Yakov Smirnoff announced today that country-music star Joe Diffie will perform shows at Yakov’s Theatre in Branson, Missouri. Yakov said, “I’ve been looking for a great show to have at my theater at 8pm and when I heard that Joe might be interested in performing in Branson it felt like a good fit. When I came to Branson, Joe Diffie’s third album was going platinum. On Honky Tonk Attitude Joe was singing ‘Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox’ and ‘John Deere Green’. I was learning how to say ya’ll and singing ‘From Red To Redneck’. Now Joe can help me learn just what it is that women love about a Pickup Man! What A Country!”

Joe Diffie said, “I started thinking about spending more time with my family so having a show in Branson really made a lot of sense. I can do what I love – perform my music in front of some of the best audiences you’ll ever find — and be with the ones I love. I’m excited about being in Branson because ‘Only in America’ can I have the same opportunities as Yakov. I’ll still be doing the Rockin’ Roadhouse Tour with Aaron Tippin and Mark Chestnut until I start shows in September at Yakov’s Theatre.” Joe Diffie’s Branson Show premières on Saturday, September 6, 2008. Shows will be Tuesday through Sunday at 8:00 PM. The show will feature Joe Diffie, various friends and family members, and comedian Paul Harris.

Career highlights for Joe Diffie include 12 #1 Hits, over 20 top 10 hits, two platinum albums, 2 gold albums, a CMA with George Jones, a Grammy, and the Humanitarian Award. Joe’s song Home was the first single to top the charts of all major-music business magazines simultaneously. His lists of hits includes If You Want Me To, If The Devil Danced In Empty Pockets, New Way To Light Up An Old Flame, Third Rock From The Sun, Ships That Don’t Come In, Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox, Bigger Than The Beatles, Pickup Man, John Deere Green, Tougher Than Nails, and more. He has recorded hits with Mary Chapin-Carpenter such as Not To Much To Ask and received a CMA for Vocal Event of the Year with George Jones on I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair. As a song writer Joe Diffie’s most recent hit, My Give A Damn’s Busted, was recorded by Jo Dee Messina. He has also written songs for Tim McGraw, Holly Dunn, Doug Stone, Tracy Lawrence, and others.

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Yakov Smirnoff took his comedy where no comedian has gone before…or at least where very few earthbound stars ever get to go. On Monday, October 15 at 2:30 PM Yakov teleconferenced with Astronaut Clayton Anderson, a flight engineer on the International Space Station. “It was really interesting. I had a very pleasant conversation for 45 minutes with the man from outer space. Sometimes people go too far when they talk to me, but I was flattered anyway,” said Yakov.

Anderson, who is part of Expedition 15, used his video camera to show Yakov around the International Space Station. “I learned how they use their space – no pun intended – efficiently by mounting their stationary bike on the ceiling. I mentioned to Clay that I might want to try that at home tonight, he suggested that I check with my insurance agent first,” said Yakov. “Along with learning about the astronauts’ space adventures, we also discussed how the world has changed so dramatically that now Clay is on a space station with two Russian cosmonauts. They like to eat American freeze-dried barbecue ribs and he likes to eat Russian hydrated Borscht.”

“I also found out that to us on earth the Space Station looks like a shooting star,” said Yakov. “I asked Clay to give me a call the next time it was going over Branson so I could make a wish. He was concerned that it was a long distance call and didn’t want to spend the taxpayers’ money. He told me just log on to NASA’s website; that way I can plan my wish in advance. What A Country!” The website is www.spaceflight.nasa.gov; the next possible sighting from Yakov’s home in Branson, Missouri is on Thursday, Oct 18 at 7:37 PM.

This is not the first time that NASA has requested Yakov’s support in honoring our astronauts. In 1999 Yakov was the featured speaker in Washington D.C. at the 42nd Annual Goddard Memorial Banquet honoring Senator John Glenn. Yakov said, “I’m honored to create laughter for these real-life heroes!” Astronaut Anderson is a member of Expedition 15 which is doing maintenance on the international space station. Expedition 15 launched on April 7, 2007; Anderson arrived in early June and will be heading home within 2 to 3 weeks on the Discovery shuttle.

The teleconference was facilitated in Reeds Spring, Missouri by the Reeds Spring TCRC which is an extension of the University of Missouri. Yakov says, “When I walked in to that room and on the monitor I saw the space station and realized that I was in a small town in the Ozarks and about to teleconference in real-time with outer space, the first thought from my mind was ‘beam me up Scottie! This whole experience was out of this world.”

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