Yakov Smirnoff

Yakov Smirnoff
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis, better known as Yakov Smirnoff, is a Soviet-born American comedian, actor and writer. After emigrating to the United States in 1977, Smirnoff began performing as a stand-up comic. He eventually gained fame, and he reached his biggest successes in the mid-to-late 1980s, when he also appeared in several films and television shows, including his own 1986–87 sitcom, What a Country!. His comic persona was of a naive immigrant from the Soviet Union who was perpetually confused and...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionComedian
Date of Birth24 January 1951
CityOdessa, Ukraine
CountryRussian Federation
I was this non-threatening funny guy who contrasted the image of the Brezhnevs and the Reagans of the world.
In America, you can always find a party. In Soviet Russia, The Party can always find you!
In Russia we only had two TV channels. Channel One was propaganda. Channel Two consisted of a KGB officer telling you: Turn back at once to Channel One.
The ad in the paper said 'Big Sale. Last Week.' Why advertise? I already missed it. They're just rubbing it in.
Homosexuality in Russia is a crime and the punishment is seven years in prison, locked up with the other men. There is a three year waiting list.
In every country, they make fun of city. In U.S. you make fun of Cleveland. In Russia, we make fun of Cleveland.
Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection.
When you like something, you find time to do it.
People in Tulsa are totally friendly; the crowds are very nice.
I have American in-laws, and I care about the environment. We don't use disposable diapers, which, of course, creates an environmental problem of our own.
Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
We have a choice - we can both think and feel, using our heads and our hearts.
To my real estate agent, Chernobyl is a fixer-upper.
Falling in love is a chemical reaction. But it wears off in a year. That's why you need a strong line of communication... which includes laughter.