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# Russian Leaders: Brighton Beach Show's Title Synonymous With Prostitution
- URL: https://bklyner.com/russian-leaders-brighton-beach-shows-title-synonymous-with-prostitution-sheepshead-bay/
- Published: 2011-07-05T19:00:20.000Z
- Updated: 2011-07-05T19:00:20.000Z
- Author: Ned Berke
- Tags: #API-Imported

![Michael Levitis Marina Levitis Rasputin Brighton Beach Show](/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/MichaelLevitisMarina.jpg)

Michael and Marina Levitis, two of Russian Dolls' stars (Source: James Edstrom)

Lifetime’s newest show, the Brighton Beach-themed reality series *Russian Dolls*, is taking another round of flack as Russian leaders zero in on the new title, saying it’s synonymous with one of their community’s bugaboos: escort services.

You might be more familiar with the show’s working title, *Brighton Beach*, which was originally conceived as a[ Russian-American response to MTV’s Jersey Shore](/its-real-brighton-beachs-jersey-shore-not-a-hoax/). The concept was eventually rejected by MTV and [picked up by Lifetime](/brighton-beach-russian-jersey-shore-lands-tv-deal/). First, some [Russian leaders expressed concern](/russian-leaders-slam-brighton-beach-reality-show/) the show might depict the community as a bunch of opulent, vodka-swilling party animals. Others [defended Lifetime](/russian-leaders-squabble-over-brighton-beach-show/), taking at face value the A&E-owned network’s assertion that it would be a “multigenerational cast … \[chronicling\] several colorful families, with the show’s action centered on a popular local nightclub.” And their faith stayed firm after Sheepshead Bites revealed that the show would focus on the [family of Rasputin owner Michael Levitis](/confessed-criminal-and-kruger-croney-to-star-in-brighton-beach-reality-show/), who was recently caught up in an [FBI probe allegedly acting as a middleman in a bribery scheme](/levitis-takes-plea-deal-are-krugers-days-numbered/) involving[ State Senator Carl Kruger](/kruger-subject-of-corruption-investigation/).

But the name may be beyond the pale. “Russian Dolls” is a term frequently used to advertise Russian[ escort services](http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=%22russian+dolls%22+escort&ref=bklyner.com) and prostitution fronts, a detail not overlooked by the community’s leaders.

“It’s the most ugly name I’ve ever heard,” said Raisa Chernina, director of the Be Proud Foundation, a non-profit with roots in the Russian-American community. “The name speaks for itself. *Russian Dolls* is a very polite way of saying escorts.”

“They told me it was *Russian Dolls* and I said ‘My God.’ It’s like those Danielle Steel books,” Chernina added.

Chernina is not alone. John Lisyanskiy, the founder of the Russian-Speaking American Leadership Caucus, issued a statement last month slamming the decision.

“This is again a very unfortunate and controversial turn of events with this production; they just can’t bear to show the good in us,” Lisyanskiy said. “\[Lifetime is\] looking for ways of negative portrayal … I think it is outrageous that they would name it that.”

A source close to the production, who could not be quoted due to contractual agreements, said the decision to call the show *Russian Dolls* was Lifetime’s alone, and that the production team was not heavily involved in the show’s branding. The source added that the Brighton Beach title was only meant to be a working title. It was unclear if any Russian-Americans were involved in the decision-making process, and Lifetime’s spokesperson was not available for comment by deadline.

Stay tuned for *Russian Dolls*, premiering on Lifetime, July 27 August 11, featuring vodka, fur, [mafia](http://books.google.com/books?id=N-QCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&dq=rasputin+restaurant+russian+mafia&hl=en&ei=4aB%5FTfbvDtTAtgfy1IHZCA&sa=X&oi=book%5Fresult&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CEkQ6AEwAQ&ref=bklyner.com#v=onepage&q=rasputin%20restaurant%20russian%20mafia&f=false) ties, shady businessmen and a hint of sex trafficking. What, couldn’t work in Medicaid fraud?

*UPDATE (July 7): The original premiere date of Russian Dolls has been pushed back from July 27 to August 11.*