, like I say. Soon I mount and ride him. He buck for time. Then calm. Enjoy what I do for him. Learn to like. Then love. Then he cures.
I: Professor, are you saying you mount and ride the President like he was a horse needing to be tamed?
PP: Needing to be loved, Davidski. I love him. He love me back. His pelvis open. Blood flow. He all better. You see. He go Kiev. Win war. You see.
I: I know self-love is important for self-esteem and confidence-building, Professor, but riding President Zelensky like he was a horse seems the opposite t…
PP: Davidski, your pelvis too tight. I see. And your eyeballs is red and dry.
I: I have hay-fever. I’m allergic to barns, I guess. Hah-hah!
PP: (Whispering) I have special salve for dis. Come back to my workshop I get you somethink to loosens your pelvis and relax eyeballs. Do you trust me, Davidski, like Presidentz Zelensky does? Shour-shour, you come. I show you riding crop made from willow branches. Gentle but firm. No marks. Just tingle flanks like daddy-spanks. I use with President sometime. Shour-shour. Come. You see. Come, Davidski.
I:
Cheers, Jake.😆