Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief: "The Armandos" takes Kalistani TV's top rating spot
Royal Family delivers fourth child; MotoVrassa reports record sales in 5737
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 20, 5737


Martin Yellen and Marilyn Kristoff star as Bill and Kristy Armando

"The Armandos" takes Kalistani TV's top rating spot
KRTVN Channel 3 biting sitcom, "The Armandos" is the number one most watched program in Kalistan. The show, which is on its face a sitcom about a vulgar but ultimately sympathetic working class man named Bill Armando and his sarcastic, erudite, but ultimately caring wife Kristi Armando, is actually a very intelligent satire of Kalistan's royal couple. The show's male lead, Martin Yellen says "I think the real challenge of the show, and the real payoff is that its sort of what would they be like in an alternative universe, where there was no monarchy, or at least where they weren't the monarchs. Plus, we have excellent writers and a great supporting cast. It's a wonderful show, and I am lucky to be a part of it."

Marilyn Kristoff, who plays Kristi Armando says, "I think the success of the show really depends on us keeping things really close, but just far enough away that people can see, you know, our subject matter in the show, but also sees something they can relate to as well. Marty is totally not the character: Bill the character has a lot of very outdated opinions of women, foreigners and authority which are typically associated with people in other nations, but he plays it so over the top (on the show) that sometimes it would be easy to think he's really like that out of character. The writers are so good, and he's really game to play a real lout. I think that's where the satire lies." Bill regularly calls his wife "Your Majesty," but in a very mocking sort of way, whenever she tries to speak any reason to him. "Of course, that sort of plays into gender rolls that are common in other countries too."

Kristoff herself, known as the wisecracking, deeply cynical Kristy, is actually a clerk in her Brethrenist Meeting. "No, she's not a shrew by any stretch of the imagination," said Yellen. "She's really a very sweet girl, and a real professional, and they always give her the sharpest lines. It's excellent casting." The show has been praised for its writing, for its satirical portrayal of a stereotypical working family, and for its oblique commentary on the royal family. "We try not to be too apologetic," said Kristoff. "But the reverence for the Royal Family, and for Kalistan's system, is in the dreams that the Armandos have of a better life, and in the get rich quick schemes that Bill constantly hatches, always threatening to completely blow up the family. Like the good things in life are consistently denied to them by things that are totally out of their control. Basically the life of workers in capitalist countries. If the Armandos was actually set in Kalistan, they wouldn't have such a hard life, and they wouldn't be such hard people, but then, nobody would watch."

Royal Family delivers fourth child
His Imperial Majesty, Emperor William II Ananto and Her Highness the Princess Consort Casey Leigh-Campbell welcomed their fourth child last week. Her Highness, the Minor Princess Katherine-Fiona Michelle Ananto-Leigh on December 12, 5737. The new child was born at 3:28am in Kaliburg, and was a healthy girl. The new addition makes three girls and one boy for the Royal Family. "His Imperial Majesty continues the Ananto Tradition of producing more female offspring that males," said Her Highness, Princess Jennifer Ananto-Rosenfeld, who made the announcement.

Mother and baby are still recovering at Kaliburg Central Hospital, where the Minor Princess was born. "There are not any issues that people need to be concerned about that keep them in the hospital. Casey appreciates the opportunity to recover fully in the hospital with the new baby before bringing her home," said the Princess. "It gives her a little break from all the distractions at home, and allows her to focus on bonding with the new baby. She will return to Cliff House by New Year's Even and the family is expected to remain in Ananto this winter, rather than leaving for Athosia."

MotorVrassa reports record sales in 5737
The Port Swedes auto manufacturer, MotorVrassa (KalSiE: MVS), reported record sales in 5737 of privately owned vehicles. "MotorVrassa sold 310,563 vehicles this year," said MV CEO Isaac Lewis. "This was a record sales year for the company, and represents a 42% market share for the company. Consumers appreciate our designs and our price point, and bought our cars like hotcakes."

Motor Vrassa has long been seen as Kalistan's alternative car company, with MoCo leading the market for a very long time. But recent redesign choices in Port Swedes, as well as newer longer life batteries that MV is able to employ in their lighter designs give the newest vehicle by Motor Vrassa an edge over older designs. "We are still being outsold by MoCo, but our newer vehicles are more efficient and sportier and they appeal to a newer generation of buyers, who have decided to make a switch."

In addition to a record year for domestic sales, Motor Vrassa also increased her overseas sales. "In a world filled with internal combustion engines and gasoline pollution, MV provides an electric alternative. There are very few producers of electronic vehicles in the world, and both Kalistani manufacturers are in an excellent position to supply the demand globally for electrical vehicles. We are all doing our part to reduce global emissions, and I might add, we are doing a fantastic job at it." MotorVrassa suggests next year could be even bigger, noting that orders for new cars are up 3% on the year. Investors rewarded the company in the KalSiE with buying, driving the stock price up by 2.8% in December alone.

@TheRepublic