“I Can’t Keep Doing This” — The Behind-the-Scenes Problems Said to Have Driven Ano Toward a Possible Exit

Even Savannah’s Takahashi was caught up in an bullying controversy

The disputes involving artist Ano (age undisclosed) and Suzuki Sarina (48), as well as comedian Nakayama Kota (45) and Shigeo Takahashi (50) of the comedy duo “Savanna,” have become a vivid example of the perceived decline in the quality of variety television programs.

On the May 18 broadcast of her own show “Ano Channel” (TV Asahi), Ano was asked which celebrity she disliked and answered by naming “Suzuki Sarina.” When Suzuki fired back, the situation escalated to the point where Ano herself reportedly requested to leave the program.

According to Ano’s explanation on X, the show’s producers had long been pushing unreasonable requests too far, and she had repeatedly expressed concerns, saying:

“I don’t like this kind of expression.”

“Please stop this because it’s going to put the guest in an uncomfortable position.”

However, she claims that nothing improved.

Following this latest incident, Ano declared:

“I don’t want to continue anymore, so I’m leaving the show. That probably means the program itself will come to an end.”

It is highly unusual for a performer to publicly announce their intention to quit a program, suggesting that the relationship of trust between the talent and the production side had broken down.

Shortly before this controversy, Nakayama Kota, winner of the R-1 Grand Prix, revealed on an ABEMA infotainment program that he had been bullied by a senior entertainer over the past ten years. Although the senior person’s name was initially censored with a beep, Shigeo Takahashi of Savanna eventually identified himself as the person in question.

The two later reconciled, and Nakayama apologized for using the term bullying. Nevertheless, there is little doubt that Takahashi’s previously favorable public image suffered some damage.

One person involved in the comedy industry sighed:

“Whether it’s the situation between Ano-chan and Suzuki Sarina, or the one involving Nakayama Kota and Savannah’s Takahashi, nobody ended up happy.”

The TV industry’s sloppiness

In recent years, exposé-style material has become increasingly common in variety shows. Discussing the reasons behind this trend, a veteran television writer told this publication:

“When programs air in late-night slots, their concepts tend to become more extreme. Writers and directors are also increasingly younger. Many of them have a strong desire for comments or moments from their shows to go viral on social media, which makes it easier for them to cross the line.”

Edgy segments can generate a strong reaction, but they also carry the risk of sparking backlash.

In Ano-chan’s case as well, the mistake was that the production side gave the project the go-ahead with a it’ll work out somehow attitude, despite the performer herself reportedly expressing reservations.

Osamu Suzuki (54), the former broadcast writer behind legendary programs such as “SMAP×SMAP” (Fuji TV), posted on X on May 21:

“From now on, if you’re going to announce someone you dislike, either do it when both people are present, or have the other person appear as a surprise! One of those two! That’s what variety entertainment should be!”

His remark implicitly suggested that conducting a trial in absentia is an invitation for trouble.

The veteran writer quoted earlier pointed to a more structural issue:

“Young comedians these days work hard to leave an impression, so they’ll bring up provocative exposé stories during recordings. To be honest, there are times when I think, ‘That’s actually pretty funny.’ But when you consider the fallout after broadcast, you have no choice but to cut it. That kind of judgment ultimately depends on the experience and instincts that writers and directors have developed over their careers.”

According to industry insiders, the review system between performers and production teams has also become increasingly careless.

After recording is completed, production staff create an edited pilot version and show it to the performers for confirmation. This process is especially important for variety programs dealing with sensitive material. Only after repeated consultations and revisions between both sides is the program finally cleared for broadcast.

However, this confirmation process has increasingly become little more than a formality. A manager at a talent agency revealed:

“Sometimes the transcript of the pilot version arrives right before the broadcast date. Other times, maybe because they’re using some terrible app, the transcription isn’t even proper Japanese. When we ask them to send it again, they’ll respond with something like, ‘Isn’t this good enough?’ You can tell they’re genuinely annoyed. They give off the impression that they’d rather not have us checking things too closely.”

To prevent scandals, performers and their representatives can no longer rely entirely on television stations; they have to persistently insist on reviewing the material themselves.

A television industry insider commented:

“The Ano-chan incident isn’t someone else’s problem. Senior management has instructed us to properly inspect the production process.”

As more viewers drift away from television, perhaps it is time for the industry to reconsider the mentality that if it goes viral, that’s all that matters.