After escaping communist Soviet Union in the 1977, Yakov came to the United States with nothing but a dream. His lovable view of life through the eyes of a poor immigrant captured the hearts of America. He soared to the top of the comedy world, performing on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and countless other television programs, including as a regular character on “Night Court.” He became a star of his very own show, named after his famous catchphrase, “What a Country!" He has given command performances for 4 US presidents.
Yakov Smirnoff is an iconic comedian, movie star, best-selling author and most recently, an educator, when he earned a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, after which he became a professor at Missouri State University. His latest accomplishment is a doctoral degree in Global Leadership from Pepperdine University.
Inspired by his higher education in psychology and global leadership he is currently writing a book, “Unconscious Attraction: Why does the wrong person feel so right?”
With the heart of a dreamer, Yakov Smirnoff has made the impossible possible and continues to inspire others with his message that America is still, “What a Country!” |
