A violinist who's a member of the Moscow Philharmonic goes on tour across Europe. After a concert in Vienna, a journalist asks him "How's the quality of life in the Soviet Union?" and he responds "I can't complain."
After another concert in Rome, another journalist asks him "How's freedom of speech in the Soviet Union?" and he responds "I can't complain."
After another concert in Paris, he's asked "How's political transparency in the Soviet Union?" and he replies "I can't complain."
On the tour's stop in London, he flees to the American Embassy to apply for asylum. The ambassador asks him "Why do you want to defect? You said you didn't have any problems living in the Soviet Union."
"I never said I didn't have problems," the violinist replies, "I just said I couldn't complain."
Some variants have it be about the Jewish stock character Rabinovich emigrating to Israel, or end with the rather blunt punchline "Because here, I can complain."
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