Ah, the life of a popular actor in Japan, or “geinin” as they are popularly referred to. On the surface, their lives look nothing short of luxurious, a lifestyles envied by the masses. After all, why wouldn’t their lifestyles be coveted? They make a great deal of money, there is lots of travel involved, their living establishments are exquisite and the list only goes on.
I’ll be as forthcoming as I can here; Japanese television is something of an enigma to me. However, the inner workings of popular variety shows and such are simultaneously fascinate and repulse me, particularly the geinin themselves.
Here’s an example for you: Koyuki Hashimoto and Soko Nakano, better known as “Nippon Erekiteru Rengo”, are a famous comedy duo most recently well known in Japan for their infamous “dameyo, dame dame” (“It’s no good! No good, no good!”)
These words have become so popular in Japan lately that there is a scarce a person in the entire country that hasn’t heard them. One would think that this is a good thing, raising the popularity of the duo and consequently boosting ratings astronomically. It is a good thing… right?
Well, the answer to that question is rather mixed. While it is great for ratings and popularity, there is the looming though underlying problem of a potentially hazardous popularity backlash for the duo.
I learned about this while watching a particular program that was covering the two as they went to a nomikai (“meeting and drinking with someone”) with their manager to talk about their recent success. They came bearing gifts for their manager of course, but the manager’s response caught me a bit off guard.
“でもこれはOKじゃない” (demo kore wa OK janai, or “But this isn’t okay [just with this current popularity]”) was her response to the two. “Why is their manager being so harsh on them, they struck gold in the form of a catchy expression,” I asked my wife.
“They have to be really careful,” my wife explained. “It’s very common for owarai-geinin (comedy actors) to suddenly get very popular with an expression or action, only for everyone to get tired of it later. Then they fizzle out and disappear because of it.”
When I stopped to think about it, it finally clicked. Quick and suddenly popularity for any particular quip, phrase or action will eventually be met with a tired response. The reality of the situation is, these owarai geinin do not have the luxury of revelling in their success. In order to sell and continue being interesting, they must anticipate the popularity backlash and adapt with something new, hilarious and exciting.
As with many other jobs in Japanese society, the work on the geinin is an endless and tireless one if they are to remain successful. Even without the constant travel and filming in various locations, keeping in character or just keeping things interesting, it can be surmised without too much imagination that the luxuries of having lots of money can only be enjoyed if it is accepted that you are in effect, married to your work.
Popularity is directly connected with a lessening or completely destroying privacy, so anything significant that happens in a geinin’s life will eventually come to life, and can even become banter material for future programs. Subject such as these eventually make there way into these programs include but are not limited to divorce, various topics regarding infidelity, life altering car accidents and more.
Even taking all of these things into consideration, would you still want to be a geinin if you could?
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Being a one hit wonder being better than a never hit wonder as long as you come in with the right attitude. The pattern of the ippatsuya recently has been publicized so I think they have a better chance of keeping their heads if they study what happen to those who came before them.
I wrote an article about this specific duo a couple years ago on my blog about comedy in Japan:
http://www.itsfunnyinjapanese.com/news-aviator/2015/5/31/the-bravery-of-the-comedy-of-nippon-erekiteru-rengo
As for what the other writer commented on I think one reason comedians disappear from tv is because there are only a few spots available to them and if they don’t find a specific role to fit on these comedy programs it’s very tough. Talent is but one measure for lasting power. Kano Eiko is one example. Pretty talentless in my opinion but he fills a role on the programs he’s on.
these no talent hacks on TV with one catachphrase are not talented. It is a phenomenon that can be seen in the US too. SNL has had characters with a defining catchphrase -Dan Carvey’s Church lady– anyone? Or Billy Cystal’s Fernando, Jon Lovitz’s Pathological Liar the lsit goes on. THese are interestingfor the 15 minutes they deserve. The ones who make it are the ones that can continue to be creative after their one hit wonder dissipates. The successful ones do not dawdle on catchphrases and have some talent besides their one hit phrase.
That is wny 90% of manzai and comedians in Japan fade away after 6 months. They do not have talent and it is just repeating a phrase. The moment the public gets a catchphrase it is over and these geinin need to be working on new material but most do not have the talent.
It is not a problem that is isolated to Japan but is most visible here,