About Yakov Smirnoff
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis (born 24 January 1951), better known as Yakov Smirnoff, is an American comedian, actor, and writer. Born in Odesa in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union, he began his career as a stand-up comedian before immigrating to the United States in 1977, not yet knowing any English. He reached his biggest success in the mid-to-late 1980s, appearing in films including Moscow on the Hudson, The Money Pit, Heartburn, and Brewster's Millions, starring in the television series What a Country!, and recurring on Night Court as Yakov Korolenko. His comic persona was a naive Soviet immigrant perpetually delighted by life in the United States, punctuated by the catchphrase "And I thought, 'What a country!'" Since 1993 he has performed at his own theater in Branson, Missouri. Smirnoff earned a master's degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and a doctorate from Pepperdine University in 2019, and has taught a course titled "The Business of Laughter."
Videos (61)
Videos 1 to 24 of 61.
0:59Comment if you relate! #
2.1M views
0:29Saving words for later.
345.9K views
0:38What’s the difference?
133.3K views
0:32Useless brain cells!
79.1K views
2:10Conversation between a man and a woman.
71.3K views
0:29Don’t you agree?
51.5K views
0:18Men reading instructions?
43.4K views
0:17I’ll alter him…
30K views
0:17More like this in a city near you! I can’t wait to see you there! Tickets at yakov.com!
25.2K views
0:17The neck of the family?
25.1K views
0:39These three words will change your relationship!
23.7K views
0:20What men and women do differently.
22.8K views
0:21Smelling T-Shirts! #
21.3K views
0:18What does KGB stand for??
15.9K views
0:22Back when becoming environmentally friendly meant turning your laundry room into a biohazard zone.
15.6K views
0:25What do boys get?
14.2K views
0:29The beginning of every relationship.
12.3K views
0:10Back when the solution to a crying baby was simple…You put them in the car and just started driving
10.8K views
1:05I tried to order a cake for my wife's birthday and....
10.5K views
0:34Russian version of fast food! #
9.9K views
0:21I’m on tour! Check my website for seats!
9.5K views
0:15Freedom after you speak! #
7.5K views
0:16Which could be worse?
7.2K views
0:31Only in America… Medicare AND diapers?
7.2K viewsGuest appearances (22)
Videos on other comedians' channels featuring Yakov Smirnoff.
Guest appearances 1 to 22 of 22.
6:36From Russia with Laughs, Yakov Smirnoff at Dangerfield’s (1984)
Jacob Rodney Cohen
347.9K views
57:35Yakov Smirnoff: What a Country! | Whiskey Ginger
Andrew Santino
42.7K views
2:00:50Nateland | Ep - From Russia with Love, Psychology & America ft. Yakov Smirnoff
Nate Bargatze
33.5K views
0:49Coming to America | Yakov Smirnoff
Nate Bargatze
33.3K views
11:04Yakov Smirnoff | Nateland Presents: The Showcase
Nate Bargatze
26.1K views
1:24:24Pimps, Hoes And Degrees l Yakov Smirnoff, Alexander Smirnoff & Akeem Woods l IGWT l Ep 607
Godfrey
17.6K views
1:00Yakov Smirnoff’s lost in translation moment.
Nate Bargatze
16.2K views
0:47Now This is What We Call a Life Hack | Yakov Smirnoff
Nate Bargatze
16K views
59:48Russian Through A Great Episode with Yakov Smirnoff
Howie Mandel
12.3K views
0:46Big In TEXAS! | The Consumers Ft. Yakov Smirnoff
Nate Bargatze
6.2K views
1:13:43Miller Lite with Yakov Smirnoff | Ep. 88 The Consumers
Nate Bargatze
5.8K views
0:51Los Angeles Origins | The Consumers Ft. Yakov Smirnoff
Nate Bargatze
5.8K views
0:36How Chernobyl Affected Yakov Smirnoff | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
5.7K views
0:39How To Correctly Pronounce Yakov Smirnoff’s Name | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
3.9K views
0:53Yakov Smirnoff Had To Submit His Jokes To The Russian Government | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
3.5K views
1:43WTF - Yakov Smirnoff & Marc lived in the same house.
Marc Maron
3.5K views
0:57The Soviet Union Collapse Ended Yakov Smirnoff’s Career | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
2.6K views
0:47Yakov Smirnoff Can Kazotsky Like Nobody Else | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
2.5K views
15:53Yakov Smirnoff talks his road to success l 10 DAYS to make it!
Godfrey
2.2K views
0:29Yakov Smirnoff’s Ode To The Statue of Liberty | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
2K views
1:54Yakov Smirnoff gets relationship advice from Andrew Dice Clay
Jimmy Pardo
1.7K views
0:44Yakov Smirnoff Can’t Tell Dirty Jokes | Howie Mandel Does Stuff
Howie Mandel
686 viewsChannels on this page: Jacob Rodney Cohen, Andrew Santino, Nate Bargatze, Godfrey, Howie Mandel, Marc Maron, Jimmy Pardo
Frequently asked questions
What is Yakov Smirnoff's real name?
Yakov Smirnoff was born Yakov Naumovich Pokhis on 24 January 1951 in Odesa, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union.
When did Yakov Smirnoff come to the United States?
Smirnoff started as a stand-up comedian at home and moved to the United States in 1977, when he did not yet speak any English.
What is Yakov Smirnoff's famous catchphrase?
Yakov Smirnoff played a naive Soviet immigrant forever delighted by American life, and his catchphrase was "And I thought, 'What a country!'"
What films and TV shows was Yakov Smirnoff in?
In the mid-to-late 1980s he appeared in Moscow on the Hudson, The Money Pit, Heartburn and Brewster's Millions, starred in What a Country! and played Yakov Korolenko on Night Court.
Where does Yakov Smirnoff perform?
Since 1993 Yakov Smirnoff has performed at his own theater in Branson, Missouri.
Does Yakov Smirnoff have a degree in psychology?
Yes, he earned a master's degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and a doctorate from Pepperdine University in 2019, and he has taught a course called "The Business of Laughter."
