#2557 - Yakov Smirnoff
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What do the hosts talk about in the opening greetings?
The Joe Rogan experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day.
Let's go, Jakov. What's happening, baby? How are ya? I'm doing it. Good to see ya. Nice to see you. I know, Jamie's snucking up on us. Bam. Just turn on. Bam. That way you don't have a chance to freak out. Um thank you. What's in the bag?
Okay. So there are a couple of things. Uh
a couple of things.
One yeah.
How does the conversation shift to the Ground Zero mural and copyright issues?
One is uh it's a mirror mural a piece of the mural that I
painted at the ground zero and I thought it would be interesting for you to have
You painted a mural at ground zero? Yeah. Oh wow Yeah. So that that was something and I actually send them uh Paul Harvey did the um Uh the rest of the story about that. And I I send them a video if they want it. Yeah, I don't
know if we can play that unfortunately. I think it's got like a copyright to it. Actually I was we were told Jamie, that's isn't that what they said?
Yeah.
Right. And so there's the mural. There's a photo of the mural.
Right, right. And uh it was uh I was in touch with Paul Harvey Junior asking if that would be okay and they said it's fine and they'll send Yeah,
but I don't think they own it, you know what I'm saying?
They own his voice, so
Right, but it's probably if it's on Paul Harvey's television show,
right? No, no, no. A radio show. Right.
If it's on a Paul Harvey's radio show, it's probably copywritten. Did we have a problem when we played the Taylor Sheridan one? Remember we played that whole thing? It's just an issue? It's an issue. It's an issue. Don't sweat it. We don't want it. So anyway, you had a mural. Yeah. That's that's and and there was a couple of other little burf in there. You gotta talk into the microphone. Sorry. That's all right. Yeah. You wear headphones if you want. That way you can hear yourself. Yes.
have to this is this is real. This is this is real. What do you mean? No, well like I watch you and I'm in such an awe of what you were able to your your career, your trajectory, how you were able to sustain that longevity and then transition to this amazing voice. Um it's just it's been an honor uh to know you and be here. So I'm I'm a little nervous.
Well, don't be nervous. Uh, 'cause listen, it's all just dumb luck. There's a a giant percentage of it that's dumb luck. That's a fact. I mean, I'm very persistent, that helps. But uh this thing, this p the podcast, is a lot of it is luck. You know how people like talk about like having a vision board, oh I had a vision board, I imagined, and people say that to me all the time, like, I'm sure you did that with this show. I'm like, uh I didn't do anything of the sort. I just kept doing it and it got big. But it's uh just t people talking. Simple. Just like you and I talk in the green room. Yes. We're talking here. It's no big deal. It's just a bunch of people get to listen to it. Yes. Yes. It's nothing that spectacular.
The spectacular thing is my guests. That's the fortunate thing. I'm the fortunate one because I get to talk to so many cool people. Look at you with your fucking American flag on your on your uh phone cover. Look at that. Yeah. Don't get It's fooled by the accent, ladies and gentlemen. Um, you know, we were talking about your story in the green room and I was like, We have to do a podcast because your s your story is so crazy how when the wall fell, so did your career.
Yes.
Like you had this massive career. I remember you from the Tonight Show. Yes. I I remember you all the time. You know? In Russia. You always have these jokes about Russia. Yes. And it was great because like you were a Russian comedian doing stand-up in the United States. Yes. And then once once the Soviet Union finished.
Yes. The Letterman uh David Letterman had a top ten list of uh things that will now change, that the Soviet Union is no longer there and I made number one on the list. Jakov Smirnov will be out of work. And I thought it was humorous because I was living in Pacific Palisades next to Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I mean, I thought American Dream will never end and all of a sudden it uh six months later, none of my contracts in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, Tahoe, none of them were renewed.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What do the hosts talk about in the opening greetings?
0:04–0:31
2
How does the conversation shift to the Ground Zero mural and copyright issues?
0:31–11:27
3
What story is told about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the move to Branson?
11:27–36:14
4
How do they explore relationship needs using the magnet analogy?
36:14–1:17:01
5
How did Yakov’s early TV appearances on Carson compare to modern comedy platforms?
1:17:01–1:34:47
6
What role did Mitzi Shore and the Comedy Store play in launching Yakov’s career?
1:34:47–1:48:49
7
How did Yakov transition from one‑man shows back to stand‑up comedy?
1:48:49–2:03:09
8
What stories does Yakov share about his life in Branson, house projects, and current touring plans?
2:03:09–2:24:12