Mid-Year 2024 Anonymous Entertainment Roundtable Reveals Matsumoto Hitoshi’s Insights and Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Marriages and Independence Rush

The year 2024 in the entertainment world began with the shocking news of ‘Downtown’ Hitoshi Matsumoto (60) taking a break from activities, while he continued to reign at the top of the comedy world. Starting from April, ‘STARTO ENTERTAINMENT,’ which took over the operations of the former ‘Johnny & Associates’ dismantled due to the sexual abuse scandal by the late Johnny Kitagawa, officially launched. However, it has been a tumultuous start with a succession of talent independence and marriages.

On the other hand, big news is continuously breaking as long-time scandal-free stars like Haruka Ayase (39), Kasumi Arimura (31), and Hana Sugisaki (26) have their serious relationships exposed, keeping entertainment media extremely busy.

Therefore, we held a roundtable discussion with A, a key network director; B, a sports newspaper entertainment desk; and C, a veteran entertainment reporter. They discussed the behind-the-scenes stories and future of the tumultuous first half of the year in the entertainment industry.

A: “It’s been about eight months since Hitoshi Matsumoto disappeared from television. Recently, he resumed his X account with nearly 10 million followers. Seeing the thousands of replies wishing for his return to his SNS posts, it’s clear that he still has significant influence and charisma. However, it’s also true that the television industry continues to function without him. Even if Matsumoto wins his court case, the deteriorated image and the high fees—said to be at least 1.5 million yen per show—will likely be a barrier, so there won’t be many producers eager to hire him right away.”

B: “I’ve heard that there are programs where the upper management has instructed to cut any scene where the word ‘Matsumoto’ is mentioned. As television networks increasingly prioritize sponsor preferences, it makes sense that they would avoid using Matsumoto, whom clients and housewives dislike. Given that he has stated he will focus on the court case, he won’t be coming back for a while. Programs like ‘Sake no Tsumami ni Naru Hanashi’ (Fuji TV) and ‘IPPON Grand Prix’ (Fuji TV), which were primarily his, have now become established with substitutes. Since they are functioning well without him, reopening the path for his return is quite difficult. At the very least, a return to television this year seems unlikely. If he were to reappear, what form could it take?”

C: “The most likely scenario is ‘Documental.’ Since that show is presented as a Matsumoto project, it’s irreplaceable. Similarly, ‘FREEZE,’ which is distributed on Amazon Prime Video and produced by Matsumoto, is set to air as scheduled, and Matsumoto’s comment during his hiatus generated some buzz. Compared to terrestrial TV, the barriers to appearing on these platforms are lower.”

The Competition for Former Johnny’s Talent

B: “Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in the use of former Johnny’s talents in dramas and variety shows, but it’s expected that a clear divide will emerge in the future.”

A: “All networks are being asked by their upper management to cast talents that can target core viewership (ages 13–49). As a result, there’s no choice but to rely on former Johnny’s talents. This season’s summer dramas also reflect this trend, with Ren Meguro (27) of Snow Man starring in ‘Umi no Hajimari’ (Fuji TV) and Kazunari Ninomiya (41) cast in the lead role for ‘Black Pean Season 2’ (TBS), turning the situation into a scramble for old Johnny’s talents.

However, with the lack of previous considerations for the agency side, networks have become more stringent with their casting. As a result, offers are concentrated on talents like Meguro and Ninomiya, who can bring in numbers, and others like Fuma Kikuchi (29) and Genta Matsuda (25), who excel in variety shows. These talents are chosen for their abilities.”

C: “Hideaki Takizawa (42) and his ‘TOBE,’ with their flagship talent ‘Number-i,’ continue to make strides, even performing at the world music festival ‘Coachella.’ They appeared with former Johnny’s talents on ‘Music Day 2024’ (TBS), and the close proximity of both sides has drawn attention. However, I hear that networks are still often adjusting to ensure that TOBE’s talents do not overlap with former Johnny’s talents. Many programs want to cast the trending TOBE, so STARTO may see this as a threat.”

A: “Speaking of former Johnny’s talents, this year has been a rush of marriages. After Tsuyoshi Domoto (45) from Kinki Kids and Kanako Momota (30) from Momoiro Clover Z announced their marriages, Yuichi Nakamaru (40) from KAT-TUN and Shigeaki Kato (37) from NEWS have also been tying the knot one after another.”

B: “There was an unspoken rule at the former Johnny’s office that only one member per group could be married. However, with the office being dismantled due to the sexual abuse scandal, there seems to be an intention to erase the negative image by allowing talents to freely engage in relationships.”

C: “I believe that actress Haruka Ayase (39), who was revealed to be dating Jesse (28) from SixTONES in July, will soon get married. Although Ayase has been rumored to be involved with Takao Osawa (56) and Tori Matsuzaka (35) in the past, her agency had outright denied those rumors. This time, however, the agency has tacitly acknowledged the relationship by saying ‘private matters are left to the individual.’ This alone suggests that their relationship is serious. With Ayase approaching 40, it would not be surprising if she got married at any time.”

B: “I also think Yuriko Yoshitaka (36) is likely to marry soon. It’s been about two years since she started dating, and around a year ago, she introduced her partner to acquaintances and her agency. Before the filming of the current NHK Taiga drama ‘Hikaru Kimi e’ started, she reportedly informed those involved of her intention to marry him. A surprise wedding at the end of the year, right after the Taiga drama finishes, is quite possible.”

A: “An unexpected possibility is Kento Yamazaki (29) and Suzu Hirose (26). Although there are talks that Yamazaki’s busy work schedule means marriage is still a way off, the fact that they are openly dating in public suggests they are leaning towards marriage. With Yamazaki approaching his 30th birthday, the day they become a couple might be near.”

 

Part 2: Insights on Resigned Group and Drug Scandal of Famous Actor X in 2024 First Half Anonymous Entertainment Roundtable 

From the August 23 & 30, 2024 issue of ‘FRIDAY’.