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1. Tell me about a family member, colleague, friend, friend of a friend or neighbour who you think gossips too much. Please don't use their real name (e.g. "I have a colleague, let's call him 'Dave'").
2. Have you ever bought or read a "shukanshi" (weekly gossip) magazine or tabloid newspaper? If yes, what did you think? If no, why not?
3. Do you ever watch gossip ("wide show") programs on TV? Why or Why not?
4. The media often exposes affairs involving pop stars, actors, actresses, politicians or sports personalities. Tell me about an affair that shocked Japan - who was it between? What happened? Were you shocked? Why?
5. Often politicians, leaders and personalities have to make public apologies for things they have done wrong. Please think of a public apology that you have seen on TV. Who was apologising? What had they done? Do you think they were forgiven? Why or why not?
6. Tell me about a famous personality who you think has been treated unfairly by the media in your country.

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Question 1

I have several ex-colleagues. The two worst were... let's call them T kun and H chan. They were and probably still are huge gossips. But they are a very different type of gossiper. T talked about things that were true or his own opinion about someone or a particular situation while H twists and combines reality and fiction of a situation/person together making something that is half true and half untrue.

Question 2

I have bought some for other people especially friends in the hospital. I have only read in waiting rooms at the dentist or doctor's office. I only flicked through and didn't take any notice. I was just killing time.

Question 3

I watch sporting gossip - which player might get transferred to which team, which coach might get fired etc. Does this count as a wide show on TV? If not, then I do not because I find them a little boring.

Question 4

I honestly cannot tell you about a Japanese affair, but I am sure the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky affair would have been big news in Japan. It happened in the mid-nineties when the internet was still in its infancy. So when news broke that the President of the USA had acted indecently with what was essentially an employee I was shocked, and I am still shocked to this day.

Question 5

I remember the famous "Crying Japanese politician" named Ryutaro Nonomura. I think he was accused of using public money for travel expenses. When he had to talk to the press he became super emotional. I think he was found guilty of the crime.

Question 6

I think the All Blacks rugby team gets treated unfairly sometimes. New Zealanders love rugby to the point that it is a religion and the All Blacks are almost like holy deities. They win most of their games every year but the few they lose, they are savagely criticized. They are also belittled if they do not perform over 99%. I think New Zealanders need to relax a little bit when it comes to supporting the All Blacks

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
particular	格別
twists	曲折
flicked through	はじけた
killing time	退屈しのぎ
fired	しくじる
infancy	幼稚
indecently	戯ける
essentially	元来
accused	被告人
deities	諸天
savagely	猛然
belittled	見縊る