Tunnels - A Look at Japanese Comedy

Got to give a shout out to great comedy teams in Japan. Usually the team is made up of two performers, one who makes the joke (called boke ボケ) while the other comments on it (called tsukomi ツッコミ). The elite groups have been together for years, often knowing their partner since middle or high school. They therefore are excellent at playing off each other and have perfect comedic timing.

Here is one group that I like in particular:

Tunnels (とんねるず) pronounced “tonneruzu”

They currently have a few shows on TV. Because TV viewership is still so high in Japan, once a comedy team gets on TV they have reached the pinnacle. This is unlike US comedians who strive to do movies.

Sometimes Tunnels like make up silly songs such as “Fish Fight”:

A more recent song is called Yashima Biyoushitsu (矢島美容室)

Current Shows:

Kuwazugirai - You hate it before trying

Guests need to try four different dishes, one of which they hate. There are two teams. At the end of the tasting, the opposing must guess what that other team doesn’t like. While this is happening the Tunnels team makes jokes and keeps a lively yet controlled conversation… The joke is watching the famous actors, celebs, and musicians try to be stoic as the eat a food that disgusts them. In general, Tunnels often makes jokes which are only understood by the cameramen and producers… so their gawfs and chuckles are often heard on camera instead of the laughter from the audience or of the standard laugh-track used on most Japanese comedy shows.

Even David Beckham is willing to go on the show:

Human Tetris

Tunnels most recent crazy shows is Human Tetris. I recently heard that is making its way to US television after getting so popular on the web.

It was known originally as Brain Wall (脳カベ, Nōkabe)