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.

How do I sell?” Lessons from Hajime Hanahajime

Of the three people I respect, Hajime Hana was the only one I had the pleasure of meeting. One day, when I was still a young comedian, I went to his office to show my material, and the atmosphere was tense and different from usual.

Then Shigeru Shinozaki, the chief of the comedy team, who was at a round table in the corner of the floor, said loudly, “Ishizuka, say hello to Hana-san! he shouted loudly. Across from Mr. Shinozaki, that Hana-san, whom I had seen on TV, was looking at me.

I freaked out and said in a trembling voice, “Good morning!　My name is Ishizuka, and I am studying laughter! Hana-san said, “That’s nice. I like fat guys! He said, “I like fat guys! For the first time in my life, I was glad I was fat.

After that, when I asked him, “How can I sell it?” and I asked him, he told me, “If you are having trouble selling, wear clothes that look like they sell, live in a room that looks like it sells, even if it’s a lie, and act like it sells!” He told me, “If you are having trouble making a sale, change your environment. In other words, if you change your environment, you will change yourself. If you change yourself, you will change your environment.

When I further told him that I was struggling with my artistic style, he said, “You, who do you like?　When in doubt, imitate the person you like. If you keep doing it, it won’t be an imitation. Eventually, it will become your own thing. It was as if I could see God through the clouds.

After that, I bought a slightly more expensive costume. I felt my consciousness changed a little. Also, when I imitated the smile of Shinsuke Samba, whom I love, it really became my own smile.

Why don’t you try imitating your favorite people? When laughter comes to the gate, good fortune comes to you. Let’s laugh!

From the March 28, 2025 issue of FRIDAY