First time I've seen that on Japanese telly!
Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson
Millionaire at the weekend, and they had some top fortune teller on
(obviously not good enough to have divined the answers beforehand, but
that's another matter) who, shock horror, was actually going to give
her prize money to charity, some one supporting kiddies' education in
Africa!
Well, after she bought some Edo-era black pottery tea cup she had her
eye on, of course, she'd give the change to a good cause, if there was
any left.
My wife pointed out she already does consultations for up to 3 million
yen a session, so she was just playing for a couple of days' salary,
but even with remarkably easy questions she still failed on the last
one.
Over the holidays, I also watched the Woody Allen film "Small Time
Crooks", where he and Tracey Ullman play two poor, unsophisticated
people who gain far too much money, and fill their new penthouse flat
with exceptionally gaudy, expensive tat in order to try to impress
people. I was taken by how similar their portrayal of that situation
was to the endless Japanese shows where we see inside rich people's
homes and are supposed to be impressed by the price tags on the
wall-to-wall shite they have piled up.
Ken
Eric Takabayashi
> I was watching - or rather, the BYJW was watching - Who Wants to be a
> Millionaire at the weekend, and they had some top fortune teller on
> (obviously not good enough to have divined the answers beforehand, but
> that's another matter) who, shock horror, was actually going to give
> her prize money to charity, some one supporting kiddies' education in
> Africa!
Well, back when there was Koko ga Hen Da Yo Nihonjin on, Zomahoun Rufin,
the excitable stuttering man from Benin who somehow got himself to China
for a master's degree, then worked most of the day in a small factory in
Japan to put himself through a master's program here (losing part of one
finger in the process when he operated a machine asleep) while living in
what I believe was a cheap old one room apartment, he wrote a book in
Japanese called Zomahoun no hon, donating all proceeds to building
elementary schools in rural areas in his home country of Benin, in areas
where there were no schools and no teachers, and the alternative for
children was field labor. Finding willing teachers who could speak the
local language was a problem (eventually he had to recruit people from
teacher's college), and it was difficult to convince parents and elders
that children should be schooled instead of helping with farm work, but a
nice little concrete school could be built from scratch, for 6 million
yen. At last count (the show was canceled soon after) I believe there
were three schools, all bearing Beat Takeshi's name for popularizing
Zomahoun, his country, and his cause.
Zomahoun, for some strange reason, ONLY accepted money for his cause from
sales of his book (it went through numerous printings, but now has lost
popularity), and did not accept cash donations. He even returned cash
that people had sent him via the show. If he wanted as much money as
possible for building schools in Benin (who knows how the schools are
funded now, as the government was unwilling or unable to support them in
the first place), he should take cash from all the people who were
willing to give.
I do not recall the title of the show, but there also used to be one of
those Japanese game shows on which only celebrities appeared (why do they
do this in Japan) and prizes were donations to charities such as, IIRC,
some cause in Southeast Asia.
> Well, after she bought some Edo-era black pottery tea cup she had her
> eye on, of course, she'd give the change to a good cause, if there was
> any left.
>
> My wife pointed out she already does consultations for up to 3 million
> yen a session, so she was just playing for a couple of days' salary,
> but even with remarkably easy questions she still failed on the last
> one.
Yeah, I don't get why these Japanese celebrities, some of whom make
millions of dollars a year, are the ones playing for what amounts to
pocket money (and bitching when they don't win or make a mistake) or tiny
trinkets such as inch tall crystal figurines, instead of allowing common
people to play and win more than postcard drawings during the closing
credits.
> Over the holidays, I also watched the Woody Allen film "Small Time
> Crooks", where he and Tracey Ullman play two poor, unsophisticated
> people who gain far too much money,
KG II would tell you there is no such thing. They deserved that money
somehow.
> and fill their new penthouse flat
> with exceptionally gaudy, expensive tat in order to try to impress
> people.
Recently I've decided my "interesting car" will be a Japanese made
vintage car such as a Nissan from the early 80s or older, or maybe one of
those black and white type AE 86 Toyota Corolla turbo coupes.
http://tinyurl.com/yvqe8 Right here at home.
http://tinyurl.com/25l3h Another reason for me to check out Tomioka
City.
> I was taken by how similar their portrayal of that situation
> was to the endless Japanese shows where we see inside rich people's
> homes and are supposed to be impressed by the price tags on the
> wall-to-wall shite they have piled up.
I love those shows. I'll never forget the guy who went from being someone
who never went to high school, to the richest guy in town. He started a
construction company and now has a five floor replica of a Japanese
castle on a hill (appointed inside with purple crushed velvet, etc., to
make it look like a hostess club or love hotel) and has a stable of
exotic cars such as a Lamborghini Countach he claimed was his car for
going out to eat ramen. Just the plain looking metal door on the gate to
the house cost 30 million yen. He had two high school aged kids who were
embarrassed. The little shits should try growing up poor to learn to
appreciate what they have.
Then there is that woman who keeps on buying enormous gems, bragging for
years that she wants to be the walking 100 oku. She has the money and
enough jewelry, so I can't imagine why she simply does not do it.
Recently I've realized that I'm doing the things I was not allowed to do
while growing up, and also what my father was not allowed to do after
getting married.
--
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http://www.mercycorps.org/items/1398/
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supplies.
mr.sumo snr.
news:6afefaef.04010...@posting.google.com...
I switched off for the obaa-san - but I did watch Shinjo rank in a cool
million - though his feigning over the last answer was pretty bad,
especially for a professional sportsman. It was fairly obvious that he
totally knew the answer when the question came up, the producers must have
told him to lay it on a bit so they'd at least be some tension to the
finale. Noticed that he pocketed the money - but coming back from the
Majors and with a future move up north the guy could probably do with all
the money he can lay his hands on...for warm winter clothing.
I loved his comment about the main differences between the Majors and
pro-yakyu. Not sure if I understood the missus' translation 100% but I
believe he said: fundamental to yakyu is the role of the coach - all eyes
are on the coach and it's his performance rather than the players' that is
believed to determine games. Contrasted with MLB where it is the players
who win games, the coach is secondary. Nothing new there though - Jim
Allen's 'The Hot Corner' in the Daily Yomiuri has more or less been saying
the same thing since his first column.
I did like Shinjo's pencil! Maybe that fortune teller should have borrowed
it.
--
jonathan
--
"Never give a gun to ducks"
The 2-Belo
>Well, back when there was Koko ga Hen Da Yo Nihonjin on, Zomahoun Rufin,
>the excitable stuttering man from Benin who somehow got himself to China
>for a master's degree, then worked most of the day in a small factory in
>Japan to put himself through a master's program here (losing part of one
>finger in the process when he operated a machine asleep) while living in
>what I believe was a cheap old one room apartment, he wrote a book in
>Japanese called Zomahoun no hon, donating all proceeds to building
>elementary schools in rural areas in his home country of Benin, in areas
>where there were no schools and no teachers, and the alternative for
>children was field labor. Finding willing teachers who could speak the
>local language was a problem (eventually he had to recruit people from
>teacher's college), and it was difficult to convince parents and elders
>that children should be schooled instead of helping with farm work, but a
>nice little concrete school could be built from scratch, for 6 million
>yen. At last count (the show was canceled soon after)
...probably because there was nothing really left to cover...
>I believe there
>were three schools, all bearing Beat Takeshi's name for popularizing
>Zomahoun, his country, and his cause.
I bought a copy. Rather inspiring immigrant story. Your average JET should have
to go through all that as a requirement.
[...]
>Yeah, I don't get why these Japanese celebrities, some of whom make
>millions of dollars a year, are the ones playing for what amounts to
>pocket money (and bitching when they don't win or make a mistake) or tiny
>trinkets such as inch tall crystal figurines, instead of allowing common
>people to play and win more than postcard drawings during the closing
>credits.
Simple economics, probably. There are no doubt various involved parties who
stand to make more money off celebrity appearances on any show than your plain
Taro Yamadas pulled off the street. Ratings would be a big reason. Product
endorsement would probably be another.
[NOTE: TALK-OUT-ASS ATTEMPT AT ANALYSIS FOLLOWS] I suspect that unlike the US --
where people get a real kick out of seeing their own kind win bazillions of
dollars on game shows because they like to imagine it's them doing it -- the
average Japanese viewer prefers to watch more high-profile guests on such
programs, possibly because the concept of watching Joe Bloznolis win 10 million
yen is, I dunno, boring?
>Recently I've decided my "interesting car" will be a Japanese made
>vintage car such as a Nissan from the early 80s or older, or maybe one of
>those black and white type AE 86 Toyota Corolla turbo coupes.
Ooh yeah. Friend of mine used to have one of those, with a big fat turbo that
went WHISSSSSSSSSH during each upshift and had to be cooled down with a timer
before shutting the car off. Felt like a JATO unit after second gear. It's too
bad he sold it off before I had the money to buy it off him myself.
But, then again, I'm 33, and am supposed to be too old for such things now.
That's why I drive a Vista Ardeo and keep my mouth shut. *g*
--
The 2-Belo
the2belo[AT]msd[DOT]biglobe[DOT]ne[DOT]jp
news:alt.alien.vampire.flonk.flonk.flonk (mhm21x20)
news:alt.fan.karl-malden.nose (Meow.)
http://www.godhatesjanks.org/ (God Hates Janks!)
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Brett Robson
>
>
>I switched off for the obaa-san - but I did watch Shinjo rank in a cool
>million - though his feigning over the last answer was pretty bad,
>especially for a professional sportsman.
I saw him on another show. The talent said obviously you speak good English now,
he said no.
But you study?
No. I don't need.
Maybe he would still be in the majors if he had understood what the coach was
telling him.
.
----
someone who wants junk mail
in...@jpat.jp
Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson
> Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson wrote:
>
> >
> > My wife pointed out she already does consultations for up to 3 million
> > yen a session, so she was just playing for a couple of days' salary,
> > but even with remarkably easy questions she still failed on the last
> > one.
>
> Yeah, I don't get why these Japanese celebrities, some of whom make
> millions of dollars a year, are the ones playing for what amounts to
> pocket money (and bitching when they don't win or make a mistake) or tiny
> trinkets such as inch tall crystal figurines, instead of allowing common
> people to play and win more than postcard drawings during the closing
> credits.
Actually, I don't mind these Swarovski (sp!) crystal figures as they
are relatively cheap prizes - it's the regular shows with a holiday at
the end - what really does happen to the prizes? The talents are
certainly not taking the holidays they win!
The most evil, I think, is Sanma's Karakuri TV - a big prize, talent
gets first shot, then the studio or viewers at home go into the hat.
> > I was taken by how similar their portrayal of that situation
> > was to the endless Japanese shows where we see inside rich people's
> > homes and are supposed to be impressed by the price tags on the
> > wall-to-wall shite they have piled up.
>
> I love those shows. I'll never forget the guy who went from being someone
> who never went to high school, to the richest guy in town. He started a
> construction company and now has a five floor replica of a Japanese
> castle on a hill (appointed inside with purple crushed velvet, etc., to
> make it look like a hostess club or love hotel) and has a stable of
> exotic cars such as a Lamborghini Countach he claimed was his car for
> going out to eat ramen. Just the plain looking metal door on the gate to
> the house cost 30 million yen.
We always laugh when they come up with the price tag on an
average-looking item like that sort of thing! They are meant to be
taken seriously (I think?) but as they say, a fool and his money are
easily parted.
> He had two high school aged kids who were
> embarrassed. The little shits should try growing up poor to learn to
> appreciate what they have.
I don't know if you saw Sanma's Dreams Come True or whatever show on
Sunday - they had two typical Shibuya 16 year-olds, hair dye and
inch-thick make-up, who had a dream to swim in an oasis. They got
invited to the Sahara, so you saw them at the airport, showing off the
designer shades and skimpy swimsuits they'd bought. Off they went to
meet this Beduin family at an oasis, who told them that one had dried
up, but they were welcome to come along for the ride to the next, 100
km or more away. The catch was they had to push the cart behind the
camel, had about 1 litre each per day of water, no bath, etc, etc for
the three day trip. One got some eye injury patched up - not stopping
her pasting the other eye with mascara - both had their feet
blistered, etc. This was interspersed with interviews with their
parents who hoped the experience would knock some sense into them.
They eventually (and eventfully) got to the next oasis, raced on ahead
for their swim, only to find it all dried up too. I thought that made
really good telly.
Ken
Ryan Ginstrom
"Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson" <ken_ni...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6afefaef.04010...@posting.google.com...
> Millionaire at the weekend,
I sometimes watch that show. I think it's interesting because the questions
I find hardest are usually toward the beginning, while the later questions
are pretty easy. Usually because the early questions are things like
middle-school Japanese history or pop trivia from 10-20 years ago, while the
later questions usually have something to do with some English word, or a
song/story most English speakers know, etc.
> people. I was taken by how similar their portrayal of that situation
> was to the endless Japanese shows where we see inside rich people's
> homes and are supposed to be impressed by the price tags on the
> wall-to-wall shite they have piled up.
Understatement does not seem to have caught on well in Japan when it comes
to displaying wealth.
--
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom
another fool
> I don't know if you saw Sanma's Dreams Come True or whatever show on
> Sunday - they had two typical Shibuya 16 year-olds, hair dye and
> inch-thick make-up, who had a dream to swim in an oasis. They got
> invited to the Sahara, so you saw them at the airport, showing off the
> designer shades and skimpy swimsuits they'd bought. Off they went to
> meet this Beduin family at an oasis, who told them that one had dried
> up, but they were welcome to come along for the ride to the next, 100
> km or more away. The catch was they had to push the cart behind the
> camel, had about 1 litre each per day of water, no bath, etc, etc for
> the three day trip. One got some eye injury patched up - not stopping
> her pasting the other eye with mascara - both had their feet
> blistered, etc. This was interspersed with interviews with their
> parents who hoped the experience would knock some sense into them.
> They eventually (and eventfully) got to the next oasis, raced on ahead
> for their swim, only to find it all dried up too. I thought that made
> really good telly.
Dang - wish I`d caught that - that would have been a lot of fun to watch.