Ukrainian stand-up didn’t start in a club with a brick wall and a microphone. It began in the post-Soviet 90s, shared on audiocassettes.

At the center of it all was someone most people know from Eurovision: Verka Serduchka. She took second place at Eurovision 2007, with her sequins, silver star, and the song that got Europeans dancing in their chairs.

Enjoy the episode or read a 1-minute reflection here.

This episode was originally published on April 17, 2026.

Image: Verka Serducka, photo by telekritika.ua