Japanese TV

[canman]

Well another New Years has come and gone in Japan. Thank god its over. I really don't know what to write or how to say it, I am so angry upset, loathing of Japanese TV. And I have come to the conclusion why Japan has a bullying problem, it all stems from these stupid base comedy shows that proliferate the airwaves. I don't even try to watch it, but I'd like to know how many other FG really enjoy the stuff on TV. Now my Japanese is not great, I've only been here for 14 years, not like Greji or Taro, but it just makes no sense to me, the mindless, dangerous and humiliating things they do. The reason I'm so pissed is I had a class of 10 year olds today, and they were a little out of control since it is still the winter vacation, but they were beating on each others head the same way I say come comedians doing on TV. It wasn't funny then and it wasn't funny now, and one of the boys after getting repeatedly hit on the head by another boy was on the verge of tears. But I don't think either of them thought it was bad, since they see it on the damn boob tube night in and night out. Anyway that is my rant for the day. But I would like to hear any of your opinions on the merits of Japanese TV, or are there any?

[amdg]

While I've been here for less time than you (10 years), but I agree that those variety shows are weapons grade stupid. I don't have first hand experience of bad influence on the kids, but it's been a bad influence on me. Anyway, it can't be good for the kids.

The same overpaid tarento doing unfunny stuff for the most part.

[Charles]

M: Stop hitting me!!
H: Stop hitting you?
M: Yes!
H: Why did you come in here then?
M: I wanted to complain.
H: Oh no, that's next door. It's being-hit-on-the-head lessons in here.

[Jack]

I have never lived in Japan since my time there amounts to something like 3 or 4 weeks a year but I hear what you're saying. I watch the daily news which is usually boring stuff since almost nothing seems to happen in Japan to warrant a news show and major league baseball. Most of the regular shows are plain stupid. I'm saying this with the caveat that my out-laws don't have cable so we're only able to access a few channels.

[sublight]

I don't know who's more to blame: Yoshimoto Kogyo for churning out wave after wave of "comedy" teams whose only joke is "I hit you on the head and you say our catchphrase," the networks for running this drivel every night of the week, or viewers who keep tuning in to watch it.

A bigger problem, in my opinion, is that the news agencies are a bunch of castrated lapdogs when it comes to anything that might jeopardize their precious government press passes. The day parliament gets put under as much scrutiny as the average J-pop idol is the day the streets of Nagata-cho run red with blood.

[amdg]

Yeah the news reporting could do with a bit of exposure to sunshine.

But just to balance what I said earlier, there is some reasonable programming on TV, like short documentaries about historical places of interest around the world, and some travel shows are kind of interesting. And all in all it's probably no worse than the TV programming I grew up on, in that the highs are as high, and the lows are as low, but it's just that there's WAY more of the drivel here.

[Big Booger]

One show I like and watch almost every Monday at 8pm on NHK:

http://www.nhk.or.jp/kanpai/

It's not the best show out there but it's one that I enjoy watching with my wife...

Some trippy shit ol' Tsurube gets into... like sex talk with a country woman and an old lady or the time they went to a village and ate hornets' larvae... it was sick. He visits all these villages and meets regular Ken's in villages, towns and cities all over the place. The subjects vary depending on which village they go to and the people they stumble upon. It's actually a decent show.

Along with Tsurube are usually one of many different guest hosts. If you are looking for something besides those shitty shows this one is definitely worth a look.

[canman]

I'm sure there is some good programming out there, but I would say the percentages is something like 80%-20%. And yes Sublight Yoshimoto Kogyo is the worst perpetrator or this. And unfortunately it seems that for the time being, that is all the networks are ready to give us. It is cheap and easy to produce. I do also agree that there is no hard reporting done in this country, and it really suffers because of that, but I don't hold out any hope to any changes to that status quo.

[Captain Japan]

I've never thought of that mentality coming from TV. I thought it was the other way around. Yes, Sanma used to knock the female guests over the head with that hammer - Is that show still on? - all the time. (What was that show called? Something about love or something. Much ado about love?) But I thought it was just a reflection of the second-class way women are treated in general society. In my office, the sempai/kohai situation doesn't result in people getting smacked around literally but certainly the hopelessly ridiculous intimidation that goes on non-stop must be like being mentally beaten over the head.

[ttjereth]

Leaving aside the whole issue of quality, I think it might be better to lay the blame on kid's parents rather than tv. I've never been a huge fan of the whole "TV/rock music/movies/video games" made me do it!" bullshit.

I grew up watching Warner Bros. and MGM cartoons which were (by today's standards) some ridiculously violent and rascist shows, yet I didn't run around beating on friends to immitate the shows or thinking that if a firework blew up in my hand, all I would be left with was a comedic blackened face, etc.

I'd say a bigger problem is that once they get home the kids are just cooped up in the house for the rest of the day, with nothing much to do but watch TV or play video games.

I've seen kids out playing in the neighborhood after school anywhere I've lived in Japan, they spend more time doing activities in school than kids back home, but once they get home it all seems to be about plopping down in front of the TV.

Come to think of it, I can't say I know of any Japanese households where the kids do daily chores either...

[canman]

I too grew up watching Bugs bunny and other cartoons, but then again, it was only on Saturday morning, so I wasn't exposed to it as much as kids are now. And yes that is a huge problem with the amount of TV that Japanese kids and families watch. I find it so interesting that if you ask most people the first thing they do in the morning is turn on the TV, whereas as home in Canada at least, I think most people used to and maybe even now would turn on the radio.
But getting back to what they watch, I know the cartoons are quite violent, but its when you see humans doing it, and everybody is laughing and its supposed to be fun that has a greater effect on kids.
A personal story, New Years Eve, the whole family went over to the in-laws as we usually do, but this year I implored my kids to leave the TV off for as long as we could, and it was great, people we chatting, laughing joking. Hell we even got in a few hands of black jack. But as soon as my son turned on the TV, everybody became zombies all conversation stopped and the was the end of the evening. And what did they watch, two guys living on some island diving to catch fish and try to survive.

[halfnip]

[Buraku]

Yes, Sanma used to knock the female guests over the head with that hammer - Is that show still on? - all the time. (What was that show called? Something about love or something. Much ado about love?) But I thought it was just a reflection of the second-class way women are treated in general society.

I doubt Sanma would ever get away with that shit in the US, he'd be looking at a lawsuit after the 1st broadcast.

But I would like to hear any of your opinions on the merits of Japanese TV, or are there any?

Which tv station broadcast that clip of these numbskulls laughing while another Japanese guy was being Anally Abused by some fighting dog ?

[hundefar]

Which tv station broadcast that clip of these numbskulls laughing while another Japanese guy was being Anally Abused by some fighting dog ?

No idea, but I find this clip pushing it a bit:

[YT]CZv5hCceMzA[/YT]

[canman]

Yeah I agree, that is what passes for comedy. First off why they need to use three black guys to pretend to rape him(although I know why) but it is just such pure racism. Then where is the fun, pretending to ass rape some poor bastard. But these two guys, Hamachan and Machan from Downtown are considered comic geniuses here in Japan. And that is the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Also I have the way that Hamachan always hits Machan on the head. These are friggin adults not 13 year old boys.
And ttjereth, don't get me started about the lack of chores done by Japanese kids. And spare me the they are so busy with their school work and clubs. A little house work never killed anybody. No wonder there is a subclass of males out there who can nor will ever get married since they don't want a wife but a maid.

[ttjereth]

I too grew up watching Bugs bunny and other cartoons, but then again, it was only on Saturday morning, so I wasn't exposed to it as much as kids are now. And yes that is a huge problem with the amount of TV that Japanese kids and families watch. I find it so interesting that if you ask most people the first thing they do in the morning is turn on the TV, whereas as home in Canada at least, I think most people used to and maybe even now would turn on the radio.
But getting back to what they watch, I know the cartoons are quite violent, but its when you see humans doing it, and everybody is laughing and its supposed to be fun that has a greater effect on kids.
A personal story, New Years Eve, the whole family went over to the in-laws as we usually do, but this year I implored my kids to leave the TV off for as long as we could, and it was great, people we chatting, laughing joking. Hell we even got in a few hands of black jack. But as soon as my son turned on the TV, everybody became zombies all conversation stopped and the was the end of the evening. And what did they watch, two guys living on some island diving to catch fish and try to survive.

The Three Stooges.

[Blah Pete]

The Three Stooges.

My older brothers grew up in the 50's and their Catholic school had to ban the kids from playing Three Stooges at recess because of the severe injuries.

[Iraira]

My older brothers grew up in the 50's and their Catholic school had to ban the kids from playing Three Stooges at recess because of the severe injuries.

Back in the 1930s-40's Curley must have been tapping so much ass. The last Stooge, Joe couldn't get laid even if Moe paid for the Larry in a dress hooker. Never understood why Shemp was perceived as being a ladies man.

[ttjereth]

My older brothers grew up in the 50's and their Catholic school had to ban the kids from playing Three Stooges at recess because of the severe injuries.

Catholic schools generally tend to ban anything that's fun. Generally preemptively. I think that's why most Catholic school boys are just little shits outside of school.

The stooges were on every weekday morning before school and after school when I was in elementary and jr. high (back before every TV station in the country was a network affiliate...) and neither I nor anyone I know of at school tried to gouge anyone's eyes out or grab anyone's nose in a pair of scissors, thinking it would be fine because it was on TV.

The point I am trying to make here, is that if kids mimic/repeat things they see on TV to a dangerous extent, then there are some other underlying problems with the kid that need to be fixed.

TV programs, video games, etc. don't generally make you do bad things, it's an excuse on the part of the people doing it and the people responsible for them (the parents etc.).

On top of that, saying that the bullying culture in Japan is due to television (the original topic here) is, in my opinion, a bit much. I'd lay the blame a lot more quickly on the whole "nail that sticks out gets pounded down" and "in group", "out group" philosophies before turning to tv.

This is aside from all the "it's mindless", "hinders creativity/family interaction" and "is a waste of time" arguements (most of which I'd agree with).

[ttjereth]

A personal story, New Years Eve, the whole family went over to the in-laws as we usually do, but this year I implored my kids to leave the TV off for as long as we could, and it was great, people we chatting, laughing joking. Hell we even got in a few hands of black jack. But as soon as my son turned on the TV, everybody became zombies all conversation stopped and the was the end of the evening. And what did they watch, two guys living on some island diving to catch fish and try to survive.

First let me just point out that I am not trying to attack you personally here, but you provide a good example of what I am talking about above.

but this year I implored my kids to leave the TV off for as long as we could

Why are you imploring your kids for anything? You=adult, they=children therefore you should just tell them "no TV" and there should be no TV.

This is the same thing I see with Japanese families around me (including in-laws). They don't seem to have any control over their kids. When I was a kid, if my dad said "no TV", it meant "no fucking TV or I will kill your disobedient little ass". If we were told to leave the TV off (which happened fairly often for family gatherings) and we turned it on, my father would have broken the TV so it couldn't be turned on again (happened) and then beat the hell out of us.

[Charles]

..When I was a kid, if my dad said "no TV", it meant "no fucking TV or I will kill your disobedient little ass". If we were told to leave the TV off (which happened fairly often for family gatherings) and we turned it on, my father would have broken the TV so it couldn't be turned on again (happened) and then beat the hell out of us.

Yeah, that happened to me all the time. Then I figured out how to take the tubes out of the TV and take them down to Woolworth's and use their tube tester, and I'd use my spare change to buy a new tube. Dad was always curious how the TV managed to fix itself.

[amdg]

Here I was thinking I was the only one banned from TV as a kid. Mum got an old soup can that was open at one end, punched two holes in the sides near the open end, put the TV power plug in the can and crimped the open end together and padlocked it.

Now, as an adult, I appreciate what she did. I got out of the house a lot more, building forts with the other neigbourhood kids etc. And I learnt a trade - lockpicking.

[canman]

I guess I forgot to mention that my son is 18 years old. So I think implore is the correct word in that case. But for Japanese people it is just second nature to flip on the TV. I was constantly outside when I was a kid growing up. Didn't learn lock picking, but I did do a lot of shooting. My friends and I had a shooting/target area not far from our houses that we would go and practice on. The other thing is that I don't think my wife sees anything wrong with the TV being on. I think its one of the biggest cultural differences I've experienced here in Japan.

[Iraira]

I guess I forgot to mention that my son is 18 years old. So I think implore is the correct word in that case. But for Japanese people it is just second nature to flip on the TV. I was constantly outside when I was a kid growing up. Didn't learn lock picking, but I did do a lot of shooting. My friends and I had a shooting/target area not far from our houses that we would go and practice on. The other thing is that I don't think my wife sees anything wrong with the TV being on. I think its one of the biggest cultural differences I've experienced here in Japan.

It does seem that the J-folks have the TV running constantly, even when people could be talking to each other. Still, the TV was running pretty much 24-7 at my aunt and uncle's place, basically, it served as a distraction to keep everyone from talking, dredging up old wounds and wanting to kill each other. It allowed the annual family gathering to go on relatively peacefully, even though everyone sitting in the same room hated each other.

[ttjereth]

I guess I forgot to mention that my son is 18 years old. So I think implore is the correct word in that case. But for Japanese people it is just second nature to flip on the TV. I was constantly outside when I was a kid growing up. Didn't learn lock picking, but I did do a lot of shooting. My friends and I had a shooting/target area not far from our houses that we would go and practice on. The other thing is that I don't think my wife sees anything wrong with the TV being on. I think its one of the biggest cultural differences I've experienced here in Japan.

My family tends to run with the whole "8, 18, or 80 years old, I made you and I can unmake you" philosophy.

Seriously, a parent should not have to beg their kids for anything.

I can dig the whole differences with the wife thing. That's one of the main reasons I don't want kids, way too different philosophies on child-rearing. I am positive that if my wife and I had kids there is a 99% chance it would result in divorce.

Percentage probably goes up more when factoring in her parents.

[AssKissinger]

I find the America's Funniest Videos show really offensive. Laughing at some 60 year old lady when she falls on her ass and probably shattered her hip.

[ttjereth]

I find the America's Funniest Videos show really offensive. Laughing at some 60 year old lady when she falls on her ass and probably shattered her hip.

I just find Bob Saget offensive.

[canman]

Do you know the show "Just for Laughs". It began from the Montreal Comedy Festival, but now they include kind of practical jokes. I really don't like it, it scares people and sometimes looks downright dangerous. So I know that North America is not immune to the stuff. It just seems that there is so much more of this crap on Japanese TV all the time.
And can anybody explain to me how TV stations can get away with putting the daily newspaper up on a bulletin board and then reading the most scandelous or stupidest stories they can find, and then call it journalism. I have laughed at that practice for such a long time. Is it because these TV stations also own the newspapers, or do the newspapers get more subscribers out of this practice. I would love to see CNN's Anderson Cooper get up and start to read from the National Enquirer or something like that.

[GuyJean]

I find the America's Funniest Videos show really offensive. Laughing at some 60 year old lady when she falls on her ass and probably shattered her hip.

Like 'fausting', I believe that's a German import]schadenfreude[/URL]'..

But I'm kind of a softie; no shattered hip, no foul.. And, as someone mentioned, I think it's the saturation of stupidity that's making people stupid. Occasional Beavis never hurt nobody..

GJ

[AssKissinger]

IDK

I do know that the stiff that offends me the most is sold as family television