The Drury Mirror

Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: News

Branson entertainer Yakov Smirnoff will teach a psychology class in the evening college this Feb. titled "Living Happily Every After".

Yakov Smirnoff after his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006.

You might have heard his distinct laugh on a television commercial. Maybe you have seen a close up of his face with swirling motorized fireworks on a billboard. Who is this mystery man? He is the popular entertainer and comedian Yakov Smirnoff. This Branson staple is also an academic and adjunct professor who is bringing his philosophy on life to campus in the form of a mini-course called "Living Happily Ever Laughter."

This course is being taught in conjunction with the psychology department and will incorporate positive psychology. The class will offer "several important points," Smirnoff said. "It teaches stages of relationships and establishes the importance of laughter and laughter as a communication skill. It will also establish and teach how to use laughter as an aphrodisiac, laughter as a barometer of your relationship." The class will be a combination of lecture, role-playing, student presentation and a variety of additional activities.

"There was such a demand for the class he (Smirnoff) actually called and asked for enrollment to be moved up to 40," said Barbara Weathers, outreach activities director for the College of Continuing Studies. "There are 27 in the class as of now, however because it is an evening course there are limited spots for day students."

This one credit three-day special topics course will meet Feb. 2 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Feb. 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Feb. 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Smirnoff is a Russian immigrant, who in 1977, came to the United States with his parents and less than $100 in his pocket according to his website. On July 4, 1986, he was sworn in as an American citizen. And, in 2006 Smirnoff earned a Masters Degree of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He has written books, articles and a Broadway script.

Smirnoff's personal mission statement is "To experience happiness and teach it with passion through comedy and sensitivity," which seems to coincide perfectly with the course he is teaching.

"I believe life should be full of love and laughter. I am very passionate about teaching this information to everyone on the planet," Smirnoff said.

He also stressed the importance of what he is teaching to every person and their happiness.

"Out of my personal experience, I believe the information I am going to share is the most important thing after learning how to feed yourself and survive," Smirnoff said. "It is your key to happiness, without it you will have a blindfold over your eyes for life. And, you will learn and laugh your Yakov."

In recent years Smirnoff has taught this course at Missouri State University, but approached Drury about offering it here. He felt it would be a different approach and he had heard the University has an avant garde approach for night school and wanted to expand and test the University.

Smirnoff is very busy, in between performing for crowds of 18,000 in Branson, touring the country doing shows or working as an accomplished artist he still finds time to do what he loves.

"You make time for the things that are important no matter how busy you are. Someone once said, If you want to get things done ask a busy man to do it," Smirnoff said.

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