Can I Call him “Gorbie?”

He is arguably the person most responsible for the end of the cold war. He was the last man to preside over the Soviet Union, helped end the political supremacy of the Communist Party, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But if your knowledge of the Eastern Bloc consists primarily of Yakov Smirnoff references, you probably know Mikhail Gorbachev as that guy with the coffee stain on his forehead (and no, nitwit, it doesn’t rub off). Now Gorbachev, one of the most influential statesman alive, is coming to SoFla, to the same place where Anna Nicole Smith died (Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, One Seminole Way, Hollywood). Yeah, it’s weird.

He will speak about diplomatic approaches to solving international conflicts. This is the man who instituted Perestroika, the reforms that opened up the Iron Curtain to the West. So spend a little cash and see one of the most important men in the world share his wisdom. It’s better than staying home and watching an ’80s comic tell bad jokes: “In Soviet Russia, vodka drinks you!” Tickets range $55 to $85. Call 954-523-3309, or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
Wed., April 16, 2008