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The "Soviet joke," or anekdot , was a common staple of life east of the Iron Curtain. It was common among all walks of life, from ...

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Brezhnev plays the piano

 During a state visit to the United States, Brezhnev notices a piano at the White House and asks if he can play it. While playing, he notices a red button at the end of the keyboard. Curiosity gets the better of him, and he pushes it. Suddenly, a bucket of cold water falls from the ceiling and douses him, to the laughter of President Carter and his staff.

Later, Carter is on a state visit to the Soviet Union, and he notices a piano at the Kremlin. Brezhnev invites him to play, and Carter too notices a red button at the end of the keyboard. He presses it, and nothing happens, but Brezhnev and the other Soviet staff are bursting out in laughter.

Carter looks on bemused, before asking, "Do you mind telling me what exactly is so funny? I don't think Soviet jokes translate well to our sense of humor in the United States."

In between bouts of tearful laughter, Brezhnev replies, "What United States?"

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