Masatoshi Hamada’s Endurance – Co-stars Notice a Special Talent and Signs of Fatigue

Including his duo activities, he has eight regular programs

Masatoshi Hamada (61) of the comedy duo Downtown has announced that he will be taking a break from work due to health issues starting March 10.

While the exact duration of his hiatus is uncertain, he aims to return after Japan’s Golden Week in May.

Hamada, who has long been a driving force in the comedy world alongside Matsumoto, is turning 62 this year. His wife, talent Natsumi Ogawa (62), shared on her blog:

“My husband has been running nonstop for decades. Even when fatigue built up, he rarely had time to rest. Now that he’s able to take a break, both I and our sons feel relieved.”

It seems that years of accumulated fatigue had finally taken their toll.

Hamada is a highly sought-after entertainer, hosting a total of eight regular shows, including those as part of his duo. Being an MC for all of them comes with immense pressure. However, Hamada possesses a unique ability that sets him apart from other hosts.

A celebrity who once appeared on one of his shows remarked:

“Hamada-san’s ‘fast-forwarding’ is on another level.”

This fast-forwarding refers to finishing a shoot much earlier than scheduled. A media insider elaborates:

“For a segment with a scheduled recording time of 60 minutes, the actual shoot only lasted about 40 minutes. I was worried, thinking, ‘Is this really enough?’ But when I asked the staff, they explained that the remaining 20 minutes would be filled with pre-recorded VTRs, so there was no issue. Hamada-san had already accounted for that in his mind. As soon as the shoot wrapped up, he simply said, ‘Good job, everyone!’ and headed straight back to his dressing room.”

On the other hand, his complete opposite would be Sanma Akashiya (69), who is known for frequently going well over the scheduled recording time.

Lately, even Hamada’s co-stars have started consciously adapting to his fast-forwarding approach on their own

“A comedy industry insider explains, ‘In Sanma-san’s case, he believes the more footage, the better. He also tends to get into full gear as time passes.”

Hamada’s fast-forwarding approach sometimes created an unspoken pressure for the participants. According to the previously mentioned co-star,

“There were two guests, including myself, and the other guest kept talking excessively. Then, Hamada-san started exchanging glances with the staff and regular members, and the atmosphere in the studio changed. The only one unaware was the guest who continued talking endlessly. He seems to dislike disorganized, rambling stories, and after that, the guest was never called on again. The script was also significantly shortened.”

With such techniques, Hamada achieved what was known as the fastest recording pace in the industry. It’s easy to imagine that his mind was constantly operating at full speed during recordings.

However, some subtle changes had begun to emerge recently.

“Aging naturally slows down reactions, and lately, his responses seem a bit slower. There have even been moments where he appeared frozen at the MC seat. In the past, co-stars would instinctively pick up on Hamada-san’s pressure and ensure smooth recording. But recently, even the co-stars themselves have proactively started adopting a fast-forward mindset. That said, his hosting techniques are still among the best in the industry.” (TV station insider)

Meanwhile, his comedy partner Matsumoto is set to launch a new media platform, Downtown Channel (Tentative), this spring. He has expressed his desire to have the first episode mark a fresh start for Downtown alongside Hamada. Though the legendary duo will temporarily be absent from television, fans can expect them to return to the spotlight fully recharged.