SMAP singer Masahiro Nakai to be TBS' main commentator for Winter Olympics
Entertainment ( 46 )
TOKYO —
SMAP member Masahiro Nakai, 37, will serve as the main commentator on TBS during coverage of the upcoming Vancouver Olympics, the network announced this week. Nakai has held the position since the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the singer laughed that he had “an inkling of a suspicion” that he would be chosen this time around as well.
Mogul skier Aiko Uemura, figure skaters Daisuke Takahashi and Mao Asada, and speed skater Miho Takagi are all expected to come home with the gold, and Nakai predicted that, “Mao-chan and Takagi will be able to turn all the pressure on them into power.”
TBS said it will send Nakai to the East Coast of the U.S. for four days from Friday to document figure skater Miki Ando.
Nakai’s assistant during the Olympic broadcast will be “NEWS23” sports news announcer Erina Masuda. Nakai has done previous Olympic coverage on-location, but his busy schedule will keep him in the studio this time around.
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46 Comments
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XXXXX
good grief, hate his voice the most
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some14some
I would recommend to him medicine "Benza Block" - irritating voice indeed.
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slizzzer
Why doesn't this surprise me.
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Geoffkiwi
Mao Asada "expected" to come home with gold? I thought the Korean skater Kim Yu-Na was overwhelming favorite in the ladies figure skating. -2009 World Champ, 3 time Grand Prix Final Champion, record holder in short and free skating and that is just a small sampling. Someone ought to let TBS know.... also let them know Japan isn't the only nation competing at the winter olympics. From what I saw of the summer games while it was broadcast here the olympics consists of a week of judo then a week of one swimming event.
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combinibento
This man sounds like a boy in the midst of puberty with that voice. Hell, he even looks like a boy in the midst of puberty.
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InTheKnow
Whew! What a relief! A mediocre singer-dancer 'tarento'will share his wisdom and insights about the competition with us. I'm glad they didn't go with a former gold medal winner or someone who actually competed in an Olympics or two. Again, the powers that be choose style over substance. And poor style at that.
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hokkaidoguy
"Skiing mogul Aiko Uemura"
LOL. Pretty sure that should read: "Mogul skier"...
Moderator: It has been corrected, thank you.
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sk4ek
And good luck figuring out what will be shown when--practically every broadcaster has a piece of the Winter Olympics, making it a real headache to try to record favorite events to watch later. Nakai is annoying but they could've done worse.
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Potsu
Oh no...
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jerseyboy
Another clear sign that we cannot expect any coverage that does not include Japanese athletes. My guess is this clown could not name even five foreign athletes who'll compete in Vancouver. What's more, the American anchors have been prepping for months for this assignment. This guy was just hired less than two weeks ahead. What a farce.
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GJDailleult
As long as he doesn't sing. I have an "inkling of a suspicion" that he won't be asked to.
I wonder if he gets paid directly for this though, or if it all goes through his so-called "agent", and maybe he will get a little bonus on top of his salary for the Olympic gig.
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seesaw
Wow. Impressive. The part about Japan I'm still amazed at. You can do any job functions without any proper qualifications for the particular job...:)
He must have kissed all the right arses...!
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Betting
When Nakai is on television he tries to do everything from comedy to serious stuff, and he just can't do it. And like so many people have already said, what does he know about sport?
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Rugbyfan
Nakai is a complete wally and I'm sure has very little knowledge of the winter olympics and who the top athletes are. What a joke!!!
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ahocchau
Will they have the little pre-pubescent boys come out and sing cheerful songs to the Japanese athletes before hitting them in the head with plastic hammers? Ooops, that is a different show.
This one is "We rule the world even though we have no medals" propoganda. Sorry, my bad.
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goddog
Maybe he will do a Bistro Smap for us during breaks.
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ratpack
Wow....I'd be pissed if i was a "real passionate sports reporter" and they over look you for a smap member.
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samwatters
"As long as he doesn't sing. I have an "inkling of a suspicion" that he won't be asked to."
Amen,GJDailleult!
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yokomoc
Looking forward to his expert analysis
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tkoind2
As long as it keeps him from singing for a while I am happy.
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Goya-Champuru
nakai in tbs and becky in nhk. you have the remote control to decide
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koriyamaboy
Wow! Japanese tv continues to drop the ball in sports. Why this loser? But I guess why not? As said above, it is not like they will cover any sports where Japan has no chance.
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tkoind2
"...it is not like they will cover any sports where Japan has no chance."
If you lived on another planet and watched the Japanese coverage of the Olympics you would have to wonder if any other country is even participating in them. And wonder why there are only about seven sports included.
Coverage here is dreadful.
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ahocchau
I realize every country is a little self-indulgent in their olympics coverage, but at least in the US I got to see a FLAG or even a FACE of the other country athletes. Here, if Japan doesn't win you don't even get the RESULTS of the event...
I thought the sumer olympics were a judo exhibition being held in Tokyo. It is rather pathetic, this Napoleon complex the Japanese have about their sports. They are little runts so they have to magnify their petty chievements even more than what they are worth.
I did not even know there was an official name for a 4th place olympic even until I lived in Japan. Seem slike they are happy to finish 4th here for some reason.
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combinibento
Is there going to be any international coverage on BS or CS something? Something with actual - gasp - professionals reporting on a myriad of events? I'd like to avoid this Nakai fool (and Becky too) if at all possible.
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Wakarimasen
Glad they got an expert to enhance my viewing experience.
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timeon
I have two words for you: cable TV
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bentheredonthat
Japan is all about entertainment value and not real coverage of sports. Almost every sporting event has to have some dumb teen-band or air-head who "supports" the team. Let us just watch the sport without all these "added values."
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tkoind2
I have one question for you. What channels on CATV?
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timeon
I have 7 channels of sport. they're bilingual, so I always listen to the English commentators (for international events that is).
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squanto
Did he really accept to be a commentator for the winter olympics? WAOW!! this is japan.The audience are japanese,for most part. Let`s get used to the mentality,here.
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movieguy
Timeon... But are the Olympics going to be on the satellite/cable channels like J-Sports, Gaora, etc???
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InTheKnow
Yes, and it's a good thing my remote has an 'off' button.
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stirfry
not only that, but he probably can't name 5 other countries that will be competing
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yabusama
Yet another reason not to watch the coverage here in Japan. Thank god for the internet.
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stirfry
when you're used to finishing 10th, 4th is almost the same as medalling
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noirgaijin
Now now everyone, we all know if the networks place a REAL sports announcer instead of a popular clown like Nakai, rating would plummet and sponsors would pull out. It's the cold hard facts in this country, talents and other goofballs rule the airwaves. Legitimate sports personalities don't make an impact on the typical Japanese viewers. Most will come out of this knowing even less about the diversity of Olympic sports events.
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Monaka
Canadian officials are asking the athletes to bring some snow with them when they come. Hope he can bring some too---the snow-snakes are the worst at this time of year when there isn't much snow and the temperatures are above zero.
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kisekicaroline
why nakai? does he play any sports? is he into sports? first it's becky, then it's sakurai sho, and now it's nakai...
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sctaber56
Mogul skier not "skiier"
BTW, how are Japan's ice dancing sister and brother duo, Cathy and Chris Reed, expected to do at the Winter Olympics?
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InTheKnow
duh! Sports, Music, Assemble, People = SMAP. You can look that acronym up if you don't believe me.
It's telling that this story is listed in the 'Entertainment' section and not 'Sports'.
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BurakuminDes
Masahiro Nakai had a hair transplant. Not relelvant to this discussion and his impending anchoring of the Olympics in any way, just thought I'd state it. Good luck to TBS - they will surely need it. I will just watch Mao-chan close-ups - in slow mo - as she performs the quadruple axel with the sound down.
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LoveUSA
men do not realize that they are sexy bald. hair transplant - yuck!
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nightvision
First, Becky... Now, Nakai?
It's like Kim Kardashian and Justin Timberlake hosting Superbowl!
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therealmusashi
The amazing thing is that the New Kids On The Block, and the other talentless, poseur boybands have all been called out and roundly ridiculed for appealing mainly to 12 year old girls...yet somehow that construct always comes back stronger than ever. Somehow it never gets old...?
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