Entering the world of a Former KGB Spy (with Jack Barsky)
episodePreviously titled “S4E19: Former KGB Spy Jack Barsky” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 5, 2026
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Who is Jack Barsky and what is his background as a KGB spy?
This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. I'm Bowen Yang.
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Hey there, Snafu fans. It's Ed again. I mean, honestly, who else would it be, right? This is my podcast. Okay, I'm excited that today we're sharing another episode from way back when. In fact, this was one of the bonus episodes for the very first season of Snafu, all about Able Archer 83, the NATO military exercise that nearly started an actual nuclear war. And If you missed it back then, go back and check it out. You're in for a treat. And in this particular episode, I get to talk to a real spy. Yeah, a real frickin' spy. It was one of the highlights of my career to have this conversation. So here it is, my special episode talking to Jack Barsky, former KGB spy. Welcome. We get into all the Soviet era paranoia and KGB chaos during the Cold War from someone who saw all of it right from the inside.
This guy is quite a character. We had an incredible chat. You're not going to want to miss this one. Also, just be aware next week we'll be back as usual. All right. Enjoy. Hey, Snafu listeners, this is your host, Ed Helms, back in your feed for another bonus episode. This one is really, really cool. If you told me a year ago that I would be having a conversation with a former KGB agent, I would just tell you that you're cuckoo bananas. But it actually happened. Now, over the course of our show, we got a healthy dose of espionage intrigue through our friends Oleg Gordievsky and Reiner Rupp, the two spies at the center of the Able Archer story. But the KGB had a whole network of operatives all over the world, each one on their own separate mission.
One of those spies was a man named Jack Barsky, who infiltrated the U.S. in 1978, then eventually defected from Russia and became a U.S. citizen. Just like our pals Oleg and Rainer, Jack's story is full of danger, intrigue, and incredible twists and turns. I had a chance to sit down with Jack recently, and it was a really exciting conversation. He was completely transparent and forthcoming. Literally nothing was off the table. And he provided some amazing, fresh insight into the Soviets' Cold War mindset. And we even had a few chuckles. I really enjoyed this interview. I got a ton out of it and I think you will too.
Hello, Jack Barsky. It is a pleasure to meet you. You have an incredible story. KGB spy here in the United States for about a decade. So let's just dive right into to your origin story. Tell me about growing up. Where exactly did you grow up?
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