“That M-1 Finalist…”… The Comedy World Is in an Uproar! A Huge Star Comedian Pushes for a “Move to Yoshimoto”

Just being able to criticize the agency is something…

Shocking news is sweeping through the comedy world: “X,” a popular comedy duo and M-1 Grand Prix finalist, is plotting to switch agencies.X is in high demand not only for comedy competitions but also for variety shows and events, yet “they’ve been consulting with very close associates about ‘transferring to Yoshimoto Kogyo,’” according to a TV producer.They’re already big stars and hold a lot of clout at their current agency, so why on earth is “X” trying to move to Yoshimoto—the comedy industry’s biggest agency of all?

According to insiders, comedians from other agencies “envy” those at Yoshimoto.

“Over the past decade or so, the comedy world has become completely ‘award-race-centric.’ As a result, how often you can get on stage has become crucial.Comedians at other agencies have to spend their own money to create opportunities to perform on stage, but Yoshimoto comedians can test and refine their material while getting paid at the company’s theaters all over Japan. This difference is huge. Some comedians even say there’s ‘a gap as wide as heaven and earth,’” said a television writer.

Yoshimoto comedians have no ticket sales quotas, and “unless it’s a self-produced event, they don’t have to pay out of pocket even if they bring in zero audience members, ” the writer added. One mid-level Yoshimoto comedian even went so far as to say , “Jokes that had previously been considered ‘taboo’ were suddenly allowed the moment I joined Yoshimoto.”

“That is none other than ‘criticism of the agency.’ It’s common for Yoshimoto comedians to reveal their cut of the fee on TV or social media and make jokes like, ‘Yoshimoto is exploitative,’ but this would be unthinkable at any other agency. No matter how poorly they’re treated, comedians at other agencies can only talk about it at private drinking parties at best.

Following the so-called ‘under-the-table gigs’ scandal, the working conditions for Yoshimoto comedians improved. Nowadays, other agencies are far more exploitative.“At Yoshimoto, if comedians handle the filming and editing themselves, they get 80 percent of the YouTube revenue. At the agency I was with before, even though they didn’t help at all, it was split 50-50. What’s more, I heard that for some top stars and veteran comedians, it wasn’t even a 50-50 split—the comedian’s share was much higher—which is why I decided to leave.”

Dissatisfaction with the “Manager Gacha”

While it’s not uncommon for unknown comedians to suddenly receive a major push, at agencies other than Yoshimoto, the decision of “who to promote” is often determined by whether they “catch the eye of the agency president or the next most powerful figure.”

“At Yoshimoto, if you make a good impression on even one executive-level employee, there’s a chance you’ll get promoted. Since the number of employees is incomparably larger, the likelihood of catching someone’s eye increases, right? I also think the quality and quantity of work the agency provides are far superior to those of other agencies,” said another Yoshimoto comedian.

“ If there’s one thing to complain about at Yoshimoto, it’s probably the ‘manager lottery,’” this comedian continued.

“Manager reassignments happen every year or two, but since we’re dealing with people, there are inevitably good and bad matches. That can sometimes affect your work. There are some incompetent ones who are hard to reach or frequently forget to process invoices. Still, there are many cases where comedians make their big break by working hand-in-hand with their manager.”

While X would likely want to make the transfer happen as soon as possible, “the sticking point is that Yoshimoto wants to avoid being seen as ‘poaching comedians from elsewhere,’” says a source.

“If there’s a future for ‘X’ at Yoshimoto, they’d likely have to go through the process of leaving their current agency and enrolling in Yoshimoto’s training school (NSC). Considering their popularity and name recognition, I don’t think that’s very realistic, though…” (Yoshimoto insider)

X has been nominated for the M-1 Grand Prix again this year and is expected to perform well once more. Will the future ever come when their hidden ambitions are realized?