No to Hurtful Laughter! What “Honjamaka” Hidehiko Ishizuka Learned from a Respected Senior

What Hajime Hanana, whom I respect, said to me: ……

Good day, everyone. I love the song “Ue wo muite arukko (Let’s walk looking up),” but if you keep looking up, you won’t notice the ten-yen coin on the street. This is Hidehiko Ishizuka.

This time, I would like to write about people whom I respect on my own.

You don’t have to hurt people to get a laugh.

For you, who are the people you respect? When I was in elementary school, my teacher asked me, “Who do you respect? I was once asked by a teacher, “Who do you respect?” While my classmates answered, “Edison” or “Hideyo Noguchi,” I answered, “My father.

But I wondered, “Why doesn’t everyone respect their father?

Certainly, if Edison had not made the light bulb practical, we would have to rely on candles at night, but if my father had not worked and paid the electricity bill, it would not only be dark, but we would not be able to cook rice or use a hair dryer. Don’t you think so? My father is now 94 years old and I still respect him.

I respect all people in the entertainment industry except myself, but if I had to pick one, it would be Shinsuke Samba I, Master Sanpei Hayashiya I, and Hajime Hana.

These three have one thing in common. To make everyone smile just by showing up. And they never hurt people to make them laugh.

Nowadays, shows with tongue-in-cheek personalities and slightly mean-spirited performances are gaining popularity, but I feel that the TV shows I loved as a child were watched by the whole family, and everyone laughed at them. I feel that not only the audience but also all the performers on TV seemed to be laughing happily.

You don’t have to hurt people to get a laugh. I still cherish this idea to this day.