Mikhail Shats (born 1965, Leningrad) is a Russian-Israeli stand-up comedian, TV host, and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s as co-host of the comedy show OSP Studio and later hosted Good Jokes on STS channel (2004-2012), winning two TEFI awards. He left Russia in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine, settled in Israel - where he had held citizenship since 2016 - and was designated a 'foreign agent' by the Russian Ministry of Justice in September 2022. Since emigrating, he has toured Europe and North America with solo stand-up shows, drawing on his experience of exile.
In a May 2026 interview, Shats rejected the label of 'emigrant', saying that for Israelis his move was not emigration but repatriation.
In a June 2025 interview with journalist Stanislav Kucher, Shats said he does not regret leaving Russia but feels sadness at being unable to visit his parents' graves.
Shats told the podcast Smotri v oba in May 2025 that he is content in exile, tours frequently, and has no plans to return to Russia.
On the third anniversary of his move to Israel (April 2025), Shats reflected publicly that emigration had made him stronger.
In autumn 2024, a Russian court rejected Shats's appeal to have his 'foreign agent' designation removed.
