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Downtown (owarai)
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese comedy
duo (kombi) from Amagasaki, Hyōgo
consisting of and . Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan today. They are best known for their stand-up
acts, hosting numerous Japanese variety show
s (such as Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
and Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ) and their sarcastic, short-tempered stage personas
.
As a result of their massive popularity and the relative domination of their employer, Yoshimoto Kōgyō
, the Kansai dialect (in which both performers usually speak) has come to be associated with Japanese comedy (owarai
) as a whole.
(浜田 雅功)
Hitoshi Matsumoto
(松本 人志)
of the Kansai region. They did not become friends until their second year in Amagasaki Taisei Junior High School, where they both joined the school's broadcasting
club
and called each other and . It is then Matsumoto joked about becoming a comedy duo together and planted the idea into their heads. At the time, Matsumoto was part of a manzai trio called "Koma Daisanshibu" with two of his classmates, Itō and Morioka.
One day, Matsumoto's manzai partner, Itō, had an argument with Hamada which escalated into a street fight. Hamada won, and prompted Matsumoto to leave with him. Matsumoto was unsure of what to do, but started walking in the same direction as Hamada because it was the opposite direction from Itō's house. It is said this incident marked the beginning of Downtown.
They were split apart when they entered different high schools. The boarding school Hamada entered was very strict, and Hamada attempted to escape several times. Whenever he escaped successfully, he called Matsumoto for help, hiding at his home for several days before being caught by his teachers. Hamada repeated the cycle of escaping, calling Matsumoto to borrow money to buy food, and being caught again, throughout his high school years. Matsumoto, on the other hand, entered a local tech school, and became the leader of the school band, but quickly started skipping school to hang out with his girlfriend from middle school.
After graduating, Hamada had an unsuccessful try at becoming a motorboat
racer. Hamada invited Matsumoto to join him to become a comedian. At the time, Matsumoto had a job offer from local publishing company, but he decided to join Hamada. Although Matsumoto's comedy talent agency of choice was Shōchicku Geinō, the two went with Hamada's choice and entered the Yoshimoto Kōgyō
: NSC (New Star Creation) in Osaka
. Their first kombi name was "Matsumoto Hamada." Other names they had were "Hitoshi Masashi," "Teruo-Haruo," and The "Wright Brothers
," before settling as "Downtown," a name they picked from a magazine. They made their major debut in 1983.
Matsumoto and Hamada received positive comments from older comedians in NSC, but went without a single chuckle from the audience, sometimes receiving insults from hecklers. They organized performances of their sketches and routines by themselves, but couldn't get people to listen, even if tickets were free. Matsumoto describes these early years as hell
, showing his immense frustration and stress during this period. They even considered quitting at one point. Neither made enough money to live on their own, so they had to live with their parents, commuting to the city by train for performances opportunities. Ironically, Matsumoto had to search for a part-time job in a magazine printed by the printing company that he had originally been supposed to enter after graduating high school.
-like popularity in the region (music singles, videos and photo books in which they posed like fashion models
were released), especially among high school girls. After a tearful farewell concert, they ended the show and moved to Tokyo in 1989, making various appearances on low rating TV programs before making their big break with their long-running variety show
Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
. From that point, they went on to create several other successful variety shows, such as Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji
, Downtown DX and the music-centric Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ.
and celebrities when they give boke-like responses to Downtown's questions. Hamada's aggressive ways have earned him the nickname of , or "Hamada the Super Sadist."
, but Downtown took the opposite approach, using a slow, mumbling tone which baffled older comedians. While other duos performed manzai facing the audience, Downtown would face each other as if they were simply conversing, ignoring the presence of the audience. Their contribution to manzai is immeasurable; it has been remarked that manzai will never be the same after Downtown, and many aspiring comedians have copied parts of Downtown's style. It is notable that Downtown never had a mentor (it was common for younger comedians to be "trained" by older, more experienced comedians) which was essential to the development of their own, unorthodox style.
In the group's early years, many recognized Downtown's talent, but doubted Downtown would ever succeed due to their sluggish style, which was so drastically different from that of mainstream manzai. Shinsuke Shimada
, a leading manzai comedian, had been one of the doubters until he saw one of Downtown's performances. Shimada was startled by how funny and complex Downtown was, and immediately announced his retirement from manzai. In his press conference, Shimada cited Downtown as the major reason for his retirement, but the press ignored the comment, since the duo had very little popularity at the time, writing instead that Shimada had felt outclassed by a different manzai duo; Saburo-Shiro. Shimada's decision proved to be correct however, as Downtown dominated manzai in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Downtown and Shimada have developed a close bond over the years, and Matsumoto co-hosts a TV talk show ("Matsushin") with Shimada.
Though Matsumoto and Hamada are now regarded as "geniuses" of their respective roles, it is unjust to laud them only for their talent. Matsumoto made a change from being a quieter character to his current, ill-tempered style, while Hamada had to repeatedly apologize for brash comments in variety shows. Upon hearing that many fans regarded Hamada as the crux of the group, Matsumoto embarked upon an array of solo skits to prove himself, while Hamada relentlessly studied other groups' tsukkomi to improve upon his own skills.
Another important aspect of Downtown's comedy is their willingness to make themselves the butt of the joke. While many popular manzai comedians become elevated to the level where poking fun at them is out of the question, Downtown has always taken ridiculous roles in shows, even after becoming popular. This is particularly evident in Gaki No Tsukai where they endure countless physical and mental punishments, such as their punishment games. Generally, these roles are reserved for younger, less popular comedians, but Matsumoto and Hamada relish these roles even after becoming part of the elite of Japanese entertainment.
Downtown has not performed a manzai routine since 1991, though the free talk session on Gaki No Tsukai can be considered the final form of Downtown's manzai.
operation, although it is not limited to people from Osaka
and its surroundings. Most of its comedians speak Kansai-ben
, the strong, earthy dialect that developed among the merchant classes of Osaka, as opposed to the more elegant tones of Kyoto
or the standard language of the Edo
(now Tokyo) aristocracy.
Matsumoto and Hamada have never lost the dialect and have used it to their benefit. They use it in the titles of their TV shows—translations of Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende ("Not An Errand Boy!"—"Gaki no tsukai janai yo!" in standard Japanese) or Gottsu Ee Kanji cannot be found in a standard dictionary. Downtown's popularity have turned these expressions into common vocabulary.
On Music Champ, Matsumoto stated they see each other so often at work, the thought of meeting in private never crosses their mind. During an interview with Puffy AmiYumi
, he was impressed by how the two singers spend time together as friends despite having to work together all the time as a duo—he turned to Hamada and told him, "I'd rather eat off the floor than go out to dinner with you."
This does not mean, however, they do not get along outside of work. Though they do not consider each other to be friends, their deep business relationship and respect for each other is evident. Hamada has said if they ever parted ways, he would "never do comedy again," as there is no one else he would like to make his partner (Matsumoto has expressed similar views). He has also said he saves his best tsukkomi material for Matsumoto. Tanaka of Cocorico
reports seeing Matsumoto become visibly concerned whenever Hamada is sick and unable to come to work.
Matsumoto has said that if the duo ever split up, they would like to perform their manzai one last time at Namba Grand Kagetsu, Yoshimoto Kogyo's theatre in Osaka and the very stage on which Downtown launched their career.
, 1987-1989) (MBS, 1990-1992) (Fuji TV, 1991-1997) (TBS, 1992-1993) (TBS, 1993) (TBS, 1993-1994) (Nippon TV, 1993-1996) (All-Nippon News Network
, 1995-1996) (MBS, 2001-2003)
, 1988) (ABC
, 1988) (TV Tokyo
, 1990, guest appearance) (Fuji TV, 1992) (Nippon TV, 2001) Hamada was a protagonist while Matsumoto made minor cameos (Nippon TV, 2000) Matsumoto only; Hamada appeared in the final episode
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
duo (kombi) from Amagasaki, Hyōgo
Amagasaki, Hyogo
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...
consisting of and . Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan today. They are best known for their stand-up
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
acts, hosting numerous Japanese variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
s (such as Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
, often abbreviated , is a Japanese variety show hosted by the popular Japanese owarai duo, Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Yamasaki and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on Nippon TV since its pilot episode on October 3, 1989, and continues to this day, celebrating its...
and Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ) and their sarcastic, short-tempered stage personas
Personas
In marketing and user-centered design, personas are fictional characters created to represent the different user types within a targeted demographic, attitude and/or behavior set that might use a site, brand or product in a similar way. Personas are a tool or method of market segmentation...
.
As a result of their massive popularity and the relative domination of their employer, Yoshimoto Kōgyō
Yoshimoto Kogyo
is a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate, with its headquarters based in Osaka. It was founded in 1912 as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai talent, producing and promoting the shows they...
, the Kansai dialect (in which both performers usually speak) has come to be associated with Japanese comedy (owarai
Owarai
is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
) as a whole.
Members
Masatoshi HamadaMasatoshi Hamada
is a Japanese comedian best known as the tsukkomi half of the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Hitoshi Matsumoto. His nickname is Hama-chan , and is married to Natsumi Ogawa...
(浜田 雅功)
- Born May 11, 1963 in Naniwa-ku, OsakaNaniwa-ku, Osakais one of 24 wards of Osaka City, Japan. It has an area of 4.37 km², and a population of 51,567.- General information :Largely a residential area itself, Naniwa-ku is adjacent to and has in recent years blurred into the Namba district, which is south Osaka City's transport hub and centre of...
and raised in Amagasaki, HyōgoAmagasaki, Hyogois an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...
. Plays the tsukkomi. Married to actress Natsumi Ogawa with two sons. Also known as . His quick temper, displays of schadenfreudeSchadenfreudeSchadenfreude is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. This German word is used as a loanword in English and some other languages, and has been calqued in Danish and Norwegian as skadefryd and Swedish as skadeglädje....
, and tendency to whap people on their heads are notorious in the owaraiOwaraiis a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
world. He is often described as "sadisticSadistic personality disorderSadistic personality disorder is a diagnosis which appeared only in an appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The current version of the DSM does not include it, so it is no longer considered a valid...
". Was referred to as Hama-chon by Matsumoto earlier in his career.
Hitoshi Matsumoto
Hitoshi Matsumoto
, or Matchan as he is commonly known, is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half the popular owarai duo Downtown alongside Masatoshi Hamada...
(松本 人志)
- Born September 8, 1963 in Amagasaki, HyōgoAmagasaki, Hyogois an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...
. Plays the boke. Also known as . AbsurdismAbsurdismIn philosophy, "The Absurd" refers to the conflict between the human tendency to seek value and meaning in life and the human inability to find any...
, sarcasmSarcasmSarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
, and a blunt, ill-tempered personaPersonaA persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
make up his comedic style. DeadpanDeadpanDeadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
is his forté, but he can slip into exaggerated reactions as well. He is the "M" or masochistic of the duo and was referred to as Mattsun by Hamada while they were younger.
Childhood and school years
Matsumoto and Hamada attended and met at Ushio Elementary School in Amagasaki, HyōgoAmagasaki, Hyogo
is an industrial city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1916. Its population is around 460,000, below its peak of over 554,000 in 1971.-History:...
of the Kansai region. They did not become friends until their second year in Amagasaki Taisei Junior High School, where they both joined the school's broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
and called each other and . It is then Matsumoto joked about becoming a comedy duo together and planted the idea into their heads. At the time, Matsumoto was part of a manzai trio called "Koma Daisanshibu" with two of his classmates, Itō and Morioka.
They were split apart when they entered different high schools. The boarding school Hamada entered was very strict, and Hamada attempted to escape several times. Whenever he escaped successfully, he called Matsumoto for help, hiding at his home for several days before being caught by his teachers. Hamada repeated the cycle of escaping, calling Matsumoto to borrow money to buy food, and being caught again, throughout his high school years. Matsumoto, on the other hand, entered a local tech school, and became the leader of the school band, but quickly started skipping school to hang out with his girlfriend from middle school.
Early career
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
racer. Hamada invited Matsumoto to join him to become a comedian. At the time, Matsumoto had a job offer from local publishing company, but he decided to join Hamada. Although Matsumoto's comedy talent agency of choice was Shōchicku Geinō, the two went with Hamada's choice and entered the Yoshimoto Kōgyō
Yoshimoto Kogyo
is a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate, with its headquarters based in Osaka. It was founded in 1912 as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai talent, producing and promoting the shows they...
: NSC (New Star Creation) in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. Their first kombi name was "Matsumoto Hamada." Other names they had were "Hitoshi Masashi," "Teruo-Haruo," and The "Wright Brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
," before settling as "Downtown," a name they picked from a magazine. They made their major debut in 1983.
Matsumoto and Hamada received positive comments from older comedians in NSC, but went without a single chuckle from the audience, sometimes receiving insults from hecklers. They organized performances of their sketches and routines by themselves, but couldn't get people to listen, even if tickets were free. Matsumoto describes these early years as hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, showing his immense frustration and stress during this period. They even considered quitting at one point. Neither made enough money to live on their own, so they had to live with their parents, commuting to the city by train for performances opportunities. Ironically, Matsumoto had to search for a part-time job in a magazine printed by the printing company that he had originally been supposed to enter after graduating high school.
Rise to popularity
Despite the hardships, they gradually increased their fan-base and status. In April 1987 (four years after their debut) they began hosting a local television show called Yoji Desu Yōda ("It's Four O'Clock"), which immediately raised them to idolJapanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
-like popularity in the region (music singles, videos and photo books in which they posed like fashion models
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
were released), especially among high school girls. After a tearful farewell concert, they ended the show and moved to Tokyo in 1989, making various appearances on low rating TV programs before making their big break with their long-running variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!
, often abbreviated , is a Japanese variety show hosted by the popular Japanese owarai duo, Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Yamasaki and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on Nippon TV since its pilot episode on October 3, 1989, and continues to this day, celebrating its...
. From that point, they went on to create several other successful variety shows, such as Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji
Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji
Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji , translated as Downtown's Feelin' Real Good, was a Japanese variety show. It premiered on December 8, 1991 and ended its run on November 2, 1997. It aired on Fuji Television every Sunday night...
, Downtown DX and the music-centric Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ.
Comedy style
Boke and tsukkomi
As with many owarai kombi, there exists a boke and a tsukkomi. Matsumoto is the boke of the two and often puts up with light physical abuse (it is common for the tsukkomi to slap the boke on top of his head whenever he says something rude or ridiculous) from Hamada, the tsukkomi. Hamada is also known to attack other tarentoTarento
is a Japanese rendering of the English word "talent" and is used as a catch-all term for mass media personalities who regularly appear on television. Detractors of the phenomenon have referred to it in an English sense as "famous just for being famous" because many that fall into this career line...
and celebrities when they give boke-like responses to Downtown's questions. Hamada's aggressive ways have earned him the nickname of , or "Hamada the Super Sadist."
Manzai
The early 1980s prominently featured quick, snappy styles of manzaiManzai
is a traditional style of stand-up comedy in Japanese culture, which usually involves two performers —a straight man and a funny man —trading jokes at great speed...
, but Downtown took the opposite approach, using a slow, mumbling tone which baffled older comedians. While other duos performed manzai facing the audience, Downtown would face each other as if they were simply conversing, ignoring the presence of the audience. Their contribution to manzai is immeasurable; it has been remarked that manzai will never be the same after Downtown, and many aspiring comedians have copied parts of Downtown's style. It is notable that Downtown never had a mentor (it was common for younger comedians to be "trained" by older, more experienced comedians) which was essential to the development of their own, unorthodox style.
In the group's early years, many recognized Downtown's talent, but doubted Downtown would ever succeed due to their sluggish style, which was so drastically different from that of mainstream manzai. Shinsuke Shimada
Shinsuke Shimada
is a Japanese comedian and television presenter. In 1991 he directed the film Kaze, Slow Down.-References:...
, a leading manzai comedian, had been one of the doubters until he saw one of Downtown's performances. Shimada was startled by how funny and complex Downtown was, and immediately announced his retirement from manzai. In his press conference, Shimada cited Downtown as the major reason for his retirement, but the press ignored the comment, since the duo had very little popularity at the time, writing instead that Shimada had felt outclassed by a different manzai duo; Saburo-Shiro. Shimada's decision proved to be correct however, as Downtown dominated manzai in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Downtown and Shimada have developed a close bond over the years, and Matsumoto co-hosts a TV talk show ("Matsushin") with Shimada.
Another important aspect of Downtown's comedy is their willingness to make themselves the butt of the joke. While many popular manzai comedians become elevated to the level where poking fun at them is out of the question, Downtown has always taken ridiculous roles in shows, even after becoming popular. This is particularly evident in Gaki No Tsukai where they endure countless physical and mental punishments, such as their punishment games. Generally, these roles are reserved for younger, less popular comedians, but Matsumoto and Hamada relish these roles even after becoming part of the elite of Japanese entertainment.
Downtown has not performed a manzai routine since 1991, though the free talk session on Gaki No Tsukai can be considered the final form of Downtown's manzai.
Kansai dialect
Yoshimoto Kōgyō is very much a KansaiKansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
operation, although it is not limited to people from Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and its surroundings. Most of its comedians speak Kansai-ben
Kansai-ben
The is a group of Japanese dialects in the Kansai region of Japan. In technical term,it is called ; Kansai is also known as "Kinki", hence the alternative term. They are typified by the speech of Osaka, the major city of Kansai, which is referred to specifically as Osaka-ben...
, the strong, earthy dialect that developed among the merchant classes of Osaka, as opposed to the more elegant tones of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
or the standard language of the Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
(now Tokyo) aristocracy.
Matsumoto and Hamada have never lost the dialect and have used it to their benefit. They use it in the titles of their TV shows—translations of Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende ("Not An Errand Boy!"—"Gaki no tsukai janai yo!" in standard Japanese) or Gottsu Ee Kanji cannot be found in a standard dictionary. Downtown's popularity have turned these expressions into common vocabulary.
Private relationship
Although they appear to be best friends on their shows, Hamada and Matsumoto admit they are not as close as one may think. On their many hosted shows and interviews, the two have made the following revelations:- They do not know each other's cell phone numbers, as they see no need to phone one another. Matsumoto has phoned Hamada's cell phone just once: when Hamada fracturedBone fractureA bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
his right leg (after kicking a locker out of rage) and was taken to a hospital. He had to ask a staff member for his number. - They do not travel together, even going as far as arranging for one to travel by plane and another by train to avoid meeting by chance.
- They find it extremely awkward and uncomfortable being left alone together in a room.
- After Hamada's marriage, Matsumoto has never been to his residence.
- Matsumoto has only seen Hamada's son once, when he was still an infant.
- By pure coincidence, they once vacationed in GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
at the same time. When Matsumoto saw Hamada, he avoided him. When later asked by Hamada why he did not say anything, he replied that it would have been "too awkward". - Matsumoto has said that even if they quit Downtown, they likely would not be able to return to being friends.
On Music Champ, Matsumoto stated they see each other so often at work, the thought of meeting in private never crosses their mind. During an interview with Puffy AmiYumi
Puffy AmiYumi
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan...
, he was impressed by how the two singers spend time together as friends despite having to work together all the time as a duo—he turned to Hamada and told him, "I'd rather eat off the floor than go out to dinner with you."
This does not mean, however, they do not get along outside of work. Though they do not consider each other to be friends, their deep business relationship and respect for each other is evident. Hamada has said if they ever parted ways, he would "never do comedy again," as there is no one else he would like to make his partner (Matsumoto has expressed similar views). He has also said he saves his best tsukkomi material for Matsumoto. Tanaka of Cocorico
Cocorico
Cocorico may refer to:* The Brazilian TV program, Cocoricó* The French art magazine, Cocorico * The Puerto Rican soda drink, Coco Rico* A Japanese comedy act, Cocorico...
reports seeing Matsumoto become visibly concerned whenever Hamada is sick and unable to come to work.
Matsumoto has said that if the duo ever split up, they would like to perform their manzai one last time at Namba Grand Kagetsu, Yoshimoto Kogyo's theatre in Osaka and the very stage on which Downtown launched their career.
Hosted shows
Downtown currently host the following programs every week:- Sundays (Nippon TV, since 1989)
- Mondays Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ (Fuji TV, since 1994)
- Tuesdays (TBSTokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
, since 2005) - Thursdays (Yomiuri TV, since 1993)
Partial list of past hosted shows
(MBSMainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
, 1987-1989) (MBS, 1990-1992) (Fuji TV, 1991-1997) (TBS, 1992-1993) (TBS, 1993) (TBS, 1993-1994) (Nippon TV, 1993-1996) (All-Nippon News Network
All-Nippon News Network
, or ANN, is a commercial television news network in Japan run by TV Asahi Corporation.-All-Nippon News Network stations:-Remote Controller Buttons of Digital TV:*1: Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting*3: TV Miyazaki*5: 20 ANN stations...
, 1995-1996) (MBS, 2001-2003)
- WORLD DOWNTOWN (Fuji TV, 2004) (Fuji TV, 2004-2005)
Television dramas
(MBS, 1987) (Kansai TVKansai Telecasting Corporation
, often called or , is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network and Fuji Network System in Osaka, serving the Kansai region of Japan...
, 1988) (ABC
Asahi Broadcasting Corporation
is a regional radio and television broadcaster headquartered in Osaka, Japan, serving in the Kansai region.-Offices:*Headquarters: 1-30, Fukushima Itchome, Fukushima-ku, Osaka-shi, Japan...
, 1988) (TV Tokyo
TV Tokyo
is a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
, 1990, guest appearance) (Fuji TV, 1992) (Nippon TV, 2001) Hamada was a protagonist while Matsumoto made minor cameos (Nippon TV, 2000) Matsumoto only; Hamada appeared in the final episode
Further reading
- Schilling, Mark. "Downtown", in The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture. New York: Weatherhill, 1997, pp. 45–52. ISBN 0834803801.