When your host messaged Dan about the interview at the start of this year, he replied that he was still on the move after leaving Russia. He could not be sure where he will have a legal paper to stay.

It's a weirder-than-ever time to be a Russian comedian, especially one who dared to joke about Putin's height in his comedy special. Dan followed his instinct to become a 'travelling comedian'. Travelling or exiling, depending on how you see it.

In deciding to leave Moscow, Dan ditched a successful career as a stand up comedian back home. Even though it was still possible to continue to perform in his mother tongue for the overseas Russians, Dan decided to convert himself to an English stand up performer. He did have to start over again but in his own words, it is a chance to re-invent himself from Денис Чужой (Denis Chuzhoy) to Dan The Stranger.

Dan talks about this extraordinary journey and his comedy choices - why he'd shy away from hack Russian stereotypes and how Mike Birbiglia inspired him with comedy story-telling.

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Follow Dan on Instagram

His stand up special (in Russian) released in September 2021 that was mentioned in this episode

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00:48 Intro

02:47 From a (domestic) Russian comedian to an exiled/travelling Russian comedian performing in English

07:30 Declaring his view on the war is a must

09:21 Infrequent English performances prior to the exile

10:53 Conversion to a new language to make a living

14:04 A chance to re-invent yourself

16:00 Continue to learn English from an App

18:20 The journey out of Russia

20:49 How have Dan’s audience changed after he left Russia?

21:48 Russian overseas do not stick together

24:22 Hack jokes based on Russian stereotypes

30:51 90% thinking in Russian and 10% thinking in English

32:13 Dan’s special in Russian released in 2021

33:29 “Russian comedy”?

37:01 Police knocks of the door for his jokes

40:25 Dan’s atypical comedy choice as a Russian comedian

42:33 Writing jokes inside a story

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Podcast intro music by @Taigenkawabe