Question 1

I do not know many Japanese comedians. I know a famous comedic group from New Zealand who are called "Flight of the Concords". There are two men in the group, Jermaine Clement and Bret McKenzie. They are both from Wellington and they became famous for their live comedy shows.

Question 2

Yes, I like them very much. There humor is fairly dry and it is typical kiwi humor.

Question 3

I like dry humor and I also like observational humor. I generally like male comedians much more than female.

Question 4

I have seen many, there is a treasure trove of quality clips on Youtube.

Question 5

I remember there was a comedian named Billy T. James who suffered from racism early on in his career.

Question 6

I think I have a good sense of humor as I do not take most things too personally.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
kiwi	ニュージーランド人
dry humor	辛口ユーモア
observational humor	観察的ユーモア
treasure trove	掘り出し物
racism	人種差別

Question 1

One of my all-time favorite duos is Nakagawake. Their first names are Reiji and Tsuyoshi. Both of them are from Osaka Prefecture. They became famous after winning the M-1 Grand Prix, which was held back in 2001. One of the many reasons why they became very successful is because of their originality and genuinely funny impersonations.

Question 2

Nakagawake is probably the only Japanese comedy duo that I like. They like to make fun of a certain group of people without offending them. Reiji also impersonates people like no one else! I always get excited when they appear on tv.

Question 3

I typically enjoy observational comedy as I can relate to a lot of things that the comedians say or act out. I also enjoy character comedy as most of the very famous character comedians never fail to make me laugh!

Question 4

Russell Peters, a Canadian comedian would probably be the funniest comedian that I have ever seen. His jokes are very smart but sometimes can be a little offensive!

Question 5

I have never heard of any comedians from Indonesia or Singapore who live a tragic life. Most of them are pretty happy in life and grow old, becoming veteran comedians that are well respected among the entertainment industry.

Question 6

Some people have told me that I have no sense of humor but others say that I'm creatively funny. I guess that my mood plays a big part in how I interact with people. When I have a good mood, I generally smile a lot and like to joke around. However, when my mood is not so good, I start to take jokes seriously!

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
originality	独創
genuinely	本当に
impersonation	なりすまし
offend	気分を害する

Question 1

Takashi Okamura. He is one half of the comedy duo Ninety-nine, working for the entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo. Hiroyuki Yabe, the other member of the group, acts as the straightman while Okamura plays the stooge. The duo formed in the year 1990. In late 2020, Okamura got married with a long-time friend of twelve years.

Question 2

I guess I like him. Since my Japanese language ability is quite poor and since comedy tends to be a cultural thing, I don't really understand Japanese humour. That said, there are certain things that transcend language and culture that everyone can appreciate as being funny, such as a good old slapstick pie to the face. Despite my lack of understanding, I can appreciate that Okamura is a funny person. It's also obvious that he has a lot of energy and enjoys what he does. He seems like a very likeable guy.

Question 3

I appreciate all forms of humour. At least, nothing comes to mind that I don't like. Although I enjoy comedy movies and TV sitcoms, my favourite type of comedy would have to be stand-up. Somebody alone on stage, entertaining the crowd with their words and their wit is an amazing thing. You need to be a good story teller and a good impersonator, you have to be capable of physical comedy and mime, and you need to be able to improvise when necessary. It really is an art form.

Question 4

Dave Chappelle has got to be one of the greatest comedians – if not, the greatest – of all time. He is funny, no question. But he is also clever, he is honest, and he is insightful. He is has a lot to say that is worth listening to and he is consistently entertaining. Any time I hear he has put out a new special, I rush to find it online and watch it as soon as I can. I have never been disappointed by any of his shows that I have seen.

Question 5

Eurydice Dixon was an Australian comedian who was killed in 2018. She was only twenty-two years old at the time of her death. Had she died in an accident or because of some illness, that would be bad enough. Sadly, horribly, she was murdered on her way home after a comedy show one night. She was by all accounts a popular and talented up-and-comer in the comedy scene.

Question 6

I don't think this is a question anyone can really answer about themself. Sure, I think I have a pretty good sense of humour. You'd have to ask what my family and coworkers think though!

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
conglomerate	コングロマリット
stooge and straightman	ボケとツッコミ
transcend	超越する
slapstick	ドタバタ
come to mind	呼び戻す
impersonator	なりきる人
mime	パントマイム
insightful	洞察力のある
time of death	死亡時刻
by all accounts	どう見ても