The paper examines the history of the Soviet/Russian humorous TV show KVN (Klub veselykh i nakhodchivykh) from the 1960s to the present day, as a spectacular example of the duality of the Soviet cultural sphere. KVN began in 1961 as a game show featuring university teams. It quickly became a separate genre of samodeiatel'nost' and a part of non-official culture, a place for artistic experiments, satire, and even civic engagement. Closed in 1972 after experiencing growing pressure, the show was reborn under Perestroika in 1986, becoming a hotbed of social and political satire. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, KVN grew into a movement consisting of several leagues and thousands of teams in different countries, not counting unofficial groups and competitions. Its former participants now dominate entertainment television in Russia, and the KVN show remains among the most popular entertainment programs on Channel One. At the same time, in recent years KVN has become an exemplary case of officially approved satire and humor and a semi-official state project that is now being used as a platform for the promotion of the "right political course".