5 signs the UFO community can't take a joke

Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev makes a crack about aliens, and conspiracists promptly lose their minds

Published December 10, 2012 11:07PM (EST)

This article originally appeared on AlterNet.

AlterNet Fresh off Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard joking about the coming apocalypse in the year 2012, Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev has made a quip about alien invasions -- sparking fevered speculation from the fringes of the Internet.

On Friday, Medvedev joked during an interview that “each Russian leader gets two folders with information about extraterrestrials that visited our planet — and stayed here,” one news report said.

“Along with the briefcase with nuclear codes, the president of the country is given a special 'top secret' folder. This folder in its entirety contains information about aliens who visited our planet,” Medvedev said during an interview with Ren TV. “Along with this, you are given a report of the absolutely secret special service that exercises control over aliens on the territory of our country.”

Medvedev also added that you can get “more detailed information on this topic ... from a well-known movie called 'Men in Black.’”

And with that, the online community who fervently believes in aliens and UFOs went into overdrive mode. It’s proof that their sense of humor is, well, a bit off -- they took the Medvedev interview seriously, despite the “Men in Black” references.

Here’s 5 examples of how the UFO community reacted to Medvedev’s remarks.

1. ‘False Flag Alien Invasion’?

On Beforeitsnews.com, a conspiracy-laden website, reports of Medvedev’s remarks were greeted with utter seriousness . “Is this the beginning of the ‘false flag’ alien invasion, Project Blue Beam?” wrote one unnamed contributor. The title of the YouTube clip they posted is: “Alien invasion confirmed by Russian PM.”

2. UFO Forum Buys It

The beforeitsnews.com report was reposted on a forum at alien-ufos.com. There, too, the report was taken seriously. “Was he winding the journalists up? was he caught off guard and let slip of the tongue?” one commenter wrote. Another contributor wrote: “Well, thats how it is nowadays. NASA doesn't care to remove ufo's from their photos anymore, and russian PM's can talk freely about the subject on tv. It doesn't really matter, because nobody believes the truth, even when it's thrown in their faces. Sad really.”

3. ‘This Amounts to a Disclosure’

At another forum, Project Camelot, one commenter wrote that “this amounts to a Disclosure, although no ships are shown now. Medvedev, currently Russian PM, is the third or fourth Russian official, and undoubtedly the highest until now (former president) who speaks of aliens ET. If this is not enough to move spirits around the world, I don't know what will be.”

The same commenter later wrote: “For me, this announcement is the first step to not only ET manifestation around Dec 21 in Russia, but also start of rescue process for whatever need. We are still not told plainly of the real reason of concern in 2012 saga.”

4. Medvedev’s ‘Gaffe’

A “gaffe” usually refers to an instance where a politician says something in an inarticulate way but still reveals some truth the politician believes in. That’s not what Medvedev did, but one blogger thinks he committed a gaffe.

The headline of a blog post on UFOHunterOrguk.com reads: “Medvedev Comments Further on Alien Gaffe.”

5. Another ‘Disclosure’ Claim

Similar to the sentiment on Project Camelot, another website reports that what Medvedev did was disclose something. GalacticConnection.com headlines an article with: “Aliens Are Living Among Us.”

The same piece goes on to say that this was a “disclosure” from Russia.


By Alex Kane

Alex Kane is a staff reporter at Mondoweiss and the World editor at AlterNet. His work has also appeared in The Daily Beast, the Electronic Intifada, Extra! and Common Dreams. Follow him on Twitter @alexbkane.

MORE FROM Alex Kane


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Aliens Alternet Dmitri Medvedev Russia Ufo Ufos