Kazan Theater Refuses Comedian Rental Over Vulgar Humor

A stand-up comedian in Kazan was denied a hall rental at a local theater, reportedly for his off-color jokes and profanity. The performer himself, however, appears unoffended and took an ironic stance on the matter.

Dec 8, 2025

The comedian is known for his participation in the TV show *Stand-Up on TNT*.
Source:
arturshamgunov / Instagram (banned in Russia)

Stand-up comedian Artur Shamgunov was refused a hall rental at a theater in Kazan, allegedly due to vulgar jokes and profanity. But the humorist does not seem to have taken offense.

In his account on a banned social network, the participant of the Russian TV show Stand-Up na TNT (Stand-Up on TNT) said he wanted to perform at the Kamal Theater but was denied. Shamgunov reacted with irony and mentioned a peculiar sculpture by Italian monumentalist Marco Bravura installed in the theater«s foyer. It depicts the figure of the mythological bird Samruk—a Turkic symbol of creating a new world.

The theater reportedly refused the rental request from the stand-up performer.
Source:
Kamal Theater / Telegram

In a conversation with a correspondent from 116.RU, Shamgunov emphasized that he does not know the exact wording of the refusal—his manager handled the negotiations with the venue. But that, the stand-up comedian said, is not so important.

«I simply understand that my format is not suitable for them. That»s perfectly normal. I perceive myself and what I do adequately. Moreover, the sculpture has a meaning that I was unaware of, and I only highlighted it with my jokes. The theater«s policy is clear to me. I think the fact that they refused me emphasizes their positioning, so I hope this strange mention will benefit them. I wish for as many people as possible to go to the theater,» the humorist said.

We also tried to find out if the co-founder of Stand-Up Club Kazan was indeed denied rental due to vulgar jokes, but discovering who exactly refused Shamgunov proved even more difficult. We requested a comment from the Kamal Theater, but they redirected us to the Tinchurin Theater—the humorist allegedly wanted to perform in the old theater building, which is now occupied by the «Tinchurin» company. In turn, the Tinchurin Theater sent us back to the Kamal Theater.

«There has been no such request. Artur Shamgunov meant the stage of the new Kamal Theater,» the press service of the Tinchurin Theater reported.

Shamgunov is a stand-up comedian from Kazan, co-founder of Stand-Up Club Kazan, and a participant in well-known projects such as Stand-Up na TNT, Outside Stand-Up, and Stand-Up Club #1. Artur also hosts a psychology podcast called «Bольно смешно» (Painfully Funny). He has released several solo concerts that have garnered millions of views on various video hosting platforms.