Uchimura Goes Rogue in Shinjuku! Comedy Star Spotted Acting Suspiciously in Public

Comedy as proof of life

On a Sunday in mid-February, with weather like early spring and strong sunlight pouring down, a large plaza in front of a commercial building along Koshu Kaido in Shinjuku Ward was filled with people enjoying their day off, including young couples and families. Suddenly appearing there was a gentleman with blond curly hair, a polka-dot bow tie, and a blue tuxedo. It was Teruyoshi Uchimura (61), also known as “Ucchan” from the comedy duo Ucchan Nanchan.

In fact, this was a scene from the new sketch comedy show Kind Gentleman (Fuji TV), which will air on March 27.

“When it comes to Uchimura’s comedy shows, NHK’s LIFE! Comedy Dedicated to Life is well-known, but this is a sketch drama produced by Fuji TV. I heard that Uchimura teamed up with the staff from Uchimura and Partners, which aired from April 2023, and the currently airing Saturday RISE! ‘Chan House’, and was involved from the planning stage. It seems to be a challenging drama project that explores sketch comedy that can only be done in a late-night time slot,” said a TV magazine writer.

Uchimura plays the role of a kind gentleman who can’t help but meddle when someone is in trouble, performing sketches in various situations.

Returning to the beginning: Once the staff with handheld cameras and reflectors were ready and the start cue was given, Uchimura grabbed his cane and ran off in a lively, dancing stride. He snapped his fingers at a young couple walking nearby, spun around in front of a businessman—his actions might have seemed suspicious to bystanders, but his movements were sharp and energetic, hardly what you would expect from someone over sixty.

As a sketch comedian, Uchimura is mainly known for studio sketches, as seen in LIFE. In an interview with Oricon News on August 31, 2012, he said:

“I do sketches because I enjoy them. It’s probably my strongest area, so I think I should keep doing it. Comedy has many genres—improvisation, manzai, free talk—but for me, it’s studio sketches. I think studio sketches are what I like the most.”

This time, however, the show is an outdoor sketch program. The cast includes people he has rarely worked with before, such as Satoshi Iizuka (52) of the comedy trio Tokyo 03, co-starring for the first time in 12 years, and actor Toru Nomaguchi (52). In an interview published in CUT (April 2018 issue), Uchimura said:

“I was recognized by the world through sketch comedy, so it’s the core of who I am. I want to leave many works while my body still allows it. Sketch comedy is proof of life (laughs).”

Uchimura’s new challenge is sure to bring a fresh breeze to the world of comedy.

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