Bakushobun Mondai “Ota” bitterly criticizes the members of the Kohaku Shows… “blatantly” defends the former Johnny’s.
On November 13, NHK announced the contestants for the 74th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen to be broadcast on New Year’s Eve. Due to the sex-abuse issue by the late founder, Johnny’s Kitagawa, not a single artist from “SMILE-UP.” (former Johnny’s office) was selected. In response to this, Hikaru Ota of Bakusho Mondai mentioned on his radio program that “all the former Johnny’s” had been eliminated. He cited former SMAP member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, who left the agency six years ago, which drew the ire of netizens.
The former Johnny’s are regulars at Kohaku, and last year, six groups participated: KinKi Kids, Kanjani Eight, King & Prince, Snow Man, SixTONES, and Naniwa Otoko. This will be the first time in 44 years, since the 30th (1979), that no former Johnny’s talent will compete,” said an entertainment writer.
When the topic of this year’s Kohaku was discussed on the radio program “Tuesday JUNK Bakusho Mondai Carboy” (TBS Radio) broadcast on January 14, Ota said, “There will be no former Johnny’s, right? Ota remarked, “No ex-janitors, right? He added, “It’s so blatant, NHK too. You guys have been talking a lot about ……. I really wonder how you are doing this! I think you guys are so blatant about it,” he said as a viewer.
He also mentioned the fact that Kusanagi, who used to be a member of Johnny’s, appears in the NHK TV series “Boogie Woogie,” which is currently airing, and said, “Is Kusanagi in ‘Boogie Woogie’? It’s like, “Kusanagi is in ‘Boogie Woogie’? If you appear first, you get to appear in the NHK program. I like Kusanagi, too. Well, I like Kusanagi, too. I like Kusanagi, too. I like ‘New Map’ too,” he said with a laugh.
Former SMAP members Kusanagi, Inagaki, and Katori left Johnny’s on September 8, 2005. On the 22nd of the same month, they launched a joint official fan site, New Map. Although they clearly state that they are “not a group,” they are also developing activities under the name “New Map” as a collective name for the three members.
On the other hand, Bakusho Mondai has been closely associated with SMAP since the group’s days, and Ota directed and wrote the script for “Hikari e, Koru” (To the Light, We Go), a short omnibus film starring Kusanagi, in which “New Map” appeared. In April of this year, Bakusho Mondai was a guest on the educational variety “Waruiko Atsumare” (NHK E-television), a regular program of “Shinarui Chizu” (New Map)” (aforementioned entertainment writer).
