Operation: Make Amy Laugh. Another (and probably last) collection of wacky game show clips from television in Japan. Clockwork Creampuff; Painful Eliminations; Tricycling Idiots; and Treadmill Hurdles. They're pretty outrageous and sometimes downright stupid. Some I just don't get at all but laugh anyway.


Three Replies to Japanese Terebi Game Shows 3

Amy Austin | October 21, 2007
Thanks for the thought, Steve... Results: a few quarter-smiles and a chuckle and a half -- one from the guy hit by two boulders and the half from treadmill hurdles (which is a broken link, btw... but to slake my thirst for a laugh, I looked it up). I'm not sure why two boulders guy was the funniest -- it looked an awful lot like "hit 'em when they're down"... which I guess is an awful lot funnier on a Japanese game show than in real life.

Sometimes, I try to imagine Americans having these kinds of shows and what they'd be saying... I can't help but wonder how much funnier it might be if I knew Japanese. Similarly, I wonder if the MXC narrations are true translations or just some Americans doing it MST 3000 style... I think it's the latter, but with those ridiculous robes that the hosts wear... one can never tell...

Steve West | October 21, 2007
Fixed broken link. Funny that the one I found funniest was the clock hands into the cream pie show. And boulder guy cracked me up too.

Amy Austin | October 21, 2007
Well, the creampuff clock was amusing, too... I think I just forgot about it after the two boulder guy. Please do keep them coming... ;-)


Web Junkie

Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »

How Old Is Too Old For Santa Claus?

My daughter Lauren wrote a letter to Santa in which she asked him for nothing - just a letter to say what a cool guy she thinks he is. It has a few misspellings and a grammar error or two and it's not written with the greatest penmanship. And it's completely adorable. Go »

If I Had A Hammer...

I once heard Leonard Nimoy singing this old Pete Seeger tune and it almost gave me epileptic convulsions. It has nothing to do with this link of an amazing artist who works with Hammer and Nails. It's just that whenever I see a hammer or box of nails or even a picture of Karen Carpenter - that's the song that leaps into my head. Go »

Ice Cream That Would Make Homer Simpson Retch

In all honesty, I felt physically ill after about 1/3 of the way through this list. I could actually taste some of this nauseating stuff and it made my stomach churn. I don't even want to know what raw horseflesh flavor is like. Go »

Never Volunteer, Dummy

Ever since seeing Anthony Hopkins in Magic, ventriloquists and their evil dummies have given me the creeps. This guy does as well but I laughed nonetheless. I think I could sit through his entire act but could never get past the queasiness and actually volunteer like this guy did. Go »

Dumb Criminals And Other Court Type Stuff

Small potpourri of MENSA reject criminals, frivolous lawsuits and just dumb laws. Cupcake Burglar; Cheeseburger Lawsuit; Drunken Sock Eater; Saggy Trouser Law; and Goofy Streaker. The most shocking story to me is this last one in which a victimized Kirsten Dunst had her room burgled and items stolen including a $13,000 handbag. Go »

Happy Halloween

Back when I was about ten, I went trick or treating as a witch doctor. I got to a house that I didn't know who lived there and was greeted by a kindly looking old lady. When I routinely and without much enthusiaism stated, "Trick or treat," she responded by handing me a piece of religious literature. Go »