Russian comedian is coming to Chicago to perform for the first time in a while.

ROSEMONT, IL - March 8, 2017 - AnimeCon.org announced today that Russian comedian, Yakov Smirnoff, will perform at the Anime Midwest convention in Chicago, Illinois.

Yakov Smirnoff’s quest to understand the science of happiness took him to the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a master’s degree in psychology in 2006 under the supervision of Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology. Today, in addition to being a comedian, Yakov is also an adjunct professor at Missouri State University where he teaches a course on happiness and laughter and is currently earning his Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education & Psychology in Los Angeles, CA.

In “Happily Ever Laughter”, Yakov takes his comedy to a new level to showcase laughter’s effects on relationships and envisions a world where sadness and tears are replaced with love and laughter. Whether on stage or in a classroom, Yakov’s audiences love him. He is passionate about helping people extend the honeymoon stage of their relationships and “fall in love and laughter all over again.” See more at http://www.yakov.com/

"We are very excited. Today is non-anime, and tomorrow we announce a major anime guest announcement," said AnimeCon.org President Ryan Kopf.

Anime Midwest is an annual convention held in Rosemont, Illinois, just outside of Chicago's O'hare Airport. The three day convention hosts all kinds of events ranging from talks with the anime industry to a massive exhibit hall filled wall to wall with anime merchandise. Over 15,000 people are expected to show up at this year's convention, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency O'hare and Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Registering for the convention involves buying a ticket in order to attend, which can be purchased online in advance at http://animemidwest.com/register

Admission to Yakov Smirnoff's performance at Anime Midwest is included in the cost of a badge for the convention. Most events at Anime Midwest come at no extra charge. Autographs at all AnimeCon.org conventions are free.

More information about Anime Midwest's guest list can be found at https://animemidwest.com/guests