Based on a conversation with Spy about the komsomol, which was a Soviet youth organization comprised of, apparently, dull as dirt meetings.
Basic gist of the conversation-
Spy: According to this book komsomol meetings were pretty boring, but some people from the time say they can remember one dude who was totally into it, taking notes.
Me: Chekhov was taking notes.
Spy: Chekhov was the boring speaker.