I blogged a little while ago about how strange Japanese TV can be, and also mentioned a Naked Ski-slope prank. At the time I didn’t link it, but I think it’s worth linking now
This clip has the popular habit of a superimposed person laughing at the funny parts, which not only tells you when to laugh, but makes it feel like you’re watching the TV with someone else.
Enjoy…
I blogged last about Japanese TV shows, and a great source of clips is on YouTube. Normally I’d watch YouTube on my computer, but I need do that no longer.
The other day I got myself an Apple TV, which promises to revolutionise my TV watching. I do watch a lot of TV, but I’m not really a channel watcher. At least I don’t tend to sit down and watch whatever’s on TV, unless there is a particular programme I want to watch. Normally I’d download something – legally of course – or watch a DVD. I like to watch TV series episodes back-to-back, so I don’t have to wait for next week for the next episode. So during an evening, instead of watching a couple of hours of random TV, I’ll watch a few episodes of whatever series I like. One of my all-time faves is X-Files, which I love to watch again and again. Currently I’m watching LOST, My Name is Earl, Desperate Housewives and the fantastic Heroes. Generally I rip one of my DVD’s so I can watch it via Front Row on my Mac, but now it syncs wirelessly to my Apple TV so I can sit on the sofa and watch it on my telly screen, which is clearly genius. This is how I really want TV to be like: on demand.
The only things I’d add to the Apple TV is functionality to browse Flickr, and to have my Flickr stream available as a slideshow. That would get rid of the need to have one of those eStarling WIFI photo frames I’ve been lusting after for ages. It’d be really great to have a live feed of my Flickr contacts photos too. Also, I’d like to be able to stream DVD’s that are in my MacBook drive through my Apple TV – which would mean I’d not have to Handbrake everything I want to watch.
Watching YouTube videos on your TV through a device like this really makes you realise what the potential of the Internet really is for self-production of video. Now I have a TV channel which shows me content from all over the world, made by individuals….it’s pretty emancipating.
I also have my entire iTunes library available through my TV and speakers, so I no longer have to risk leaving out my Macbook when I have a party, or I’m really drunk – so it’s pretty damn good for that reason (^ ^).
Most Japanese TV that we see in the UK is on late-night “how strange is ‘foreign’ TV” programmes, hosted by someone such as Chris Tarrant. Generally we see practical jokes played on people when they’re on the toilet, or shot, naked down ski slopes on chairs with rockets attached (honestly). There is a Japanese comedian called Yanagihara Kanako (柳原可奈子) who is really very funny. She’s not really a joke-telling comedian, but a parody of people you see in Japan.
In this video, you can see her poking fun at shop assistants for their attitude, and the ever present call of “irasshaimaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee“, when you walk in. “Irasshaimase” is an honorific expression welcoming someone to the shop. The plain form of the word itself is “irassharu”, and is an exalted form of several verbs including kuru (to come), iku (to go), and iru(for animate objects to exist). You can skip to about 1:45 in the video to see what I mean.
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