Fans Concern to “Nishikigoi” Work schedule Due to His Age After Becoming “M-1 Grand Pix” Champion.
They're on live morning broadcasts and late night variety shows, and now that they've started their own show, I'm worried about their health on two hours of sleep.
Early in the morning of late January, Masanori Hasegawa (50) and Takashi Watanabe (43) of the popular comedy duo “Nishikigoi” appeared from Fuji Television Network (Minato-ku, Tokyo) after their appearance on “Mezamashi TV. Their expressions were a little stiff, perhaps due to their overcrowded schedule. In the headwind of winter, they hurriedly got into a cab and headed for their next job.
At the end of last year, “Nishikigoi” became the oldest ever winner of the “M-1 Grand Prix” (ABC, TV Asahi). After a long period of hard work, these two middle-aged men became the manzai champions. Their victory brought tears to the eyes of the viewers.
Every year, the winner of “M-1” is extremely busy during the year due to the “special demand” of winning the competition. It is said that they sleep only about two hours a day. Many of their fellow comedians are worried about the health of the not-so-young couple.
However, now is the critical moment for them.
Their popularity has been gradually increasing, but now it seems to have gained momentum. They are now in demand for everything from live morning broadcasts to late-night variety shows. Including meetings and travel, it’s a lot of work,” said comedy critic Larry Toda.
Some comedians are so burned out by this life that they disappear from TV. This is the ordeal that comes to the “champions.
This is a test for the “champions. Although they tend to be treated as nonsense compared to legitimate comic storytellers, Hasegawa has a lot of characters to draw from, and Watanabe has a reputation for his talk skills and his ability to “turn the tables” on the spot. Watanabe is also known for his ability to talk and “turn the tables” on the spot. He should be able to perform as a stable MC like Bananaman. Because he’s a late bloomer, he should be able to work faster than the previous champions in variety shows.
Last month, he started broadcasting his first TV program, “Nishikigoi no Yuu de Ikku! (ABC). The two “uncles” have just begun their rapid progress.
PHOTO： Yusuke Kondo
