Yakov Smirnoff

Russian-American comedian, a very funny man. He said in Russia he was an only child with five families living in one apartment. He came to the U.S. in 1977 with his parents and none of them could speak the language. He joked that he had watched TV for a whole month to learn American ...then found out it was a Spanish program.

Smirnoff has produced a book and a video.

He relates that when they first came to the U.S. they had no money and could only pay $100 for the apartment and that the landlord paid for the rest of the $250 rent. Then all the neighbors came and gave them food and furniture. He thinks it's a great country and became a citizen on 4 July 1986 in Washington, D.C. He married an American and has two children.