Watabe, Higashide, Kentaro Ito…disgraced celebrities appear one after another in “TV TOKYO P’s Extreme Program,” the reason for its great success and unexpected challenges.

Where there is a god to cast away, there is a god to pick up. In the entertainment industry, where even “Downtown” star Matsumoto Hitoshi could lose his place due to reports of sexual misconduct, TV producer Sakuma Nobuyuki (48) is offering a helping hand to those who have caused scandals.

After leaving TV Tokyo in March 2009 to start his own company, Sakuma has been working on innovative projects for YouTube and video distribution services, such as “Talk Survivor! Talk Survivor! which is a combination of drama and impromptu talk, became a big hit on Netflix, and the second season, which began in October 2011, surprised viewers with a secret plan featuring Ken Watabe of Un-jash.

Watabe’s self-deprecating talk, such as “I heard Bunshun made 400 million dollars from my affair,” was a great success, and he survived to the final stage. He showed his bottom line as a comedian with his throwaway material, and his Kirinuki videos are still buzzing on social networking sites.

Actor Masahiro Higashide, who like Watabe had been sidelined due to a gay affair, also appeared on the program as a key player in the drama part, and Sakuma’s ability to shine a light on talented people who have been brought down by scandals is highly praised in the industry.

Why Ito can’t get another break

Who will get a second chance in 2012?　The latest content produced by Mr. Sakuma, “Incidents 2” (DMM TV), has an unexpected cast member this time as well as popular comedians.

The show is a comedy show featuring the two members of “Saraba Seishun no Hikari” (Farewell, Light of Youth), which Mr. Sakuma had always valued, but actor Kentaro Ito has joined the cast since season 1. Moreover, from the beginning of the show, he repeatedly used the cloak word “shi-bu” and blended in well with the extreme comedy in which the comedians performed their undertones. He has also been cast in the sequel, “Incidents 2,” and has become a member of the Sakuma family.

Ito has appeared in the drama “Today I Am! (NTV) and NHK’s morning drama “Scarlet,” but had not been seen on terrestrial television since his arrest for hit-and-run in October 2008. Even before his suspension, he had a reputation for his acting ability, and in recent years he had been active mainly in movies and on stage.

If he continues to be valued by hit maker Mr. Sakuma, it seems certain that he will get another break, but he does not seem to be so naive. ……

Another entertainment journalist said, “Masahiro Higashide is developing new charm by exposing his true humanity on variety shows.

Masahiro Higashide is developing a new appeal by exposing his true humanity on variety shows, but this is not possible in Ito’s case. Since he caused a traffic accident, walked away from the scene, and was arrested, it is extremely difficult for him to change his bad image. It is not possible to open up and talk about self-mutilation, and even at the site of the “Incidents 2” interview, past incidents are an unspoken taboo.

The theme of the show is “escapist comedy” without regard for compliance, and other comedians are allowed to ask radical questions, but Ito is the only one who is difficult to tease. He is a serious young man, so he is well received by the staff, but it will take some time before he can completely change the public’s impression of him.

Ito is only 26 years old. If he can steadily regain trust, there is a possibility that he will return to the forefront of the entertainment industry. Because he is “someone who has made mistakes before,” he may be able to broaden his range of expression and become a one-of-a-kind actor in the future. In a world that is so harsh on other people’s failures, we need people who can crawl up from hell and show us a story of a loser’s resurrection.

Incidentally, new cast members for “Incidents 2” include Koji Kato, who left Yoshimoto Kogyo and became a lone wolf, the disgraced duo “TKO,” and, as mentioned above, Ken Watabe and Masahiro Higashide. The stimulating comedy created by these entertainment industry hagremono has been highly praised by viewers who are tired of the same old TV shows.

Soon, Matsumoto Hitoshi, who is in the middle of a whirlwind, may also knock on the door of the Sakuma family!