is going on right now. BUT, I did finish making a video for my comedy duo, Gaijindantai, about Free Hugs...? It is inspired by all those cheezy Free Hugs videos that are shot in black and white slow-motion and have some crappy acoustic guitar song as the bgm. Yes, everyone needs hugs... This video is sure to touch your heart and bring a tear to your eye:
In other news (AKA One Pound Gospel):
The sisters were in Shinjuku one day picking up garbage off the street, when sister Angela was approached by a guy asking her to come to his club. She said "no" at first, but when he told her that they were in trouble and needed her help with something, being the good samaritan that she is, she agreed to go. Well, the guy takes her to a host club (host clubs are places women can go to be treated like she matters by guys, basically gigilos, who pander to her every desire...as long as she keeps buying expensive drinks for everyone at her table.) When sister Angela realizes what the place is, she tries to leave, but the Number One host comes and tells the sad story of his life: he has to work at the host club because his parents got into a lot of debt and sold him to the club to pay it off. She is so moved by the story, that she agrees to buy some champagne to help him out...one thing leads to another, and before long she has racked up a $4,000 bill...and finds out the host's story had been a lie. Wow...stupidest nun EVER. So, now the nun has to come up with the cash by the end of the week or the host will tell on her and get her kicked out of the nunnery. Kamenashi Kazuya finds out about it though, and tries to earn the money to pay off her debt by working at the same host club...which was entertaining to watch. Then his boxing coach finds out and busts into the host club to take him home and there meets the number one host, who she recognizes from a magazine (they had conveniently been looking at earlier in the episode) as non other than the number one boxer in Japan. Wow...what a small world. In the end Host-Boxer challenges Kamenashi Kazuya to a match...the title match for Japan's boxing league. If Kamenashi Kazuya wins, Sister Angela's debt will be cleared, but if Host-Boxer wins, Kamenashi Kazuya will have to pay $10,000. OMG! Who will win?! Hmmm...I wonder...I can barely contain myself until Saturday night, when we will find out...
If you want more One Pound Gospel, here is the official site: http://www.ntv.co.jp/1pound/
It is in Japanese, but even if you can't read it, the picture on the main page is pretty awesomely ridiculous.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
TMI, Grandma, T...M...I...
On Wednesday mornings I teach a class with three elderly ladies who are really just learning English as an excuse to get together and chat and don't really care if they actually learn anything...so, it is a pretty interesting class, to say the least. Last week, I discovered that one of the ladies, "M," has a thing for black dudes.
How did I find this out? Well, we were talking about what we did over the week. Coincidentally, each of us had seen a movie and M had gone to see the movie American Gangster. She said it was very interesting and it had Denzel Washington in it, who is black, and he is a nice guy. So I thought, great...so, she is saying she is surprized that a black man could be a nice guy? Or did she mean he played a nice guy in the movie? (not having seen the movie I couldn't be sure, but I am pretty sure the "American ganster" is played by Denzel, and I am also pretty sure the character is not a nice guy...) At any rate, we finished talking about our weekends and moved on to talking about the US primaries, AKA the competition between Clinton and Obama, which I have already mentioned is a super popular topic in Japan right now. One of the other ladies, "K" said that she really admires Clinton because she has a lot of experience and is a very strong and powerful woman. While M on the other hand likes Obama because, "he is a nice guy." Um...OK, yeah, he seems like a nice, charismatic fellow...I can't disagree with that... It was at that point that "H," the third lady, who arrived late, came in, so we gave her a quick recap of what we had been talking about and when I mentioned that I had seen Sweeny Todd, H asked if that was the one with Russel Crowe in it...("no, it stars Johnny Deppp" "Russel Crowe was in Gladiator) H said she didn't like Russel Crowe very much, but K and M both said they thought he was "a nice guy." OK, now I know for a fact (at least I have heard) that Russel Crowe is not a nice guy at all, in fact he is a real jerk. So, this is when I realized that "he is a nice guy," is Japanese Old Lady-speak for "he is a hottie." So, it seems that M really likes black guys, and Russel Crowe. Great...now I know...and I really wish I didn't. Oh, and nobody said that Johnny Depp is "a nice guy"...WTF? He is deffinately a nicer guy than Russel Crowe and Barrack Obama, and although Denzel is a pretty nice guy, I have to say Johnny beats him as well...in fact I think Johnny Depp is one of the top 10 nicest guys in Hollywood...but I guess that is just my personal opinion.
*One Pound Gospel Update*
Even after confessing her love for Kamenashi Kazuya (I prefer to refer to the boxer's character by the actor's name, because it makes it that much more ridiculous), Sister Angela is still confused about her feelings and not sure what she wants to do. So, she does the only reasonable thing-- she goes to live at the boxing gym and train as a boxer... After staying there for a few days, being near Kamenashi Kazuya 24/7, and convincing the son of the gym's owner who runs away from home that even if he has a fight with his mom, his home is still his home (awww, so touching), she decides that she can't run away either, and must go back to her home, the nunnery. BUT...when she arrives the rest of the nuns are outside waiting for her, and won't let her in, saying she should just move out permanently. BUT...Kamenashi Kazuya shows up and begs them to let her return because, even though it would be better for him if she got kicked out, the nunnery is her home, and he wants her to be able to go home (awwww, so touching). BUT...he also tells her, "Sister Angela, I'm going to become the champion! I'm going to beat God!!" Yeah... so tune in next time for "Kamenashi Kazuya vs. GOD" in the boxing match of the millenium...hmmm, I wish...but it does look like in the next episode, Sister Angela goes to a host club, and no, I am deffinately not kidding about that one.
Also in recent Japanese news: One of the members of SMAP, Masahiro Nakai--or "Papa SMAP" as I call him, got a buzz cut for a drama he is filming...This story is causing a huge stir in entertainment news, gaining it more coverage than the Japan Self-Defense Force ship that crashed into a small fishing vessel whose crew remains lost at sea and are presumed dead. In addition to the new do, he has been on a diet (he was already super thin, of course) per the director's request. They compared some footage from last August to what he looks like now, and sure enough, he has "slimmed down and his jaw has gotten a lot sharper." When asked how he has lost the weight, he didn't beat around the bush, but declared, "well, it isn't very good for you, but I just don't eat anything." So there you have it, don't eat anything all day, except a small meal of soba or natto (smelly, fermented soy beans) in the evening, and you can lose weight too! Well, everybody was commenting on how good he looks, without commenting on how maybe you should deffinately NOT try this at home! I'm pretty sure the "Nakai Diet" is sweeping the country as we speak, by which I mean really, it has always been the case that most Japanese people who go on a "diet" have just stopped eating. Oh, and by the way, the director said Nakai still needs to lose more weight.
How did I find this out? Well, we were talking about what we did over the week. Coincidentally, each of us had seen a movie and M had gone to see the movie American Gangster. She said it was very interesting and it had Denzel Washington in it, who is black, and he is a nice guy. So I thought, great...so, she is saying she is surprized that a black man could be a nice guy? Or did she mean he played a nice guy in the movie? (not having seen the movie I couldn't be sure, but I am pretty sure the "American ganster" is played by Denzel, and I am also pretty sure the character is not a nice guy...) At any rate, we finished talking about our weekends and moved on to talking about the US primaries, AKA the competition between Clinton and Obama, which I have already mentioned is a super popular topic in Japan right now. One of the other ladies, "K" said that she really admires Clinton because she has a lot of experience and is a very strong and powerful woman. While M on the other hand likes Obama because, "he is a nice guy." Um...OK, yeah, he seems like a nice, charismatic fellow...I can't disagree with that... It was at that point that "H," the third lady, who arrived late, came in, so we gave her a quick recap of what we had been talking about and when I mentioned that I had seen Sweeny Todd, H asked if that was the one with Russel Crowe in it...("no, it stars Johnny Deppp" "Russel Crowe was in Gladiator) H said she didn't like Russel Crowe very much, but K and M both said they thought he was "a nice guy." OK, now I know for a fact (at least I have heard) that Russel Crowe is not a nice guy at all, in fact he is a real jerk. So, this is when I realized that "he is a nice guy," is Japanese Old Lady-speak for "he is a hottie." So, it seems that M really likes black guys, and Russel Crowe. Great...now I know...and I really wish I didn't. Oh, and nobody said that Johnny Depp is "a nice guy"...WTF? He is deffinately a nicer guy than Russel Crowe and Barrack Obama, and although Denzel is a pretty nice guy, I have to say Johnny beats him as well...in fact I think Johnny Depp is one of the top 10 nicest guys in Hollywood...but I guess that is just my personal opinion.
*One Pound Gospel Update*
Even after confessing her love for Kamenashi Kazuya (I prefer to refer to the boxer's character by the actor's name, because it makes it that much more ridiculous), Sister Angela is still confused about her feelings and not sure what she wants to do. So, she does the only reasonable thing-- she goes to live at the boxing gym and train as a boxer... After staying there for a few days, being near Kamenashi Kazuya 24/7, and convincing the son of the gym's owner who runs away from home that even if he has a fight with his mom, his home is still his home (awww, so touching), she decides that she can't run away either, and must go back to her home, the nunnery. BUT...when she arrives the rest of the nuns are outside waiting for her, and won't let her in, saying she should just move out permanently. BUT...Kamenashi Kazuya shows up and begs them to let her return because, even though it would be better for him if she got kicked out, the nunnery is her home, and he wants her to be able to go home (awwww, so touching). BUT...he also tells her, "Sister Angela, I'm going to become the champion! I'm going to beat God!!" Yeah... so tune in next time for "Kamenashi Kazuya vs. GOD" in the boxing match of the millenium...hmmm, I wish...but it does look like in the next episode, Sister Angela goes to a host club, and no, I am deffinately not kidding about that one.
Also in recent Japanese news: One of the members of SMAP, Masahiro Nakai--or "Papa SMAP" as I call him, got a buzz cut for a drama he is filming...This story is causing a huge stir in entertainment news, gaining it more coverage than the Japan Self-Defense Force ship that crashed into a small fishing vessel whose crew remains lost at sea and are presumed dead. In addition to the new do, he has been on a diet (he was already super thin, of course) per the director's request. They compared some footage from last August to what he looks like now, and sure enough, he has "slimmed down and his jaw has gotten a lot sharper." When asked how he has lost the weight, he didn't beat around the bush, but declared, "well, it isn't very good for you, but I just don't eat anything." So there you have it, don't eat anything all day, except a small meal of soba or natto (smelly, fermented soy beans) in the evening, and you can lose weight too! Well, everybody was commenting on how good he looks, without commenting on how maybe you should deffinately NOT try this at home! I'm pretty sure the "Nakai Diet" is sweeping the country as we speak, by which I mean really, it has always been the case that most Japanese people who go on a "diet" have just stopped eating. Oh, and by the way, the director said Nakai still needs to lose more weight.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
One Pound Gospel Update
So, I have gotten several requests keep updating about the boxer/nun tv drama...I guess I am not the only one who appreciates ridiculous things.
This week's episode centered around Sister Maria's feelings of jealousy when she saw the boxer receiving Valentine's Day chocolate from another girl. Now, I should note that in Japan only girls give choco on V-Day...there is a sepparate holiday on March 14th called "White Day," when guys give a gift in return. So, anyway, Sister Maria was going to give some choco to the boxer, but saw him with the other girl and got mad. She realized that she was jealous because she does like him after all, no matter how much she prays to god. When she asks the Mother Superior what she should do, the old woman replies that she should do whatever makes her happiest, either stay in the convent, or leave and get married to him, adding that it is OK for her to feel confused because even she (Mother Superior) doesn't know what she would do if a hot guy that was her type showed up. Um, yeah, OK, I don't think nun's usually have a "type," unless of course you count Jesus...
But then, the Mother Superior goes to talk to the boxer and tells him that Sister Maria was an orphan who grew up in the church's orphanage and that she decided to become a nun because her dream is to bring peace to the world. Therefore, if she has to leave the convent, she would lose her dream and be sad. Yeah, because ONLY nuns can do charity work... After hearing this, the boxer decides that if he really loves her, he must give her up. He goes to the church while she is praying and, hiding in the back, pretends to be God's voice telling her not to give up her life as a nun. But, she doesn't listen and confesses her love to him instead, and he does the same to her.
So, yeah, happy ending, right? Except, the drama is only half-way done, and according to the preview for next week, she is still a nun...so I guess just because you start dating some guy, doesn't neccessarily mean you get kicked out of the nunnery.
Also, check out the newly added "Guerilla Manzai: Free Hugs...?" videos I have put on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Hisackt27
And photos from our performance at the Canadian Ambassador's Christmas party:
http://gaijindantai.blogspot.com/
(site in Japanese)
This week's episode centered around Sister Maria's feelings of jealousy when she saw the boxer receiving Valentine's Day chocolate from another girl. Now, I should note that in Japan only girls give choco on V-Day...there is a sepparate holiday on March 14th called "White Day," when guys give a gift in return. So, anyway, Sister Maria was going to give some choco to the boxer, but saw him with the other girl and got mad. She realized that she was jealous because she does like him after all, no matter how much she prays to god. When she asks the Mother Superior what she should do, the old woman replies that she should do whatever makes her happiest, either stay in the convent, or leave and get married to him, adding that it is OK for her to feel confused because even she (Mother Superior) doesn't know what she would do if a hot guy that was her type showed up. Um, yeah, OK, I don't think nun's usually have a "type," unless of course you count Jesus...
But then, the Mother Superior goes to talk to the boxer and tells him that Sister Maria was an orphan who grew up in the church's orphanage and that she decided to become a nun because her dream is to bring peace to the world. Therefore, if she has to leave the convent, she would lose her dream and be sad. Yeah, because ONLY nuns can do charity work... After hearing this, the boxer decides that if he really loves her, he must give her up. He goes to the church while she is praying and, hiding in the back, pretends to be God's voice telling her not to give up her life as a nun. But, she doesn't listen and confesses her love to him instead, and he does the same to her.
So, yeah, happy ending, right? Except, the drama is only half-way done, and according to the preview for next week, she is still a nun...so I guess just because you start dating some guy, doesn't neccessarily mean you get kicked out of the nunnery.
Also, check out the newly added "Guerilla Manzai: Free Hugs...?" videos I have put on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Hisackt27
And photos from our performance at the Canadian Ambassador's Christmas party:
http://gaijindantai.blogspot.com/
(site in Japanese)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
More Ridiculousness
This evening, I was just watching the news on TV. Now, I should preface this story by mentioning that Japan is super interesting in the race between Obama and Clinton...only Obama and Clinton...not in the rest of the democrats... and deffinately not in any of the republicans... So, they sent a reporter to the US and gave him the sole purpose of asking Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton what they thought of Japan. They didn't set up an interview or attend a press conference...no, they had this guy stand in the crowd at various campaign speeches and shout his question as the candidates passed by. First, he was lucky enough to get close enough to Obama for his question--"What do you think of Japan?" to be heard, and Barack replied, "I love Japan." Well you can image how absolutely ecstatic everyone in the studio was when they heard that... "Oh my GOD!!! Barrack Obama loves Japan!!!!!! Oh my GOOOOOOODDDDDD," and the like. Next, he tried to ask Hillary as she walked passed and when she was close enough he shoutd out: "Mam, what is your expression of Japan?" No, that is not a typo, he actually said, "expression." Awesome. You send a correspondant with such poor English that he mixes up "expression" and "impression" to talk to, or rather shout at, two of the most high-profile people in the world...excellent job. Incidentally, Clinton's answer was "good." But, to be honest it was so crowded and noisy, and since his question really didn't make any sense, there is a pretty good chance that she was actually responding to a completely different person. But, that didn't stop the news from calling it a "miracle," yes, litereally, they said "Oh my God, a miracle occured! He was able to ask both Obama and Clinton if they like Japan, and both of them said they like Japan...it was a miracle!" And, I don't think I need to point out the ridiculousness of this entire situation.
*Update*
So, the most recent development in "One Pound Gospel" is: another man fell in love with Sister Angela, the nun that the main character is in love with, and this guy was trying to get her quit being a nun and marry him. So, apparently in Japan, nunneries are really just places for women to hang out, until they find the right man and leave to get married...just like any other job for women. But don't worry, by the end of the episode Sister Angela realized that in fact she actually DOES like the boxer...and confessed her love to him. Awesome...maybe I should enter a Japanese nunnery...if I do, I may actually be able to get a date.
*Update*
So, the most recent development in "One Pound Gospel" is: another man fell in love with Sister Angela, the nun that the main character is in love with, and this guy was trying to get her quit being a nun and marry him. So, apparently in Japan, nunneries are really just places for women to hang out, until they find the right man and leave to get married...just like any other job for women. But don't worry, by the end of the episode Sister Angela realized that in fact she actually DOES like the boxer...and confessed her love to him. Awesome...maybe I should enter a Japanese nunnery...if I do, I may actually be able to get a date.
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