# Comedy sketch ID **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399 "2014-10-04T20:35:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/1 "2014-10-04T20:35:09Z")
Sometime in the '80s (I think), during the Cold War, I saw a sketch involving an American and a Soviet diplomat. Neither could speak the other’s language, so there was an interpreter. Russian dialogue was subtitled. Both diplomats offered words of compromise and reconciliation, but the interpreter ‘translated’ these peaceful overtures as belligerent and insulting declarations. I think at the end, World War III started. Does anyone remember this sketch? I don’t _think_ it was SNL or SCTV. It may have been _Fridays_ or _Almost Live_. Bonus points if you have a link to a video of the sketch. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/2 "2014-10-04T22:51:08Z")
I have a _very_ vague recollection of this. I’m thinking it was more late '70s, after the fiasco in Poland with Jimmy Carter’s lame interpreter. Which would make it a natural for _ **SNL** _ with Aykroyd as Carter and maybe Belushi as Brezhnev (and probably Buck Henry as the interpreter). But, as I say, this is only a vague recollection. On the other hand, Johnny Carson did a great impression of Reagan, so it could well have been on _ **The Tonight Show** _ in the early '80s. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/3 "2014-10-05T00:21:31Z")
I know the exact sketch you’re thinking of. It was the very early 80s. It was not performed live on any show like \*SNL \*or _Fridays_, it was a filmed, independent short, no audience or laugh track. I only ever saw it on HBO when they used to show comedy shorts in between movies (they were titled _ **’Short Takes’** _)… As I recall the interpreter keeps translating one side of the conversation (the American President’s I think) into questions about the Soviet Premiere’s wardrobe and tailor. It ends with a voice over of the two country’s military commanders ordering the launch of their ICBMs. I think the America commander says _“Fire that mother!”_ as well. It was very well done and very funny, however I can’t find an actual copy of it anywhere via Google… ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/4 "2014-10-05T00:33:25Z")
Also it didn’t use subtitles, the Russian dialog is merely done in english-ski, i.e. English spoken with a think Russian accent. Except for the ending missile launch voice over, I think that may have been in actual Russian… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/5 "2014-10-05T01:04:33Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > I know the exact sketch you’re thinking of. It was the very early 80s. It was not performed live on any show like \*SNL \*or _Fridays_, it was a filmed, independent short, no audience or laugh track. I only ever saw it on HBO when they used to show comedy shorts in between movies (they were titled _ **‘Short Takes’** _)… As I recall the interpreter keeps translating one side of the conversation (the American President’s I think) into questions about the Soviet Premiere’s wardrobe and tailor. It ends with a voice over of the two country’s military commanders ordering the launch of their ICBMs. I think the America commander says _“Fire that mother!”_ as well. > > … > > Also it didn’t use subtitles, the Russian dialog is merely done in english-ski, i.e. English spoken with a think Russian accent. Except for the ending missile launch voice over, I think that may have been in actual Russian… OK, you’re right about the subtitles. And now that you mention it, I’m sure I saw it on _Showtime Shorts_. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/6 "2014-10-05T17:42:12Z")
I know this was a short film; I seem to recall that the interpreter guy looked a lot like Jon Landis. I want to say it was called _The Interpreter_, but since Sydney Pollack went and used that title in the mid-90s, it’s a little hard to dig out what I’m looking for. I’ll find it tho. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/7 "2014-10-05T17:46:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’ll find it tho. If anyone can, you can! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/8 "2014-10-05T17:54:47Z")
[I’m not the only one looking](http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-name-of-the-short-film-in-which-an-interpreter-runs-negotiations-between-American-and-Soviet-diplomats-who-cant-understand-each-other). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/9 "2015-07-27T06:44:20Z")
I’m still looking. No luck so far, but this thread does pop up near the top of almost any google search I do, so that could help in the search too. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/10 "2015-07-28T04:49:00Z")
I think I saw a bit like that watching a Tom Jones DVD where he had great musicians as guests on the shows from around 1970. It was Ace Trucking Co or The committee. He used both. Might have been Fred Willard. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/11 "2015-07-28T14:02:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’m still looking. No luck so far, but this thread does pop up near the top of almost any google search I do, so that could help in the search too. Too bad there’s not an Internet Move Shorts Database. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/12 "2015-07-28T15:32:26Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Too bad there’s not an Internet Move Shorts Database. Don’t get me started on that subject, eh. There’s all kinds of regional ones and country-based ones and even a couple by subject, but mostly it’s a bunch of crapshoots in the dark with damaged dice to find info on short films. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedy-sketch-id/700399/13 "2017-08-03T15:13:21Z")
I was thinking about this sketch the other day, and thought I’d received an answer. I guess I didn’t. Bump!