Yakov Smirnoff

Yakov Smirnoff (born January 24, 1951) is, according to his own description, a Russian-born American comedian.

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Smirnoff, birth name Yakov Naumovich Pokhis, was born in a Jewish family in Odessa, Ukraine, at the time part of the Soviet Union. He has been an art teacher in Odessa, and continues to paint. He came to the U.S. in 1977 and became an American citizen on July 4, 1986. He was a roommate of comedian Andrew Dice Clay and has appeared in several motion pictures, such as Buckaroo Banzai and on television. Since 1992 he has been a fixture in Branson, Missouri.

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January 24: January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 341 days remaining (342 in leap years)....

1951: 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar....

Russian: Russian can mean:...