Why Did The World Stop Talking About Ukraine? Comedian Iryna Gil

In this raw, wide-ranging interview, Ukrainian stand-up comic Iryna Gil tells the story of how her rising comedy career collided with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine just 11 days after she filmed her first special — and how she’s using comedy to challenge war fatigue, weaponised headlines, and Western apathy. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Kyiv under fire: A first-hand account of air-raid sirens, evacuations, and working through missile strikes The Soviet shadow: How post-Soviet distrust fuels Ukraine’s self-organising spirit, entrepreneurial drive, and digital-first approach to governance. Comedy as translation: How Gil uses humour to bridge the empathy gap and make the war relatable to those far removed from it. Misleading headlines: What “billions in aid” actually looks like and why surface-level stats breed hostility and misinformation. Peace through deterrence: Iryna’s uncompromising vision for peace in strength TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Botox for Burping – the weirdest opening ever 01:13 Meet Iryna Gil 02:45 Growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine 10:13 Starting stand-up in Kyiv 14:18 Ukraine’s hustle culture and distrust of government 21:04 24 Feb 2022: missiles hit Kyiv 28:54 Leaving home under fire 32:10 Zoom calls from bomb shelters and hiding behind two walls 39:47 Losing safety, leaving Kyiv 43:52 Starting over in Scotland 48:45 Grieving a life left behind 50:38 Comedy, trauma, and fighter jets 53:55 What "billions in aid" actually means 57:00 The real cost of headlines and public perception 1:01:48 Has Ukraine faded from public attention? 1:04:32 Genocide Olympics and comparative advocacy 1:05:38 What peace really looks like 1:06:47 Closing thanks LINKS Follow Iryna Gil – https://www.instagram.com/gil_iryna Follow David – https://www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr Support verified Ukrainian charities – (Add specific links) Support on Patreon – Patreon.com/davidmcintoshjr Buy Origin Story merch – originstoryclub.co.uk Support verified Ukranian charities - Save Life: https://savelife.in.ua/en/projects/military-en/status/active/ U24: https://u24.gov.ua/projects ABOUT ORIGIN STORY WITH DAVID MCINTOSH Every episode, David explores the pivotal moments that shape extraordinary people — from hidden-gem heroes to global voices — so you can apply their lessons, insights, and perspective to your own journey. Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch the next origin story first.

Iryna GilguestDavid McIntosh Jrhost

Jul 18, 20251h 6mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 18, 2025
Duration: 1h 6m
Channel: Origin Story w/ David McIntosh Jr
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this raw, wide-ranging interview, Ukrainian stand-up comic Iryna Gil tells the story of how her rising comedy career collided with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine just 11 days after she filmed her first special — and how she’s using comedy to challenge war fatigue, weaponised headlines, and Western apathy. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN Kyiv under fire: A first-hand account of air-raid sirens, evacuations, and working through missile strikes The Soviet shadow: How post-Soviet distrust fuels Ukraine’s self-organising spirit, entrepreneurial drive, and digital-first approach to governance. Comedy as translation: How Gil uses humour to bridge the empathy gap and make the war relatable to those far removed from it. Misleading headlines: What “billions in aid” actually looks like and why surface-level stats breed hostility and misinformation. Peace through deterrence: Iryna’s uncompromising vision for peace in strength TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Botox for Burping – the weirdest opening ever 01:13 Meet Iryna Gil 02:45 Growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine 10:13 Starting stand-up in Kyiv 14:18 Ukraine’s hustle culture and distrust of government 21:04 24 Feb 2022: missiles hit Kyiv 28:54 Leaving home under fire 32:10 Zoom calls from bomb shelters and hiding behind two walls 39:47 Losing safety, leaving Kyiv 43:52 Starting over in Scotland 48:45 Grieving a life left behind 50:38 Comedy, trauma, and fighter jets 53:55 What "billions in aid" actually means 57:00 The real cost of headlines and public perception 1:01:48 Has Ukraine faded from public attention? 1:04:32 Genocide Olympics and comparative advocacy 1:05:38 What peace really looks like 1:06:47 Closing thanks LINKS Follow Iryna Gil – https://www.instagram.com/gil_iryna Follow David – https://www.instagram.com/davidmcintoshjr Support verified Ukrainian charities – (Add specific links) Support on Patreon – Patreon.com/davidmcintoshjr Buy Origin Story merch – originstoryclub.co.uk Support verified Ukranian charities - Save Life: https://savelife.in.ua/en/projects/military-en/status/active/ U24: https://u24.gov.ua/projects ABOUT ORIGIN STORY WITH DAVID MCINTOSH Every episode, David explores the pivotal moments that shape extraordinary people — from hidden-gem heroes to global voices — so you can apply their lessons, insights, and perspective to your own journey. Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch the next origin story first.

SPEAKERS

Iryna Gil
guest
Ukrainian comedian and commentator discussing Ukraine’s history and the 2022 Russian invasion.
David McIntosh Jr
host
Host of "Origin Story" who interviews guests about their background and current events.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Origin Story w/ David McIntosh Jr, featuring Iryna Gil and David McIntosh Jr, Why Did The World Stop Talking About Ukraine? Comedian Iryna Gil explores iryna Gil on Ukraine, war trauma, and fading attention Iryna describes post-Soviet Ukraine as a society rebuilt through self-organization, deep distrust of government, and intense hustle culture born from necessity rather than comfort.

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