In Soviet Union, $noun $verbs you!

May 6, 2005 12:44 AM

In Soviet Union, $noun $verbs you! What is the origin of this meme? It's everywhere online. Searching google and mefi/askmefi havn't helped... someone must know!
posted by adzm to society & culture (11 answers total)

Slashdot or Family Guy, apparantly.
posted by fvw at 12:46 AM on May 6, 2005

From fvw's article: The original "in Soviet Russia" joke, by comedian Yakov Smirnoff goes "In America, you can always find a party. In Soviet Russia, The Party can always find you!" Thanks fvw, it seems like such an obvious place to look, but I honestly never thought of a slashdot subculture encyclopedia article. hah!
posted by adzm at 12:51 AM on May 6, 2005

It's "In Soviet Russia" which probably explains why you didn't find the explanation on the first Google hit for said phrase.
posted by grouse at 2:56 AM on May 6, 2005

Poor Yakov Smirnoff. Never gets the respect he deserves.
posted by graventy at 5:48 AM on May 6, 2005

He does get a few hundred people to pay to watch him perform each day in Branson, though.
posted by shinynewnick at 6:19 AM on May 6, 2005

Well, the Wikipedia article fvw linked to does credit him. I'm not sure why fvw didn't mention that.
posted by pmurray63 at 7:12 AM on May 6, 2005

Yakov Smirnoff gets respect from me, I enjoy his Smirnoff Ice product on a regular basis. Sometimes too regular. It's the only thing that makes his act amusing... On MetaFilter you don't reply to comment, comment replies to you!
posted by raster at 10:23 AM on May 6, 2005

Slashdot or Family Guy, apparantly.

The only problem with this statement is that it is exactly wrong.
posted by jjg at 11:38 AM on May 6, 2005

The statement was more widespread on the internet after being popularized on several sites like Slashdot, video game sites (like Shacknews), and irc, but it has been around a lot longer.

The origin is Yakov Smirnoff, definitely. He's used this in his act for almost two decades and said it a couple times on his appearances on tv's Night Court. The meme has been reused on both The Simpsons and Family Guy. I know that this has been going around for a while, since I remember planning on going to Branson (ugh) with some friends during spring break to see Yakov about five years ago. Unfortunately, he was never doing the show during that week.
posted by mikeh at 11:50 AM on May 6, 2005

"someone must know!"
Slashdot or Family Guy knows...How is that wrong, again?
posted by hototogisu at 1:46 AM on May 7, 2005

I think the origin is misstated. Smirnoff had a slew of these jokes, some better [remembered] than others. The direct model has to be

In America, you watch television. In [Soviet] Russia, television watches you!

It's said on the In Soviet Russia page on the c2 wiki -- which seems to get Google whuffie to the point that it's got a notice saying it is not the web's repository for such jokes -- that these types of joke are unknown in Russia, hence they're strictly a Smirnoff invention.

But one of the most famous Soviet jokes was Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under socialism, it's just the opposite. Puns and wordplay of this ilk are a clear predecessor.

Anyway, the question was what is the origin of this meme? The origin of the meme is Slashdot troll culture. The origin of the joke on which the meme is based is Yakov Smirnoff, but it most assuredly did not become a meme until Slashdot. The meme, in fact, often makes hash of the underlying joke structure with a gloss of anti-humor.

Disclaimer: I actually remember watching the What a Country! sitcom.
posted by dhartung at 2:22 AM on May 7, 2005