In SVT’s initiative “Valet forever”, the trio behind the podcast “Flashback forever” interviews the country’s party leaders ahead of this autumn’s parliamentary elections – and the program asks somewhat uncomfortable questions about their person and private life – all based on rumors taken from anonymous online forums such as Flashback, Familjeliv and horse forum Bukefalos.
According to Emma Knyckare, who together with Ina Lundström and “Scroll-Mia” leads the program, the trio wants to give voice to the people on the forums and thus give room for angles, which otherwise would not appear in the public debate.
– Every fifth Swede uses one of the anonymous forums that are available online, so it is about a fairly large group of the voter base – and on Flashback, for example, there is a lot of talk about current affairs, even though it may not happen in the same way as in other the world. It can be said that the threads here do not necessarily follow Swedish Radio or TT’s news reporting, she says.
“No one has left”
All the country’s party leaders agreed to participate in the program, except for Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) who due to lack of time was replaced by Minister of Social Affairs Lena Hallengren – but reacted differently when faced with the rumors that abound about their privacy, according to Emma Knyckare.
– Some seemed to have a pretty good idea of what is written about them, while others did not want to read anything because they think it is unpleasant – and some have probably thought that the whole thing has been a bit tickling, she says and continues:
– But what they all have in common is that they have handled the task very well. In any case, no one has stood up and left.
A couple of the more or less uncomfortable rumors that are taken up in “Valet forever” are those that claim that Annie Lööf chooses underwear with male voters in mind – and that Per Bolund is a sit-down piss. According to Emma Knyckare, the two party leaders also responded to the rumors in the program – in different ways.
– Annie Lööf asked if we should ask the same question to Jimmie Åkesson, but the thing is that not much is written about it on Flashback. Per Bolund instead gave us a long and nice answer about the masculinity norm and told us that you are considered a jerk if you sit down and pee, she says.
“Can be public service at its best”
“Valet forever” premieres on SVT Play during Almedalen Week and is then shown linearly the following week. And despite the fact that it could be stressful at times to ask uncomfortable questions about everything from interior design taste to the choice of underwear and kiss technique to the party leaders, Emma Knyckare is pleased with the result.
– Sure – it’s of course hard to strain Ulf Kristersson’s eyes and ask if he has the big cock calm that the country needs. It’s super naughty, but at the same time part of what’s being discussed on Flashback. And through the questions asked on these anonymous forums, I think you can get a debate that is not so organized – and that is exactly how public service can be at its best, she says.