Althouse: The mysteries of Japanese city mascots, explained by John Oliver...

May 3, 2019

The mysteries of Japanese city mascots, explained by John Oliver...

... if you can take John Oliver at all (he says "fuck" frequently), don't miss this long quirky segment:

35 comments:

rcocean said...: Actually that was funny. You know why? Because I turned off the sound and just skipped to the Japanese mascots doing funny things. The Japanese love physical humor.

BTW, John Oliver is such an unfunny, annoying fuck. And what's up with his weird accent. Is he English? Take Jon Stewart make him X5 annoying and snarky and reduce the likability factor by 50% and you got Oliver.; 5/3/19, 9:18 AM
zipity said...: That's a hard pass, thanks. Oliver gives me the hives.; 5/3/19, 9:22 AM
CJinPA said...: I wish I could enjoy this, but John Oliver hates me and that's kind of a buzz kill.

Men with foreign accents coming to my country to make millions telling citizens why their country sucks seems to be a thing.; 5/3/19, 9:25 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Oliver has ruined the "English accent makes you sound smart" thing. Pass.; 5/3/19, 9:26 AM
Big Mike said...: Only Adam Schiff has a more punchable face.; 5/3/19, 9:29 AM
Lucid-Ideas said...: I've been to Japan at least 8 times for business and pleasure.

There's a schizophrenic aspect to much of their pop-culture, which gives the vibe they're somewhere between holy shit and what the fuck.

Fyi Osaka is awesome. Best food and excellent baseball. Tokyo feels like a human ant colony.; 5/3/19, 9:31 AM
rcocean said...: I looked it up, he's from the West Midlands, so that's why he sounds so weird. He probably tried to change to a BBC accent, then came here and got influenced by the US accent, and the result is extremely weird mixture that sounds like nowhere.; 5/3/19, 9:31 AM
Curious George said...: I know the "That's not funny" tag has a different meaning, but perhaps we can make an exception here. Because that's not funny.; 5/3/19, 9:32 AM
rcocean said...: I love the shots of Chilijohn walking down the street and everyone just ignoring him. What's up Japan? Do giant dolls do that every day?; 5/3/19, 9:37 AM
cubanbob said...: Big Mike said...
Only Adam Schiff has a more punchable face."

I raise you one up: Eric Swalwell. But between all of them, its a photo finish.; 5/3/19, 9:50 AM
Fernandinande said...: China's expanding now
It's growing big and strong
Let's learn about it now
In this annoying song!; 5/3/19, 10:08 AM
rehajm said...: I wandered upon the mascot for Kumamoto prefecture in Copley Plaza one day. He was promoting industry in his home or something. seemed like an affable enough fellow or bear or whatever he was.; 5/3/19, 10:26 AM
The Godfather said...: I don’t care HOW MANY TIMES Oliver says “fuck”, I still won’t listen to him.; 5/3/19, 10:34 AM
Swede said...: The world would be a better place if Oliver were launched into space.

On the outside of the rocket.; 5/3/19, 10:42 AM
CJinPA said...: There's a schizophrenic aspect to much of their pop-culture, which gives the vibe they're somewhere between holy shit and what the fuck.

The blogger at American Digest headlines his Japanese items: "Japan: nuked too much or not enough?"; 5/3/19, 11:00 AM
rcocean said...: Oliver says Fuck so many times he's a Motherfucker.; 5/3/19, 11:33 AM
Mary Beth said...: I can handle the "fucks" but I can't take the smarmy smugness that's been a characteristic of everything I've seen him do before.; 5/3/19, 11:34 AM
rcocean said...: Oliver screams Gamma. Or "Bottom".; 5/3/19, 11:34 AM
rcocean said...: I always love the pack of hyenas that show up for these TV shows. Smirks (Audience screams with laughter). Are they forced to take an IQ test? (wild applause) Unlike that fucking Trump (laughter and wild applause).; 5/3/19, 11:37 AM
Maillard Reactionary said...: Lucid-Ideas said: "There's a schizophrenic aspect to much of their pop-culture, which gives the vibe they're somewhere between holy shit and what the fuck."

Indeed. It was my brother who brought to my attention the Hello Kitty Vibrator that you could order from this supplier that imported uh, unique, things from Japan.

His question, and mine, was "What is the target demographic for this item?" Maybe we're better off not knowing.

Second your vote for Osaka BTW. So many neat places there. Ever been to Namba? One of the restaurants in that district has a giant animatronic crab on the side of the building... in case you were wondering what their specialty was.; 5/3/19, 12:40 PM
Ken B said...: Fuck is the best thing he says. He is another example of the slice and dice quotes approach to life.; 5/3/19, 2:22 PM
Lucid-Ideas said...: @Phidippus

I haven't but I guess I will visit there next time. I've done

Tokyo
Kyoto
Osaka
Nagasaki
and Okinawa

...and I also love crab!; 5/3/19, 2:32 PM
johns said...: When I was young I loved the British accent, and I associated it with being clever and smart. Now I hear it as a tell for being obtuse and obnoxious.; 5/3/19, 2:56 PM
rcocean said...: "When I was young I loved the British accent, and I associated it with being clever and smart. Now I hear it as a tell for being obtuse and obnoxious."

It seems like 10 years ago, our media masters decided that British/Foreign accents = funny and we've had a plague of Comedy Central and late night talk shows hosts from "over there". None of them are funny. Most funny Brits do British humor and stay in the UK. We get the losers.; 5/3/19, 3:20 PM
cf said...: wow, i dont get around as much as you guys, i don't know this Oliver, you all know this fellow well, and judge him worst case, and I trust y'all, so hmmm.

i thought it was laugh out loud funny in parts like marx bros style updated, and dang they go to a lot of trouble producing this show, huh? wow.; 5/3/19, 3:21 PM
johns said...: rcocean: Monty Python used to have hilarious takes on British TV reporters with their inane opinions. Self-satisfied BBC announcers. But there's nothing like Python anymore. We get to hear the real thing, snotty British announcers on CNN.

cf: You may enjoy Oliver on this one. Try some of his political opinions.; 5/3/19, 3:29 PM
dustbunny said...: The addiction to weird but cute is huge over there. I saw groups of girls dressed as what seemed to be Little Bo Peep in the Shimokitazawa section of Tokyo. they wore frilly, flowery dresses and carried Shepard’s-hooks. It was such a contrast to the black suit, white shirt and tie uniform on both sexes we’d see in the business sections of the city.; 5/3/19, 3:39 PM
Fen said...: When I was young I loved the British accent, and I associated it with being clever and smart. Now I hear it as a tell for being obtuse and obnoxious.

Same. It finally hit me when I started watching BBC sitcoms. Brits were always portrayed as so enlightened and sophisticated. Then I saw the clothes they wore and their interior decorations. It was all 10 years out of date. Their Upper Middle Class dwellings would be Low Class here in the States.

And then there's the teeth. Yah government medicine!; 5/3/19, 3:42 PM
RobinGoodfellow said...: Blogger rcocean said...
Actually that was funny. You know why? Because I turned off the sound and just skipped to the Japanese mascots doing funny things. The Japanese love physical humor.

BTW, John Oliver is such an unfunny, annoying fuck. And what's up with his weird accent. Is he English? Take Jon Stewart make him X5 annoying and snarky and reduce the likability factor by 50% and you got Oliver.

WTF is up with that accent? I never heard anyone else sound like that.

My wife loves him. I can’t stand him. He may be the smartest, funniest man on Earth, but I’ll never know because I can’t stand to listen to him.; 5/3/19, 3:50 PM
cf said...: thanks for the warning, John, and I'll pass! i will watch this "oliver" fellow if ever Althouse posts him again, that will be my filter, hah.; 5/3/19, 4:13 PM
Quaestor said...: A toffee-nosed twit, as our cousins are fond of saying.; 5/3/19, 4:42 PM
MayBee said...: This post gets my tag, Althouse Needs to Go to Japan; 5/3/19, 4:45 PM
Paco Wové said...: I thought it was pretty funny when they made that clip video that started with Oliver encouraging Trump to run for President.; 5/3/19, 5:46 PM
Nichevo said...: Paco Wové said...
I thought it was pretty funny when they made that clip video that started with Oliver encouraging Trump to run for President.

5/3/19, 5:46 PM

Encouraging him? That berk said he was going to send Trump money! Mr President, have you seen the color of John Oliver's money? If not, then no, my sense of morality does not permit me to countenance his show with my custom.; 5/3/19, 7:06 PM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: they wore frilly, flowery dresses and carried Shepard’s-hooks

Lolita fashion is what that's called.

Is weird.; 5/3/19, 9:53 PM

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