Decoding Exaggerated Maki Yoko – Hollywood’s Zakoshisyoh Boom Without Matsumoto Hitoshi
With Matsumoto Hitoshi of “Downtown” leaving the spotlight due to the recent series of Bunshun reports, the world of comedy is experiencing a seismic shift.
The comedy monster Sanma Akashiya lamented on his radio show, saying,
“There’s no work coming my way.”
However, amidst this, there are comedians who have seen an increase in work due to Matsumoto’s absence.
One of them is the solo comedian Hollywood Zakoshisyoh.
Zakoshisyoh will serve as a judge for the “13th YTV Manzai Newcomer Award” to be broadcast live on Yomiuri TV on March 3rd. This will mark his first time judging in the Manzai Award race.
This award is a gateway for young manzai comedians. Other judges include Ringo from “High Heel,” Kuma from “The Plan 9,” Nozomu Iwao from “Football Hour,” and Tetsuo Sato from “Punk Boo Boo.”
“Until last year, the judge for the same award was Kazutaka Ozawa from ‘Speed Wagon.’ However, he was specifically mentioned as a ‘handler’ in the Matsumoto report, and subsequently fell ill, resulting in a doctor’s order to stop working. In place of Ozawa, Zakoshi was chosen.” (Comedy industry insider)
When it comes to Zakoshi, his specialty lies in his passionate performances, but his private life is known to be the exact opposite of his stage persona. According to entertainment industry insiders,
“He spent a long time in the trenches, and it wasn’t until he won the ‘R-1 Grand Prix’ in 2016 that he finally saw the light of day. Having struggled so much, he never wants to return to extreme poverty.
He’s said to be wary of accidents, to the point where he refuses to buy a personal car. Although he loves alcohol, he avoids places that feel like they’re ‘for big shots,’ instead opting to spend endless hours drinking with his juniors. Despite his wild on-stage style, he leads an extremely wholesome life.”
