Journalist/Comedian Harmon Leon dives into comedy cult classics, comedic influences, and all things comedy history.
Yakov Smirnoff is a comedian from Russia.
He's known for his catchphrase: "What a country."
Yakov's comic persona was of a naive immigrant who was perpetually confused and delighted by life in the United States.
And then came the fall of the former Soviet Union. What happened to Yakov's career? We have a surprise twist that will make you say....what a country!
Gallows humor is witticism in the face of – and in response to – a hopeless, tragic, or deathly situation. Gallows humor is typically made by or about the victim of such a situation. In this episode of CH!01 - we actually chart gallows humor - made by people in history right before they’re about to be executed.
Yes, gallows humor on the gallows.
Spuds MacKenzie was the original party animal - that women adored. The fictional dog made his debut in a Bud Light beer commercial during the Super Bowl in 1987.
Spuds appeared in a series of commercials and became a marketing sensation. The premise of every ad: once Spuds arrived, the party could really begin. And there was the Spudettes, of course. Long after the ads dried up, Spuds MacKenzie lives on in our pop culture through references on The Simpsons and The Family Guy.
Let's hear it for the “Ayatollah of Partyollah!”
