Former TRT Announcer Sırrı Er: Shadow Play!

A shadow play, when used metaphorically or even ironically in literature and everyday speech, generally refers to hidden schemes unfolding behind the scenes, people being manipulated like puppets, and an artificial version of reality.

The irony lies in the fact that what we see on the screen is not the “real thing” at all. They are merely “shadows,” controlled by an unseen hand behind the curtain, an imaginary force pulling the strings.

It suggests that the people speaking, making decisions and fighting in front of the audience may not actually be acting entirely on their own will.

Figures who appear powerful can, in this sense, be nothing more than images moving at the touch of the “puppeteer” behind the curtain.

It also describes how the agendas, conflicts and events presented to society can become carefully constructed illusions. People may treat the shadows on the screen as reality, becoming saddened or delighted by what they see. Yet behind it all may be nothing more than a predetermined script and a source of light.

It suggests that people are not necessarily what they appear to be, and that what society sees may simply be the “shadow” they choose to project. Their true faces and intentions remain hidden in the darkness behind the curtain, while the audience is presented with a colorful and filtered version of reality.

Now, let us place these developments side by side.

The ex officio investigation concerning Melih Gökçek… His own statement that he had faced 500 investigations and inquiries… Mansur Yavaş’s closed-door meeting with President Erdoğan… His subsequent resignation from the CHP… The financial investigation surrounding Tera and Pusula… Requests involving billions of liras in withdrawals… Money movements extending to Switzerland… Claims raised concerning Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya…

And then came the resignation…

This is precisely where the expression “shadow play” begins to take on a different meaning.

In short, when a situation is described as “a shadow play,” it implies that there is deception, a plan unfolding behind the curtain, and a reality that may be very different from what appears on the surface.

Please consider the matter from this perspective as well.

Factory Settings…

Both Hüseyin Çelik and Bülent Arınç have, at different times, openly argued that the AK Party should return to its “factory settings.”

Both figures, who were part of the AK Party’s founding ranks and later held senior positions such as minister and deputy prime minister, used this expression while criticizing the party’s policies in recent years.

• Hüseyin Çelik: In interviews with platforms such as Karar TV and Serbestiyet, he argued that the party had moved away from the democratic, legal and inclusive vision of its founding years, saying that “it would be beneficial for the country if the AK Party returned to its factory settings.”

• Bülent Arınç: At various events, he said the party had moved away from the spirit of “collective wisdom” that characterized its early years and referred to concerns over merit. “Hopefully, we will return to our roots. They call it returning to the factory settings; that is what I mean,” he said, expressing a similar form of self-criticism.

Shadow Play!

Hoşuma gitmiyor ama her paylaşımda destek talebimi yinelemek zorunda kalıyorum.

Birçok hesapta aynı sıkıntı var, maalesef.
Ya hesap kapatılıyor ya da görünürlük kısıtlanıyor; mücadele etmemiz, mağduriyetleri dile getirmemiz ve sesimizi duyurmamız zorlaştırılıyor.

X’teki… pic.twitter.com/cWKlQjNGgC

— Sırrı Er (@konusmasanati) September 28, 2026