Hollywood Zakoshisho talks about “Ichi-Oshi Geisha” and “Office Crisis

It is meaningless to do what others are doing. I feel that these guys are determined to do something that only they can do. That’s what I like about them.

Hollywood Zakoshisho (48), known for his “overly exaggerated mimicry,” spoke about his own theory of comedy with an unusually serious expression on his face. He is loved as a big brother at Sony Music Artists (SMA), where he works, and there are less than 20 comedians in the “Hollywood Gundan,” which consists of the office’s comedians. When we asked Zakoshi, who will celebrate his 30th anniversary this year, about the current state of the comedy world, he gave us his “honest and unabashed” opinion. He began by talking about three notable comedians.

Can I name my favorites?　It’s getting a bit maniacal, isn’t it?　I’m looking at the comedy duo “Rainbow Twilight” and pin-up comedian Machiura Pinku (37). I’m also paying attention to “Ranjyatai. These three groups have something in common. They are not doing anything out of the ordinary. They are challenging themselves to do things that others have not done, things that have not been cleaned up. That’s what I like about them. We just do what we want to do, and we do it all the time.

The one I want you to come to the most is “Rainbow Twilight. Kamaboko Gymnasium (42) and Nozawa Dive Ban (43), a duo of classmates, run around the stage and scream at each other in a super high-tension dialogue that only these guys can pull off. I hope they sell well.

When asked about young comedians to watch, he replied, “I don’t really know. When asked why, Zakosi replied, “I don’t really know.

You must have thought that all the guys I just mentioned are old guys,” he said.　That’s right. They are all old guys. But I like guys like that who have experienced many setbacks because they have a human touch. This is just my personal opinion, but young people are surprisingly normal. They are looking for a cool laugh. But after they hit a wall somewhere and change to overcome it, they become more interesting as human beings. I think his art becomes more human. I like it that way.

Zakoshi himself experienced a series of setbacks during the 23 years leading up to his victory in the “R-1 Guranpuri 2016. There was a time when he wanted to leave comedy and become a manga artist. Because he has experienced both the sweet and sour sides of the comedy world, he has developed his own unique views on the 7th Generation, who got their break at a young age.

I used to like silly laughter,” he said. But that kind of thing is born when you are in a tight corner, or when your seniors are being reckless with you. That is why I am a little concerned about the future of the seventh generation. I wonder how many of them will be able to climb up the wall when they hit it. Right now, everyone is trying to work together, but the same style and the same characters will definitely be weeded out. Conversely, I wonder how they will grow from there. I would love to see that.

It has been 10 years since “Baikingu” won the “King of Conte 2012. With “Nishikigoi” winning “M-1 Grand Prix 2021,” SMA has won three major comedy titles. The office was on an upswing ……, but Zakoshi had the exact opposite impression.

The company is on the upswing,, but Zakoshi had the opposite impression. I don’t think they have enough …… spirit. I think that the “Baikingu” and “Nishikigoi” are the elite. I think that the people who are not like them have to work twice or three times harder than, say, Koge (Eiji, 46). Even I post on YouTube every day. No matter how busy I am, I stand in front of the camera once a day and decide to do something interesting. It’s the little things like that that are important. To be honest, I know it sounds harsh, but looking at the attitude of the younger members today, I’m worried that none of them will ever sell again.

The “R-1” competition, which was the catalyst for his breakthrough, will have an age limit starting in 2021, and only pin comedians with 10 years or less of artistic experience will be allowed to compete. This has added to the sense of crisis.

In the past, ‘R-1’ was a great place to get a fresh start,” he said. I was a duo for 10 years and didn’t make it, but ‘R-1’ gave me a chance to go on stage as a pin comedian. But now that there is an age limit, there is no place for smoldering comedians to try again. We have a lot of older guys, so they are really affected by it.

Zakoshi expresses his honest feelings toward his juniors. Still, he has a dream for the office.

In the end, it’s up to me. But, for example, I would be very happy if we could have a TV show with a SMA comedian as the host. A successful comedian could host the show and have a corner where he or she could show their material. That would get everyone fired up. It could even be on a local station in a regional area. That would raise everyone’s morale, wouldn’t it?

Zakoshi spoke candidly about the situation at his office and his feelings toward his juniors. When we finally asked him about his own goals for the future, he gave us a somewhat surprising answer.

I want to have my own TV show!　I want to do it so badly. I would love to do something like “Hitori Gottsu” (Fuji TV). However, this is the opposite of what I just said, but I don’t want to show my material on my own TV show. You have to make evaluative comments. I don’t want to make people feel like I’m talking from where I stand (laughs). (Laughs.) Instead, I think it would be best if I could do a program in which I make a lot of fools of myself.

Zakosi agreed to an interview with us, exceeding the scheduled time. For his own dream and for the sake of his office, he will continue to lead the comedy world.