Here's a sit-com I'll bet you won't remember........ - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

NotoriousViv · 08-28-2002, 11:19 PM

Ok, this is one that absolutely no one i have talked to has ever heard of!

It was called "What a Country!", and starred the russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff!
It was a comedy, a lame oone too, about an English as a second Language (ESL) class. It appeard i think in the early 80's.

Does anymore else remember this??????????

V

pontoon · 08-29-2002, 01:51 PM

Not well...but I DO remember seeing it! Didn't last long, did it?

pontoon

Brian Damage · 08-29-2002, 02:08 PM

I do, it was on ABC I believe. Yakov Smirnoff's entire stand up act was based on the line,"What a Country!" It was very popular in the 80's, so the network executives thought that a sitcom around him would work. It did not.

skyforge · 08-29-2002, 11:41 PM

I wonder if he's still doing that "What a country!" bit in his Branson, Missouri shows.

Brian Damage · 08-30-2002, 04:13 PM

Believe it or not, you'll probably be able to see him this weekend. He always does the Jerry Lewis telethon every year.

danfling · 09-05-2002, 02:45 PM

sea green large Century

danfling · 09-05-2002, 02:46 PM

I, too, remember the show, but I do not think that it was on ABC.

I think that it was a syndictaed show, and therefore, it lasted one entire season.

Mathazar · 10-02-2002, 06:12 PM

Here's one I keep winning bets on at work because people didn't think it ever existed: When Things Were Rotten.

This was a Mel Brooks "Robin Hood" type produced sitcom in the mid 70's that starred Dick Gautier, Dick Van Patten, Richard (Dick) Dimitri, and Bernie Koppel. Too many dicks.

It also had the lovely Misty Rowe.

I was only 10 or so when this was on the air, but it made me laugh. I haven't seen it since and I'm curious how much of it, if any, had kernels of ideas that spawned into Mel's later theatrical release of Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

callmetootie · 10-02-2002, 07:36 PM

I saw this one at the Museum Of TV and Radio in NYC...and turned it off before it was 1/2 over. The humor was lifeless and unfunny, and the cast was wasted. The show is one of those so bad it's good shows, but this is mostly just bad. Stinky bad.

jerry allen · 10-03-2002, 08:05 AM

here's a spin-off puzzler for everyone out there: how are the two programs "The Danny Thomas Show" and "The Andy Griffith Show" related to each other? Give up? Aside from Sheldon Leonard being the producer for each show, few people remember that the beloved Andy of Mayberry actually made his "debut" on Danny's comedy. Danny and his family were stopped in Mayberry by Andy Taylor...the bumpkin character was so popular that Sheldon Leonard created "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960 and the rest is sitcom history.

Marvo301 · 10-09-2002, 01:37 AM

I'm guessing that the reason producers thought Yakov would make a sitcom star was because of his guest appearances on Night Court where he played a russian immigrant named..... you guessed it.... Yakov!

08-28-2002, 11:19 PM	#1
NotoriousViv Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 26, 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 41	Here's a sit-com I'll bet you won't remember........ Ok, this is one that absolutely no one i have talked to has ever heard of! It was called "What a Country!", and starred the russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff! It was a comedy, a lame oone too, about an English as a second Language (ESL) class. It appeard i think in the early 80's. Does anymore else remember this?????????? V

08-29-2002, 01:51 PM	#2
pontoon ~~VOTE GOAT!~~ Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 30, 2002 Location: Ba-a-a-a-a-ck at work. Posts: 219	I remember WAC! Not well...but I DO remember seeing it! Didn't last long, did it? pontoon

08-29-2002, 02:08 PM	#3
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	I do, it was on ABC I believe. Yakov Smirnoff's entire stand up act was based on the line,"What a Country!" It was very popular in the 80's, so the network executives thought that a sitcom around him would work. It did not.
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

08-29-2002, 11:41 PM	#4
skyforge Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Location: Tucson Posts: 27	I wonder if he's still doing that "What a country!" bit in his Branson, Missouri shows.
	__________________ "I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question." Yogi Berra

09-05-2002, 02:45 PM	#6
danfling Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 05, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10	sea green large Century
	__________________ danfling terryj1@bellsouth.net

08-30-2002, 04:13 PM	#5
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Believe it or not, you'll probably be able to see him this weekend. He always does the Jerry Lewis telethon every year.

09-05-2002, 02:46 PM	#7
danfling Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 05, 2002 Location: Mississippi Posts: 10	I, too, remember the show, but I do not think that it was on ABC. I think that it was a syndictaed show, and therefore, it lasted one entire season.

10-02-2002, 06:12 PM	#8
Mathazar Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2002 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 8	Here's one I keep winning bets on at work because people didn't think it ever existed: When Things Were Rotten. This was a Mel Brooks "Robin Hood" type produced sitcom in the mid 70's that starred Dick Gautier, Dick Van Patten, Richard (Dick) Dimitri, and Bernie Koppel. Too many dicks. It also had the lovely Misty Rowe. I was only 10 or so when this was on the air, but it made me laugh. I haven't seen it since and I'm curious how much of it, if any, had kernels of ideas that spawned into Mel's later theatrical release of Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

10-02-2002, 07:36 PM	#9
callmetootie Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 06, 2001 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 4,768	I saw this one at the Museum Of TV and Radio in NYC...and turned it off before it was 1/2 over. The humor was lifeless and unfunny, and the cast was wasted. The show is one of those so bad it's good shows, but this is mostly just bad. Stinky bad.
	__________________ Andrew Carden

10-03-2002, 08:05 AM	#10
jerry allen Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2002 Location: State Route 72/ Ohio Posts: 148	here's a spin-off puzzler for everyone out there: how are the two programs "The Danny Thomas Show" and "The Andy Griffith Show" related to each other? Give up? Aside from Sheldon Leonard being the producer for each show, few people remember that the beloved Andy of Mayberry actually made his "debut" on Danny's comedy. Danny and his family were stopped in Mayberry by Andy Taylor...the bumpkin character was so popular that Sheldon Leonard created "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1960 and the rest is sitcom history.

10-09-2002, 01:37 AM	#11
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	I'm guessing that the reason producers thought Yakov would make a sitcom star was because of his guest appearances on Night Court where he played a russian immigrant named..... you guessed it.... Yakov!