I knew it. That popular music-channel hip-hop show promoting “a healthy lifestyle” was not for realisies, but was instead a propaganda ploy.

As you may recall, on November 13, Russian Gangsta #1 Vladimir Putin appeared for the finale of a hip-hop contest called “Battle for Respect.” He talked about the importance of linguistic nationalism and the importance to Russia of Russian youths leading a “healthy lifestyle,” given the demographic crisis and whatnot. I I smelled a rat – a rat that smelled like Hilter Youth calisthenics.

And, turns out, that stench was unmistakable.

Today, on the live call-in where Russians lobbed some 80 questions at Vladimir Vladimirovich over the course of the four longest hours of my life, one girl asked Putin if he had appeared on “Battle for Respect” to boost his own ratings.

He demurred. No, no, he said. Of course he’d never do anything that craven. But the program, he admitted, was funded with Kremlin money. In fact, it was created and sponsored through the Russian Ministry of Health in order to fight drug use and smoking among teens, who, Putin said, “are very impressionable. We need to give them idols who do positive things.” He added that whereas before rappers “propagandized drugs, our rappers propagandize the fight against drugs. For that, we owe them a big thank you.”

As for the ratings, “there’s no talk of ratings,” Putin said. “Thank god we don’t have any elections.” Amen.