Yakov Smirnoff: The Story Behind "What A Country!"

<p>Yakov Smirnoff came to America from the Soviet Union in 1977 with little money and limited English, determined to build a new life. He started out working as a bartender before finding his way into stand up comedy, where he turned the culture shock of being an immigrant into his greatest source of material.</p><p>His career took him from comedy clubs to The Tonight Show, Night Court, and his own sitcom &quot;What a Country!&quot; making him one of the most recognizable comedians of the 1980s. </p><p>Behind the catchphrase is a remarkable story of an immigrant who used comedy to understand America and ultimately found his place in it.</p>