Annunciate clearly or else...

It isn’t always that I have something worthy to blog about. Not so today!!! Actually, I’m partially stealing off of something I saw on Leno last night. They had a bit on funny video clips that they found on YouTube. Most of the clips were rather uninteresting, but one caught my attention. It was a clip from a Japanese game show, where the contestants were made to say a tongue-twister correctly or face the consequences. I’d try and explain it, but really I think it deserves a view for full justice. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5PS8zHBbxg&mode=related&search

Only in Japan would they produce and conjure such a game show. Only in Japan could someone have such a crazy idea of saying a tongue twister for a game show, and adding the genius idea of whacking the contestants in the chops if they failed to say the tongue twister correctly.

A few months ago I watched a Japanese game show with voice over by some American chaps. It was equally hilarious. They played this game where they have to swing on a rope across a muddy, watery mess, and try and land on a wooden platform at some distance away. One guy totally face-planted the side of the platform, ricocheted off, and then fell into the muddy, watery abis. He got up and laughed, did a little jig, to which the voice over said “milk, milk, lemonade, turn the corner fudge is made”. Really messed up stuff eh? They all had on these strange costumes as well—uber Japanese. Actually, an even better game that they played was a hyped up rock/paper/scissors. Two people (opponents) stood on apposing podiums in fun costumes/dress, did a little dance for about ten seconds at which point they flung their appendages wildly about for another five seconds before revealing their rock/paper/ or scissors. The best part was the commentary as they reviewed the play in slow motion. NOTHING is as exciting as watching a replay of rock/paper/scissors in slow motion. I’m telling the honest to goodness truth here—I almost peed my pants. Unfortunately, their podiums were too far apart for the contestants to use their scissors to cut the other persons paper in celebratory fashion. That was a little disappointing. With so much pomp and effort leading up to the revealing of r/p/s, it seemed anticlimactic to end with only jumping up and down like a sissy for the victor. No closure.

Having watched these game shows has left me to ponder: “why are we so far behind in the US”? I don’t get it. We have cheesy reality shows and game shows that only last a couple of seasons. Why not combine the two into game show reality such as seen in Japan? I’d tune-in to watch that!!!


In honor of Bushes plummeting approval rating, here is another funny clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVjz-H5PdSA