The
course of his life in the US
is the American Dream come alive. Yakov came to the
new country in 1977 from Odessa
with less than 100 dollars in his pocket. He did not speak English. Today, Yakov has his own theater in the very heartland of America,
Branson,
Missouri.
He was adored by Ronald Regan. George Bush – the father – and Bill Clinton are
among his most ardent admirers – not to mention the current US
President.
- Mr. Smirnoff, all Americans want
to realize the “Great American Dream.” Not everyone, though, is fully
successful… You, an immigrant, were. Why?
-
Maybe because I truly wanted to attain this success. I started to perform
already in Russia
– in the Soviet Union,
to be exact. I had a wish to make people laugh in the United
States. In the
initial months after my arrival to America,
I consciously avoided communicating with other Russians; I tried to flow into
the American lifestyle and to learn the language. When I became more
comfortable with English, I understood that, perhaps, I’ll be able to do
something. Here I must say that, if I have something on my mind and if I
clearly see it, then I will make it come alive…
- It is very hard to do. One needs
to have an incredibly strong will...
-
Strong will is one component. Talent is another. The ability to communicate
with people is the third. In my opinion, communication is very important. I
feel equal: neither superior to anyone, nor inferior to anyone. People like
that. I think this quality helped me to succeed in Hollywood,
on Broadway, and here, in Branson.
- Mr. Smirnoff, you once stated that
you took the best from the two worlds, the former USSR and the US. It’s interesting to know what you
kept from Russia and what you took from America.
-
From Russia comes my character and my desire to attain success. It is
more difficult to be a comedian in Russia
than in the US.
I performed on passenger ships of the Black Sea Fleet; I traveled a lot about
the country. It gave me self-confidence. In the US,
I felt the kindness of the people who wanted to help me. They understood that I
wanted to reach a goal and, because of that, believed in me… All of this is what
I took from America.
- You have performed in the White
House, at the Library of Congress, on many television shows. Which performances
were the most memorable for you?
-
There’s quite a bit of those. Broadway… Last year, my show on Broadway went really
well. Invitations to the White House are always memorable. Television shows are
also well-remembered because you feel that millions of people are looking at
you. Movie production was special for me because I enjoyed the opportunity to
work with such talented actors as Jack Nickolson, Tom
Hanks, Robin Williams, and Meryl Streep.
These are the stages of my life that I like to remember.
- Mr. Smirnoff, You have two
children: a daughter Natasha and a son Alexander. Are they growing up as 100 %
American or do you nurture their respect for your historic roots and the
Russian culture?
-
Of course, I try. We’ve been to Russia
already – and we’ll go there in the future. They see that I combine Russian and
American cultures. They are proud of their Russian roots. I hope that Natasha
and Alexander will take the best things from Russian and American lifestyles.
- Mr. Smirnoff, what would be your
advice to Russian and American businesses that want to work with each other?
-
What is of highest importance is that the cooperation be mutually profitable.
If one party is in a less advantageous position than the other, there would not
be a long-term partnership.
