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  3. The Time of Laughter: Comedy and the Media Cultures of Japan

The Time of Laughter: Comedy and the Media Cultures of Japan

David Humphrey
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From broadcast to social media, comedy plays a prominent role in Japan's cultural landscape and political landscape. The Time of Laughter explores how comedy grew out of the early days of television to become a central force in shaping Japanese media over the past half-century. Comedy and its impact, David Humphrey argues, established a "time of laughter" in the media of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries in Japan. Through masterful interrogation of Japanese televisual archives and media discourse, Humphrey demonstrates that the unique temporality of laughter has had a profound role in the cultural atmosphere of Japan's recent past. Laughter both complemented and absorbed the profound tensions and contradictions that emerged in Japanese television. Joyous and cacophonous, reaffirming and subverting, laughter simultaneously alienated and unified viewers. Through its exploration of the influence of comedy and the culture of laughter, The Time of Laughter presents a vibrant new take on Japan's recent media history.
  • Cover
  • Title Page
  • Copyright Page
  • Contents
  • Acknowledgments
  • List of Illustrations
  • List of Cited Japanese Television Networks and Abbreviations
  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1. Outside the Frame
  • Chapter 2. The Rhythm of Laughter
  • Chapter 3. The Way We Laugh Now
  • Chapter 4. A Documentary of Laughter
  • Chapter 5. Yoshimoto Kōgyō, One Hit Wonders, and the Future of Japanese Comedy
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index
Citable Link
Published: 2023
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
ISBN(s)
  • 978-0-472-07618-5 (hardcover)
  • 978-0-472-05618-7 (paper)
  • 978-0-472-22113-4 (ebook)
Series
  • Michigan Monograph Series in Japanese Studies
Subject
  • Asian Studies:Japan
  • Theater and Performance
  • Media Studies:T.V. & Radio

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  • Advance! Radiowave Youth5
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  • We, the Tribe of the Drole2
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  • Nihon Television Network Corporation8
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Black and white still of two women (singing duo, the Peanuts) on either side of man (Hana Hajime). Women turn in to face man who holds telescope up to eye and peers in direction of viewer.

Scene from Shabondama horidee (Bubble Holiday)

From Chapter 1

Fig. 1.1. Crazy Cats’ bandleader Hana Hajime peers through a telescope into viewers’ homes on Shabondama horidee. DVD still from Kurējī kyattsu memoriaru, Disc 1.

Color still of duo Konto 55-­gō on stage. Hagimoto Kin’ichi is pictured mid-­jump as his feet strike the back of partner Sakagami Jirō.

Scene from Konto 55-gō sketch “Tsukue” (“The Table”) (DVD still)

From Chapter 1

Fig. 1.2. Hagimoto drop-kicks Sakagami in the Konto 55-gō sketch “Tsukue” (“The Table”). DVD still from Konto 55-gō kessaku kontoshū.

Color photograph of woman (Maya Junko) seated on stage at left across from man at right (Hagimoto Kin’ichi). Stage is made to look like Japanese living room, and performers sit on tatami mats at a kotatsu table with blanket. In background, a television set sits, displaying name of program (Kinchan no doko made yaru no!). In foreground, silhouettes of audience heads are visible from behind.

Scene from Kinchan no doko made yaru no! (How far will Kinchan go!) (DVD still)

From Chapter 2

Fig. 2.3. Hagimoto and co-host Maya Junko on set of Kinchan no doko made yaru no! during 1977 broadcast, while studio audience is visible in foreground. DVD still from Kinchan no doko made yaru no!, Disc 1.

Color still of man (Kitano Takeshi) in red prince-­like costume, silver cape and make-­up. Silhouette of flag overlays man. At bottom of screen, text transcribes lyrics from song.

Kitano appears as Takechan-man on Oretachi hyōkinzoku (We, the Tribe of the Drole)

From Chapter 3

Fig. 3.2. Kitano appears as Takechan-man alter ego in opening scene of Takechan-man series on Oretachi hyōkinzoku. DVD still from Oretachi hyōkinzoku THE DVD 1981–89, Disc 1.

Two color stills. In first still, man in blue jeans and red bandana stumbles away from falling silver pillars. In second still, same man grabs camera from camera man and makes to kick camera.

Kataoka Tsurutarō performs parody of Kondō Masachi's "Gingiragin ni sarigenaku" on Oretachi hyōkinzoku (We, the Tribe of the Drole)

From Chapter 3

Fig. 3.3. Comedian Kataoka Tsurutarō performs parody of Kondō Masachi’s 1981 “Gingiragin ni sarigenaku” on the Best Ten segment of Oretachi hyōkinzoku. DVD stills from Oretachi hyōkinzoku THE DVD 1981–89, Disc 6.

Three color stills. In first still, man sits across from whiteboard motioning to pictures on board with pointer. In second still, a poster of Kitano Takeshi is held up to camera. In poster, Kitano wears suit in parody of typical politician. In third still, “maneki neko” in likeness of Kitano is displayed. Bottom half of sculpture resembles typical white cat of maneki neko, while top half is face resembling Kitano.

Scenes from 1985 Kumanomae project on Tensai Takeshi no genki ga deru terebi (Genius Takeshi's Happy TV) [first of three screenshots]

From Chapter 3

Fig. 3.4. Scenes from Genki’s 1985 Kumanomae revitalization project. DVD still from Tensai Takeshi no genki ga deru terebi!!

Color still. Two men (duo Saruganseki) stand before finish line banner. Men are wearing blue overalls and white shirts while gesturing relief. On screen, Japanese text reads: “190 days from start in Hong Kong; Travel distance 22,000 km; 18 countries total.”

Saruganseki arrives in London on Denpa shōnen INTERNATIONAL

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.1. Saruganseki arrives in London during October 1996 Denpa shōnen INTERNATIONAL broadcast. DVD still from Denpa shōnen BEST OF BEST raiden mo ne!

Color still of glass sliding doors at entrance to building. Behind lines painted on glass, figures of men visible. On screen, Japanese text reports that target (politician Murayama Tomiichi) has left and returned to another building. Alt.text: Color still. Image shows man and women in negative (colors reversed). In foreground, Japanese text reads: “Duet fail!!”

Example of typical scene of close-out on Denpa shōnen

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.2. Example of a typical scene of close-out on Denpa shōnen. Here, Matsumura seeks SDP head Murayama Tomiichi in quest to clip his eyebrows, only to discover he has missed Murayama. DVD still from Denpa shōnen BEST OF BEST raiden mo ne!

Color still. Image shows man and women in negative (colors reversed). In foreground, Japanese text reads: “Duet fail!!”

Screen turns to negative when President Arafat declines to sing with Matsumoto on Denpa shōnen

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.3. Image from Matsumoto’s 1995 visit to Gaza. The screen turns to negative when Matsumoto learns President Arafat will not sing with her. Telop reads: “Duet fail!!” DVD still from Denpa shōnen BEST OF BEST raiden mo ne!

Color still shows three floating heads against abstract, amphitheater-­like background. Head of man on left is manipulated to appear distorted and stretched out vertically.

Host and guest faces are manipulated in typical studio chat scene from Denpa shōnen

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.4. Image still from in-studio talk scene on Denpa shōnen, including Matsumura (left), Matsumoto (center), and their guest, the comedian Itō Shirō (right). Image still from cable rebroadcast of January 1994 broadcast.

Three color stills. In first still, hand holds scissors up to camera. In background, police guard visible across street in front of building. In second still, men are visible at a distance talking behind a glass entrance door to building. One man (Matsumura) holds up a pair of scissors. In third still, same man shown in close up moving to cut another man’s (Murayama Tomiichi) eyebrows with scissors.

Matsumura tracks down SDP head Murayama Tomiichi in attempt to clip his eyebrows

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.5. Matsumura tracks down SDP head Murayama Tomiichi in attempt to clip his eyebrows on February 1994 broadcast of Denpa shōnen. DVD still from Denpa shōnen BEST OF BEST raiden mo ne!

Color still of man (Nasubi) dancing in small apartment. Man is naked except for black shoes. Cartoon eggplant graphic covers man’s genitalia. At bottom, Japanese text transcribes words of impromptu song.

Nasubi dances in apartment after receiving shoes in the mail

From Chapter 4

Fig. 4.6. Nasubi dances on 1998 episode of Denpa spin-off Susunu! Denpa shōnen when he receives a pair of shoes in the mail. DVD still from Denpa shōnen BEST OF BEST raiden mo ne!

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