Slobodan "Boba" Živojinović, former tennis star and husband of singer Lepa Brena, is reported by both opposition-leaning and pro-government-leaning outlets to have attended a recent fashion show without his wife, arriving in a small Smart car and quickly attracting media attention. All sides describe how a young event hostess greeted him, he put an arm around or embraced her for photos, and the audience or onlookers reacted with laughter and teasing comments referencing what Brena might say when he returned home, framing the moment as a light, somewhat cheeky incident at a celebrity-heavy event.

Coverage across the spectrum situates the episode within Serbia’s familiar celebrity and tabloid culture, where the private lives of figures like Živojinović and Brena are longstanding entertainment staples. Both opposition and pro-government sources agree that the fashion show itself was a glitzy social gathering with many VIP guests and photographers, that the interaction was brief and public, and that the media played up the marital angle for humor and drama rather than reporting any formal complaint or conflict, reinforcing the view of this as a minor, image-driven spectacle rather than a serious political or legal affair.

Areas of disagreement

Tone and framing. Opposition-aligned outlets tend to frame the episode as another example of tasteless or frivolous tabloidization around figures close to the ruling milieu, implying it reflects a broader culture of impunity and unseriousness among the elite. Pro-government outlets instead present it as a playful, harmless moment at a glamorous event, using teasing headlines about what will happen “when he gets home” to emphasize humor rather than impropriety. Where critical media might stress discomfort or poor optics in a married public figure embracing a young hostess, loyalist media lean into jokes and photo galleries that normalize such behavior as typical celebrity banter.

Moral and social implications. Opposition sources are more likely to question whether the embrace is respectful toward Brena and toward women working at events, hinting at sexism or objectification and tying it to a broader pattern of patriarchal attitudes among the country’s celebrity-political set. Pro-government coverage generally avoids moral critique, treating the hostess as a consenting participant in lighthearted posing, and highlighting mutual smiles and laughter as evidence that no boundaries were crossed. This creates a split between those who see the incident as symptomatic of problematic gender norms and those who see it as benign entertainment with no deeper social meaning.

Political subtext. Opposition media often fold Živojinović’s behavior into a narrative about people orbiting the ruling establishment enjoying privilege and media protection, using such stories to suggest a disconnect between elite lifestyles and everyday citizens’ concerns. Pro-government outlets either omit any political angle or subtly underscore his status as a beloved sports legend and part of a cherished showbiz couple, thereby reinforcing a feel-good, nostalgic image rather than a politically charged one. As a result, what one side might treat as an illustration of an entitled elite, the other side treats as apolitical celebrity gossip.

Public reaction and significance. Opposition-leaning coverage is inclined to highlight or even amplify critical social media comments, portraying the public as divided or uneasy about an older, married celebrity embracing a younger woman in a professional role. Pro-government outlets highlight amused reactions and the "uproar" only in a playful sense, suggesting that, at most, Brena might jokingly scold him, thereby minimizing any sense of scandal. Thus, one framing elevates the moment as a small but telling controversy, while the other downplays it as ephemeral chatter that will quickly be forgotten.

In summary, opposition coverage tends to use the episode to question taste, gender norms, and elite behavior, while pro-government coverage tends to present it as lighthearted celebrity fun devoid of serious moral or political stakes.