Tunnels (owarai)
Encyclopedia
The are an owarai
duo with a long history composed of Tokyo
born and . Both of them attended where Ishibashi, the taller of the two, participated in baseball, and Kinashi participated in soccer.
They originated not as a manzai
duo, so much as an ippatsu gag and monomane act. During the early 80's, they became immensely popular with young Japanese audiences, appearing in several television shows, but their popularity exploded with their show . Many times they absorbed more than 30% of nationwide television viewers, a great feat for any television show. They then turned their attention to creating music, spawning a string of hit singles that also generated massive sales and attention.
They created many words and expressions that resonated with the youth of Japan included such as and , which are abbreviations meaning "ex-boyfriend" and "ex-girlfriend". Both phrases are still in popular use today. Also, their tendency to use inside jokes that only the show's staff would understand and laugh at created a sur-like response from the audience, inciting nervous laughter from a confused audience, while the staff laughed loudly on-mike.
Interest in the group quickly mellowed in 1990, as Tunnels took a half year vacation from the show, and U-tchan Nan-chan suddenly replaced them. They returned later saying "We are sorry to have laid the burden on U-tchan Nan-chan," but were never really accepted back by the public. As groups such as Downtown
and U-tchan Nan-chan become more and more popular with young audiences, Tunnels changed their focus to talk and interview-related shows.
Recently, they have teamed with DJ Ozma
to "produce" the group Yazima Beauty Salon
, who the three found in America. In reality, Ozma and the Tunnels are the members of Yazima Beauty Salon, cross-dressing
and performing in character as Margaret Camelia Yazima (Kinashi) and Strawberry Camelia Yazima (Ishibashi).
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...
duo with a long history composed of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
born and . Both of them attended where Ishibashi, the taller of the two, participated in baseball, and Kinashi participated in soccer.
They originated not as a manzai
Manzai
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...
duo, so much as an ippatsu gag and monomane act. During the early 80's, they became immensely popular with young Japanese audiences, appearing in several television shows, but their popularity exploded with their show . Many times they absorbed more than 30% of nationwide television viewers, a great feat for any television show. They then turned their attention to creating music, spawning a string of hit singles that also generated massive sales and attention.
They created many words and expressions that resonated with the youth of Japan included such as and , which are abbreviations meaning "ex-boyfriend" and "ex-girlfriend". Both phrases are still in popular use today. Also, their tendency to use inside jokes that only the show's staff would understand and laugh at created a sur-like response from the audience, inciting nervous laughter from a confused audience, while the staff laughed loudly on-mike.
Interest in the group quickly mellowed in 1990, as Tunnels took a half year vacation from the show, and U-tchan Nan-chan suddenly replaced them. They returned later saying "We are sorry to have laid the burden on U-tchan Nan-chan," but were never really accepted back by the public. As groups such as Downtown
Downtown (owarai)
is a Japanese comedy duo from Amagasaki, Hyōgo consisting of and . Formed in 1982, they are one of the most influential and prolific kombi in Japan today...
and U-tchan Nan-chan become more and more popular with young audiences, Tunnels changed their focus to talk and interview-related shows.
Recently, they have teamed with DJ Ozma
DJ Ozma
DJ OZMA, born as on April 26 in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, and legally known as , is a Japanese pop singer and musical artist. He first came to prominence in early 2006 and is notorious for his performance at the 57th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, during which his female dancers stripped themselves of...
to "produce" the group Yazima Beauty Salon
Yazima Beauty Salon
is a Japanese vocal group consisting of DJ OZMA and the owarai group Tunnels in character and in drag depicting a group of women they found scouting for talent in Las Vegas, Nevada...
, who the three found in America. In reality, Ozma and the Tunnels are the members of Yazima Beauty Salon, cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
and performing in character as Margaret Camelia Yazima (Kinashi) and Strawberry Camelia Yazima (Ishibashi).