Yeah, what you said. He's actually a pretty intelligent guy, and he's got more firsthand knowledge about the country than any American pundit I can think of.

I actually agree.

For some reason I always thought this guy was a native born American who created this character and put on a terrible accent. You mean he's real?

Yup. He's no "Larry the Cable Guy" or "Andrew Dice Clay". He's the genuine article.

I've always liked him, even though he's a product of the Reagan era. His humor is somewhat bland, but he's sincere.

Yeah he's real. As a kid I always got him and Bronson Pinchot confused, who was born in New York and just used his ancestry as references, like most American comedians do, but Yakov's the real deal. He's also a college professor.

Binro what's funny is he was roommates with Andrew Dice Clay when he lived in LA. The comedic duo that never happened..

I'm with Binro, I've always had a soft spot for this guy.

You mean Andy Silverstein?

That whole thing made me sad. At first, people didn't get the joke...then Silverstein somehow didn't get the joke. It was bizarre watching someone get eaten up by their stage persona.

I think at that point he was pretty much in "Dice Clay" mode, since they were both performing at the Comedy Store while living together. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, but besides the overtly misogynistic crap I always thought ADC was pretty funny, like a raunchier punk Rodney Dangerfield. I don't want to laugh but I do anyway.

Yeah, my grandparents in law would go down to Branson every year and watch him. It's a dry county but they'd bring along their booze suitcase, get drunk as fuck and see Yakov Smirnoff and others. "Such a funny guy and not a single swear!" Sounds like comedy gold to me!

Also this is the most intelligent thing I've ever seen on CNN

Shit, shouldn't have looked it up. He retired his Branson act on December 3rd of this year. :( :( :(

:0

What will Branson do without him?!

Seriously. Yakov was basically the only thing there.

Well, there is Shoji Tabuchi..

Ah! Shoji! Thanks IZ, funnily enough I was trying to remember his name, "who was that really weird violin-player?" etc. He's the only other act in Branson that ever stood out for me.

reply to IZ above

!#$&*!

I wonder if Ted Turner ever regrets its creation.