Yakov Smirnoff
- January 4, 2024
- Comedian
Quick Facts
Yakov Smirnoff Biography
| Name | Yakov Smirnoff |
| Birthday | Jan 24 |
| Birth Year | 1951 |
| Home Town | Odessa |
| Birth Country | Ukraine |
| Birth Sign | Capricorn |
| Spouse | Linda Dreeszen |
| Children(s) | Alexander Pokhis, Natasha Pokhis |
Yakov Smirnoff is one of the most popular and richest Comedian who was born on January 24, 1951 in Odessa, Ukraine. A Russian-language comic, who was a very popular performer in the 1980s. His comic portrayal of a Soviet Union immigrant as a joker and comedian served to mock American consumerism and also serve to amuse.
He immigrated to America via the USSR. He emigrated to America from the USSR; Sophie Tucker was another Ukraine-born comedienne. was also a Ukrainian-born comedian.
Smirnoff began doing stand-up comedy in the US in the late 1970s. He chose the last name “Smirnoff” after trying to think of a name that Americans would be familiar with; he had learned about Smirnoff vodka in his bartending days.
Smirnoff was born Yakov Naumovich Pokhis in Odessa, Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. He was an art teacher in Odessa, as well as a comedian. As a comedian, he entertained occasionally on ships in the Black Sea, where he came into contact with Americans who described life in the United States to him. That was when he first considered leaving the country. After two years of attempting to leave, he came to the United States with his parents in 1977, arriving in New York City. His family was allowed to come to America because of an agreement between the USSR and America to exchange wheat for Soviet citizens who wished to defect. At the time, neither he nor his parents spoke any English. On arrival to the United States, he was almost sent back to Russia when his translator mistranslated his occupation, comedian, as “party organizer”, which immigration authorities thought meant that he was an organizer for the Communist Party.
Before he and Linda divorced in 1999, he had two children together. In 1986, he became an American citizen.
Yakov Smirnoff Net Worth
| Net Worth | $20 Million |
| Source Of Income | Comedian |
| House | Living in own house. |
Yakov Smirnoff is one of the richest Comedian from Ukraine. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Yakov Smirnoff 's net worth $20 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)
He was an Odessa art teacher while he lived in Ukraine. He was a busboy at Grossingers Hotel in Catskill Mountains when he moved with his parents to New York City in 1977.
He is a Missouri State University professor and teaches The Business of Laughter.
Yakov Naumovich Pokhis (Russian: Яков Наумович Похис ; born 24 January 1951), better known as Yakov Smirnoff (Russian: Яков смирнофф ; /ˈ s m ɪər n ɒ f / ), is a Ukrainian-American comedian, actor and writer. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in Ukraine, then immigrated to the United States in 1977 in order to pursue an American show business career, not yet knowing any English. He reached his biggest success in the mid-to-late 1980s, appearing in several films and the television sitcom vehicle What a Country!. His comic persona was of a naive immigrant from the Soviet Union who was perpetually confused and delighted by life in the United States. His humor combined a mockery of life under communism and of consumerism in the United States, as well as word play caused by misunderstanding of American phrases and culture, all punctuated by the catchphrase, “And I thought, ‘What a country!'”
Height, Weight & Body Measurements
Yakov Smirnoff height Not available right now. Yakov weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.
Who is Yakov Smirnoff Dating?
According to our records, Yakov Smirnoff married to Linda Dreeszen. As of December 1, 2023, Yakov Smirnoff’s is not dating anyone.
Relationships Record : We have no records of past relationships for Yakov Smirnoff. You may help us to build the dating records for Yakov Smirnoff!
In 1987, Smirnoff was invited to a party hosted by Washington Times editor-in- chief Arnaud de Borchgrave which featured President Ronald Reagan as the guest of honor. Reagan and Smirnoff immediately hit it off due to Reagan’s love of jokes about life in the Soviet Union. Reagan enjoyed telling such jokes in speeches, and Smirnoff became one of his sources for new material. An example of a joke Reagan later told that originated from Smirnoff was “In Russia, if you say, ‘Take my wife – please’, you come home and she is gone.” Smirnoff was enlisted by Dana Rohrabacher, who was then a speechwriter for Reagan, to help with material for Reagan’s speeches, including a speech given in front of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev when Reagan visited the Soviet Union during the Moscow Summit in 1988. Rohrabacher later stated that Smirnoff became “one of the inner circle” of speechwriting advisers during Reagan’s final years in office, due to the quality of Smirnoff’s suggestions.
Facts & Trivia
Yakov Ranked on the list of most popular Comedian. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in Ukraine. Yakov Smirnoff celebrates birthday on January 24 of every year.
The collapse of communism starting in 1989, and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, brought an end to Smirnoff’s widespread popularity, although he continued to perform. In 1993, he began performing year round at his own theater in Branson, Missouri, where he remained until 2015. He occasionally still performs limited dates at his theater in Branson while touring worldwide.
How old is Yakov?
71 years (January 24, 1951)
Where was Yakov Smirnoff born?
Odesa, Ukraine
How long is Yakov show?
How many people? Start your day right with Yakov’s ‘Make America Laugh Again’ comedy show featuring Russia-born comedian and two-time winner of ‘Comedian of the Year,’ Yakov Smirnoff. It lasts approximately 2 hours.
Is Yakov Smirnoff married?
Linda Dreeszen
What does Yakov mean?
Yakov is a boy’s name of Russian origin. Like many Russian names, this name shares origins with Hebrew culture. Taking influence like the name Jacob, this name means “ he who supplants “.