Mikhail Nikolayevich Zadornov
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Nikolayevich Zadornov ' onMouseout='HidePop("68988")' href="/topics/Jurmala">Jūrmala
, Latvian SSR
, USSR) is a Soviet and Russia
n stand-up comedian and writer. Zadornov is particularly famous for his satirical comparisons of Russians and nationals of other countries, especially Americans
. He has rescinded his visa to the United States as a protest to the American athletes' flag-waving behavior at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics
. Zadornov was born in an artistic family, his father Nikolai Zadornov was a notable writer from Riga
. Mikhail Zadornov graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute
, however, in the early 1980s he started a career as a humorist instead of an engineer
.
He has also been known to make fun of any CIS
(former Soviet) country seeking a friendly relationship with the west, but seems to have no hard feelings against them.
While criticizing heavily American culture and its influence on the life in modern Russia, Zadornov commended Dan Brown
for getting the public interested in Israel
, the Vatican
, Leonardo da Vinci
and art history
. (That praise aside, Zadornov assessed the literary value of Brown's books as "сочинения ученика очень средней школы", which translates into something like "compositions of a student at a very mediocre middle-school"; pun intended as средний means both "middle (grade)" and "mediocre".)
Jurmala
Jūrmala is a city in Latvia, about 25 kilometers west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River...
, Latvian SSR
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
, USSR) is a Soviet and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n stand-up comedian and writer. Zadornov is particularly famous for his satirical comparisons of Russians and nationals of other countries, especially Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He has rescinded his visa to the United States as a protest to the American athletes' flag-waving behavior at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. Zadornov was born in an artistic family, his father Nikolai Zadornov was a notable writer from Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. Mikhail Zadornov graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute
Moscow Aviation Institute
Moscow Aviation Institute is one of several major engineering higher education establishments in Moscow .Although the school is currently offering a wide range of majors and research...
, however, in the early 1980s he started a career as a humorist instead of an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
He has also been known to make fun of any CIS
CIS
CIS usually refers to the Commonwealth of Independent States, a modern political entity consisting of eleven former Soviet Union republics.The acronym CIS may also refer to:-Organizations:...
(former Soviet) country seeking a friendly relationship with the west, but seems to have no hard feelings against them.
While criticizing heavily American culture and its influence on the life in modern Russia, Zadornov commended Dan Brown
Dan Brown
Dan Brown is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Brown's novels, which are treasure hunts set in a 24-hour time period, feature the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes, and conspiracy theories...
for getting the public interested in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
and art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
. (That praise aside, Zadornov assessed the literary value of Brown's books as "сочинения ученика очень средней школы", which translates into something like "compositions of a student at a very mediocre middle-school"; pun intended as средний means both "middle (grade)" and "mediocre".)
Quotes
- If you have something against democracy, while democracy is in your land, — you're finished (TV concert, 1999)
- "I do not criticize America — I criticize our [Russian] way to copy the American way of life —especially its worst side." (TV concert, 2003)
- "I travel to Ukraine about three times a year now, and every time I come, I ask the guy at the train station 'What's new?' to which he always answers 'elections'. I want to buy a parrot that lives about 300 years, and officially adopt him so that at least one of my family members sees the end of the Ukrainian elections."
- "Oh the Estonians have joined NATO, I'm so scared. Will we ever have time to run for our lives if the Estonians attack us?"
- "I've said enough about Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, and oh yeah, I also talked about Ukraine.. Now let's talk about their government... the Americans."
- "The diary of Yuri Luzhkov: 8:00 AM: Make the clouds over Moscow go away. \\ 10:00 AM: Get the clouds back to make the gay parade go away."
- "In America's sports up till nowadays black people are the best runners, and white — the best shooters."
- "Negroes is not politically correct (Afro Americans is), let's name the painting "Black Square" by Malevich — Afro Square e.t.c."
- "Even some American scientists have said that mankind was born near VoronezhVoronezhVoronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
in Russia."
- "When a king silences the jester, the role of the jester is passed to the king."
Concerts
- 1990 — Ангажемент (Engagement)
- 1992 — В каждой Шутке есть доля Шутки (There is a little bit of joke in every joke)
- 1992 — Много шума и ничего (Much ado and nothing)
- 1996 — Нью-Йоркский концерт (New York concert)
- 1997 — Умом Россию не понять (“Russia is a thing of which the intellect cannot conceive”, a line from Fyodor TyutchevFyodor TyutchevFyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev is generally considered the last of three great Romantic poets of Russia, following Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov.- Life :...
's poem) - 1997 — Великая страна с непредсказуемым прошлым (A great country with unpredictable past)
- 1997 — Что делать, или как нам обустроить Россию (What should we do or how do we arrange Russia)
- 1999 — Экскурсия по Москве (Tour of MoscowMoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) - 2000 — Лекция (с юмором) (Lecture with humour)
- 2003 — В слове МЫ сто тысяч Я… (There are hundred thousand "I"s in "We")
- 2003 — Я люблю Америку (I love America)
- 2005 — Непонятки (Misunderstandies)
- 2005 — Не дайте себе засохнуть (Don't let yourself dry out)
- 2005 — От путча до Путина (From putsch to PutinVladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
) - 2005 — Да здравствует то, благодаря чему мы, несмотря ни на что… (Long live that thank to what we in spite of anything)
- 2005 — Не для ТВ.RU (Not_for_tv.ru )
- 2005 — Мы чьё, дурачьё? (Whose fools are we?)
- 2005 — Египетские Ночи (Egyptian Nights, Concert in Big concert hall «Oktyabr'skij» in Saint PetersburgSaint PetersburgSaint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
) - 2005 — Американская трагедия (American tragedy)
- 2005 — Мы (We)
- 2005 — Задоринки (Zadornov's stuff)
- 2005 — Фантазии (Fantasies)
- 2005 — Записки отморозка.(Rascal's notes )
- 2005 — Юмор 585 пробы (585-carat humour)
- 2006 — После нас хоть потоп (After us let even a flood be)
- 2006 — Собиратель дурошлёпства (Bufoonery collector)
- 2006 — Не забывается такое никогда (You don't just forget that)
- 2006 — Третье ухо (Third ear)
- 2006 — Так жить можно…?! (Can you live like this?)
- 2006 — Задорнова к ответу (Zadornov must answer)
- 2006 — Записки Предсказамуса (Predictamus's notes)
- 2006 — Веселее жить стало (Living has become more joyous)
- 2006 — Этот безумный мир (This mad world)
- 2007 — Записки усталого романтика (The notes of a tired dreamer)
- 2007 — Тест на интеллект (Intelligence test, forbidden for TV translation)
- 2007 — Мы все из Чи-Чи-Чи-Пи. (We all are from Chi-Chi-Chi-Pi. This is a pun on how Italians read “СССР” which is Russian for “USSR”)
- 2007 — Когда смешно, тогда не страшно (It's not scary when it's funny)
- 2007 — Подниматель пингвинов (Penguin raiser)
- 2008 — С первым смехом! (Happy first laugh!)
- 2008 — Задорный день (Zadornoffunny day )
- 2008 — Ничего себе! (Isn't that something!)
- 2008 — SMS. Гламур. О’кей OK (SMS. Glamour. Okay, OK)
- 2009 — Антикризисный концерт (Anti-crisis concers)
Books
- 1988 — Линия длиной 15 000 метров
- 1988 — Загадка голубой планеты
- 1991 — Не понимаю
- 1997 — 4-х томник
- Великая страна с непредсказуемым прошлым
- Мы все из «Чи-Чи-Чи-Пи»
- Крохотные звезды
- Задоринки
- 2003 — Вдруг откуда ни возьмись
- 2004 — Задорнов Єнд К
- 2004 — Вверх ногами
- 2005 — Этот безумный, безумный, безумный мир…
- 2006 — Я никогда не думал…
- 2007 — Не дайте себе засохнуть!!!
- 2007 — Язычник эры водолея
- 2008 — Когда смешно, тогда не страшно
- 2008 — Мелочь, а приятно!
Filmography
| Year | Film title | Original title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Depression | Депрессия | bit part |
| 1992 | I Want Your Husband | Хочу вашего мужа | Andrei (husband) |