JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION
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In an OECD survey of 36 nations on people's perceptions of their living conditions, Japan ranked 21st in terms of quality of life; Australia, Norway and the U.S. were the top 3. What do you think of that?
( 12 )
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The Fukuoka mayor is banning public servants from drinking alcohol for a month; the Osaka mayor has declared war on tattoos on civil servants. What do you think of all this?
( 21 )
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Why do you think Facebook's stock failed to live up to the hype in its trading debut?
( 13 )
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Which sport, when played well, do you think is the most exciting to watch?
( 62 )
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What's the difference between an average burger and a great one?
( 12 )
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- Business Teaching Positions - Part-time - Kanto Region
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥3,000 ~ ¥5,000 / Hour
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- National Relief/Substitute Teacher - summer start
- Interac, Tokyo
- Salary: ¥275,000 ~ ¥300,000 / Month
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- 営業パーソン
- 加治金属工業株式会社, Tochigi
- Salary: ¥240,000 ~ ¥350,000 / Month Negotiable
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58 Comments
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0
zzonkerr
Dave Spector has the glory shot of all glory shots, doesn't he? I don't envy many people, including a vast majority of TV gaijin tarento, but that is one guy who, when I see him, I think, "Dang...if only I could..."
Charisma is lacking with the rest of them. Eeeehhh... Bobby Orogon (sp?) is much smarter than he plays on TV and that cute, dense foreigner act is pretty stale by now. Thane Camus kind dropped out of sight lately. A lot of the other guys, well, I can't say anything bad about them, but they certainly don't capture the imagination, do they?
0
cleo
Nothing.
0
smartacus
Foreigners on Japanese TV often come in for a lot of ridicule, but they are probably getting paid a lot of money for what may be a short time in the spotlight. Some, like Bob Sapp, were downright ridiculous. Others like Mari Christine, Patrick Harlan and Dave Spector are very good at what they do and do not allow themselves to act silly (like Kaiya did by becoming a fighter). Sure, some foreigners don't mind appearing on a variety program wearing a chicken costume or whatever, but then so do the Japanese talents, including Beat Takeshi.
The only times I cringe is when a foreigner, especially an African, help perpetuate a stereotype. I think Bobby Ologun was a loose cannon who didn't do Africans any favors by his antics.
0
Altria
Sorry, I can't stand Spector, with his slicked back peroxide hair and horrible suits. He occasionally gets his 15 seconds to make a comment on the issue of the day, which is generally ignored.
I think the Choi Waru Italian guy has done ok for himself, and the guy who does the Sunday night sports news is ok as well.
0
papasmurfinjapan
Jealousy.
If only someone would pay me lots of money go on TV and answer lame questions about (add topic here) on a quiz show. Sit there for 3-4 hours for the shoot, say maybe 10 sentences, 8 of which will be cut from the actual broadcast, and collect a paycheck that is more than many people earn in a month.
The only two that really bother me are Bobby (as others have stated, his portrayal of Africans is not exactly flattering) and Kevin whassisname who is on that political variety show hosted by bakusho mondai on fridays. He has mellowed out a bit recently, but all he used to do was shout everyone down and was thoroughly annoying.
I have a longer list of annoying Japanese tarento, but that will have to wait for another day.
0
Fair dinkum!
I don't watch Japanese TV and the foreigners on it are one of the reasons. Would these people be successful TV personalities in their own country?
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papasmurfinjapan
Probably not. But I doubt many of the TV personalities in your country would be successful on Japanese TV either, so what's your point?
0
romulus3
romulus is on TV sometimes. Not language or variety show. Usually police dramas and usually and FBI agent, criminal or Government type. Usually I am not allowed to say anything. Just look handsome and get shot at, shoot someone, steal something, beat the crap out of someone, receive a colossal beating, or get killed. Its good money and fun to meet famous people. The crew are kind, actors ask you many questions and joke around. No ridicule. Very professional and efficient. Plus your Japanese friends love it when you come back with memorabilia for them. people should try it.
0
Altria
Romulus - sounds fun, where do I sign up?
Do you get paid or is being on TV its own reward?
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romulus3
you get paid Altria. It is fun. Last time I hung out with Tomoka Kurotani and Ken Ishiguro in Kyoto, then later Lake Biwa in Shiga. Travel was paid too. sign up here http://www11.ocn.ne.jp/~echos/
0
hoserfella
Papasmurfinjapan, What a knee-jerk reaction to a very good question.If u didn't get the point of the question, u might want to read it again. It's pretty obvious. Fair dinkum makes a great point by the way. The overwhelming majority of foreign talent are on the show for 1 of 2 reasons. They either speak Japanese very well (Spector), or are willing to perpetuate the Gaijin-as-clown stereotype(Bobby). Just about all, however, are mediocre personalities.
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papasmurfinjapan
hoserfella
Actually I think my rebuttal is a good one and is far from a "knee-jerk reaction". Think about it. Would the "celebrities" from your country of origin make it in Japan? I think it is fair to say, probably not. So why question whether a Japanese tarento (and that is what these people are, regardless of their nationality) would be successful overseas? It is irrelevant.
The fact is, these gaijin tarento fill a niche in Japanese entertainment, which Japanese people find entertaining. Their form of entertainment may not appeal to us, but we are not their target market. Whether or not they would be popular in a different market is completely beside the point.
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papasmurfinjapan
Romulus
hmm, thanks for the link. Not sure I want to trust them with any transration work though...
0
romulus3
hoserfella,
well lets look at the caliber of the Japanese directors, script writers and casting agents not to mention the actors that work on those variety and language shows. Pretty average to say the least. Its hardly the gaijins fault. Not much material to work or direction to work with there. Also the shows irk you because they are made for a specific segment of the market which you do not belong to. Give them a break.
papasmurf,
The shows I have done have been with professionals and some of Japans finest actors. you wont have any problem if you choose low key roles in high profile dramas. Just don't choose a token gaijin role for anything. Choose a specific gaijin role where the scene could not be complete without you.
0
westurn
What do I think ? I think theyre a buncha of kiss-ups and sell outs ! I've never seen one tell it the way it really is ! They all fear for losing their jobs if they did, speaks volumes for freedom of speech doesn't it. I say bring back the old yellin' screechin' shout out yer nostrils "Sore wa hen dayo" program that got yanked a few years back. That was classic ! Staged yes, but still classic !
0
timeon
actually you can make a quick buck if you appear on Jp TV as a foreigner, small roles, extra and so on. It's a very easy job, lots of fun and the pay is ok. I used to do it a lot when I was an undergrad. I don't like to much the Japanese talento, so the more annoying I find the foreign talento who try to imitate that or imitate the stereotype demanded of them. As Feynman once said when asked about his success as a musician and painter: "if you see a monkey playing drums, you would find it extraordinary, regardless of the actual quality of the interpretation" (approximate quote)
0
Sarge
I liked Thane Camus when he did "Funniest English" on Sanma's Karakuri TV, and Daniel Kahl gave a very interesting presentation on Akita style nabe on "Weekend Japanology."
Interviewee ( in message to father - he wants to say "I am not homosexual ): I am not homo-sapien.
Thane: You are human, no?
Interviewee: Yes.
Thane: Human is homo-sapien. You are homo-sapien, no?
Interviewee: No.
Thane: "Human" equals "homo-sapien." "Homo-sapien equals human." You are homo-sapien, no?
Interviewee: No.
Thane hits his head on the wall in frustration...
0
Tricknsam
Get the Americans off the air and keep putting more people from around the world on the Show. The Russian ladies are very professional as well! as the ladies and men from south america. Bring new blood on TV.
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Sarge
"Get the Americans off the air"
That ain't gonna happen 'cause Japanese people love the Americans on the air!
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hoserfella
papasmurf, whether or not a Japanese "talento" could make it on foreign TV wasnt the point. The issue here is very specifically "what do u think about foreigners on Japanese TV?" I'm not sure why you seem to be so upset by this. It's hardly an attack on Japan if that's what you're worried about.
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papasmurfinjapan
horsefella
I'm not upset, and I'm not talking about Japanese people, I'm talking about foreigners who happen to be "Japanese tarento" (people who make a living out of appearing on Japanese tv). You're just not understanding the point of my post.
I apologise if I can't make it any clearer for you what I am trying to say.
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Samurai350
Hoser, I am a bit new to posting on Japan Today topics. However, it has not taken me very long to realize that your only purpose seems to be to stir up trouble on these blogs..... I have read several of your posts on several different topics and thats all you do, you cause trouble. You have yet to actually write something about the topic, you merely criticize what other have written. The only thing I can say positive about you is that you Name fits......
0
GW
I cud care less, moved semirural, refuse to put up an antennae on my house so havent watched J-tv for almost 3yrs(except brief stints in hotels)cant say I miss it, in fact it fantastic wihtout it as the wife ALWAYS had it on & drove me crazy & to keep on topic most of the foreigners just make a$$es of themselves on the boob tube, for the most part they were embarassing to watch
0
hoserfella
Samurai, Im hurt. I think I fill a very good role as a BS detector for certain posters who make outrageous claims like "foreigners on Japanese TV are to be envied", or "Japanese look out for each other on a communal basis".
0
Patrick Smash
Let's face it Japanese TV is an enormous heap of bollocks. The gaijin tarento have no talent, but neither do the Japanese talent, so at least it's fair. Some of the tarento are okay, some do reasonable chat shows and so on in quite excellent Japanese, but most of them get paid good money to reinforce stereotypes for their Japanese paymasters. So they do it for the money.
Nearly all posters here are in Japan, and most of them are here for money I assume, at least partly. These foreign tarento make money, and are looking forward to what that can buy and enjoying the good life. Whether or not they are crap is hardly relevant is it...
0
realist
Most of the foreigners on Japanese TV can speak some Japanese and are a novelty to the Japanese. Basically even the best of them are talentless and are making fools out of themselves. I dont watch Japanese TV very much, and I usually avoid anything involving gaijin "tarentto" because they all make me cringe.
0
Betting
I don't particularly care if they have talent or not, doesn't bother me much. What does bother me is those stupid ads that portray foreign people in a stereotypical negative way. Has anyone seen those Asiaessence (sp?) hair care commercials? It has the beautiful Asian girl being the center of the party (no problem with that, she is gorgeous) but the earlier ads had all the blonde foreign chicks acting if they were so jealous.
And to be honest, I don't know what is more stupid, the people who made the ad wanting to present such an image or those blonde chicks who chose to appear in the ad, certainly they must have known what they were doing.
0
lipscombe
I dont
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Taka313
I wish some of them would disappear.
A couple people on this thread have railed on Bobby Olugun and I applaud them. There is an American boy who went to my son's elementary school, who is black. All of the kids talked to him like he was Bobby and really hurt his feelings. I had to take my two aside and explain that Bobby is a character and that "real" black people neither talk nor act like that. I also suggested to the boy's teacher that he may want to say something to the class about actors and characters.
Bobby has every right to make money acting like a talking ape but I, for one, am not impressed.
Taka
0
Zen_Builder
Agree, how many bald african-americans were mistaken for bobby blanks recently.
Myself not fond of most of the foreign-talento on TV, they just grate on my nerves. Said that so does Becky, etc who grew up here.
Who is that Patrick(?) chap that does the translation/voice-over for Myth-busters he truly gets me.
Same with many of the guys/gals that grew up here but get quizzed about trivia in their home-country which they never knew. Most of them make money pretending to be foreign when they are not.
Aarggh.
0
tkoind2
Japanese TV is honestly pretty soul killing for me. I don't like slapstick in any language and the endless shows hosted by random talento are pretty dull. The foreigners here and there are more or less the same as Japanese talent or are very bad "gaijin" stereotypes. They seem to be set up to show that "yes gaijin in Japan can eat Japanese food, do boring slapstick comedy and make goofy faces" like the J-Talento.
Would be nice if foreigners on TV here could just behave normally and be like anyone anywhere else in the world instead of becoming mockeries of their own existence.
0
rjdsr
Christel Takigawa is the best!
0
GW
betting
come on they were blonde(or pretending to be) cut them some slack clearly they cudnt be expected to know any better, being blonde & all.......
0
cleo
I resemble that remark, being blonde and all.
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Taka313
Oh. I'll type slower. (^_^)
Sorry Cleo, but you did leave yourself open for that one.
Peace,
Taka
0
illsayit
I love Japanese TV. I have my favourite talents. I wonder whether Becky would be considered foreign or Japanese. Doesnt matter to me! I love Japanese TV. Especially the politics.
0
blvtzpk
Foreigners who appear on Japanese TV: They're gettin' the money while the gettin's good. Opportunists, they serving a need, and getting rewarded for it. I doubt they stay awake at night wondering what their impact on the bigger picture is. NHK has some reasonable foreigner-frequented shows, with some decent, well-balanced commnentary, but the focus here is on the the shrill, commerical talento ridden affairs, wide-shows and other pseudo-news programs. But I guess commercial TV is where the money lies, and it's where the money-seekers and extravangant performers flock to.
BTW, I can stick up thumbs up and say GU! but you'll be hard pressed to get me to take my pants off and pirouette. Just sayin'.
0
niku
A few foreigners, no worries! Too many Americans = growing problem.
0
niku
How about putting some gaijin together with Hamada-san and Matsumoto-san? Now that would be interesting tv!!!
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Tricknsam
Japanese TV needs more Russians, Chinese and Brazilians on the TV.
0
brotokyo
Yep, sure is nice seeing 8 foreign players on the same baseball team, surrounding the featured Japanese player on NHK.
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sarcasm123
"Most of the foreigners on Japanese TV can speak some Japanese and"
... that alone is a reason to be hated by some.
0
presto345
I change channels when I spot one :-)
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GW
cleo
just having fun here! I myself used to be blonde, now grey is more appropriate or perhaps silver as the locals wud call my lid ha ha!
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GW
sarcasm123
"Most of the foreigners on Japanese TV can speak some Japanese and"
... that alone is a reason to be hated by some.
guess thats why I hate myself, thought it was just an S&M thing, ths for the explanation!
0
cleo
GW -
No worries - being blonde and all yourself, you just didn't know any better. :-)
0
memyselfI
Hello It`s me again.
Bobby is a STEROTYTPICAL BLACK MALE.
WITH BIG EYES AND TALKS LIKE A MONKEY
ONE TIME ON THE SHOW HE ROLLED ON THE GROUND ACTING LIKE A MONKEY.
I am a Black American. And I am a TEACHER at a PUBLICS CHOOL.
And believe me. Every child that talks to me said to me, " BOBBY "
Every Japanese child thinks all BLACK MALES ARE NAMED " BOBBY " and let`s not forget about the SOFTBANK COMMERICAL
The black business man His name is " Yo So GUY DES ".
hahahaha
Everyday I go to school since I came from America. I here Bobby Bobby Bobby " You are Bobby ! "
The T.V. portrays Bobby as a DUMB REALLY REALLY REALLY STUPID BLACK GUY.
Sorry but that is my opinion.
BOBBY DOES SOME REALLY. STUPID THINGS
He is not funny. I think the writers and producers on the show tell him. " Act like a monkey. " " ACT REALLY STUPID " " YOU HAVE NO SKILLS. YOU ARE THE MOST TERRIBLE K-1 FIGHTER. " Act stupid.
But he is highly paid more then me. And I am a TEACHER. That works 10 hours everyday. Except Weekends.
Young Japanese children watch T.V. EVERY DAY.
Bob Sapp Bobby O. and the rest of the dumb stupid foreigners they have on tv.
I am sorry but they portray black people as stupid monkeys. I haven`t seen a black women on tv. So Blonde people be proud. At least you shown on t.v.
BOBBY OGA BA BA is the first black male on japanese t.v. that everybody knows.
Little children to stupid college kids.
He is the most number one most recogized black person on Japan T.V. and He speaks for all the BLACK MALES IN JAPAN.
And he looks like CLOWN SHOES
and the SOFTBANK YO SO GUY DES COMMERCIALS GOT TO GO !!!! rehire brad pitt.
at least he is not rolling around like a monkey.
0
memyselfI
I had to talk with all the teachers at my school. And tell them it is wrong to call me "Bobby ".
And finally with some nodding of the heads they said. " You know, you are right ! They should call you by your name. "
And T.V. characters are NOT REAL. !!! Sugoi ne !!!!!! "
" I think that is important. I think ????? "
0
ALHQQ
Great post memyselfI! I had similar experiences in Japan with being called "BOBsan"...it's particularly annoying... Thailand is similar, I've been associated with Eddie Murphy and Mike Tyson, WTF???
0
westurn
memyself, I gotta concur ! The last time I saw Sean Kamu (sp) he was portraying an instructor in charge of teaching the "Africans" Japanese. All this while the three pulled leaves off the studio decor and chewed on them, belched, picked their noses, and talked about how badly they needed to take a dump ! Shameful behaviour by the writers and actors, and I haven't seen Mr. Kamu since !
0
Sarge
Yeah, Sanma's show really went downhill after they stopped the Funniest English segment, and Thane Camu had to do those awful segments with Bobby and the other Africans.
0
eresay
Have to agree with the above comments about Bobby. Sold his soul and flushed his race down the toilet and set back the cause of Africans in this country, years.
The only other thing that bugs me is when foreigners try to be "too Japanese" and mimmick the gestures and mannerisms of their Japanese hosts. You know what I mean, the head nodding when listening, the "eeeeeeh" with rising intonation when presented with a surprising fact. I don't know his name but some guy who has a rough kind of Tohoku dialect when he talks is the master at it. I've never seen anyone try to be so Japanese!
0
Betting
I have to agree with memyself I. Bobbi is able to make a nice living, but at such a cost to other people. I think Bobbi should look at ways of giving respect to others as it is really needed.
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xxzjxx
Bobby sucks and most japanese dont care for him anyway.
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omarbabilon
Of course Bobby seems like an idiot, and many others pretend to be more japanese than the japanese, but what are you expenting, they all live in Japan, the whol country think "if you look stupid, you are funny" or you havent seen all the comediants in this country?... I am really sorry but this the rule here... "and if you want to be accepted in the company as "talent" you have to do the same as the others", after hearing this Bobby accepted that he has to act like idiot, dont blame him, you can blame idiosincratic issues.
0
Blue_Tiger
A lot of them are just show-offs, looking for their 15 minutes of fame.....
0
PuffinMuffin
Peter Barakan (sp?) seems low-key and features in informative programs, I think.
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