Studying/practicing Japanese through Japanese humor (funny for non-speakers too)

When I lived in Japan I anxiously looked forward to Saturday evening all week---because that is when the Ken-chan and Kato-chan comedy show would come on. Before this show they were part of a comedy group that had a show that was also very funny. America's Funniest Home Videos was actually modeled after a segment on Kenchan and Katochan---the last 10 - 15 minutes----was devoted to funny videos people would send in. After this show Shimura Ken went on to do several more hilarious shows, and he is still doing things that are pretty funny. I actually met Ken-chan one time----a story I will relate one of these days.

The comedy is somewhat slapstick----along the lines of Rowan & Martin's Laugh In or The Carol Burnett Show (he often does a great old lady or old man just like Tim Conway would do on the Carol Burnett show)

I recently discovered that there is a ton of videos of the various sketches Ken and Ken and Kato did and so forth. This is Japanese as it is really used in real life (by real Japanese people---for real-----in fact these actors are real Japanese people speaking it the real way...).

I thought I would share these with people in order to practice their Japanese and to get used to hearing it in the real world (not like the classroom with phony Japanese people-----peepuru)---or it is good for those people who try to learn Japanese from that recent series of sketches on Saturday Night Live---that makes fun of a local University student broadcast for people that are really into anime (----for those of you---Dis Japanesururu isu realruru in dis vidoeru).

This one has English subtitles----but not all of them do (so you'll get some real practice):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KacgfiVO1mg"]Shimura Ken - It Felt Good! [Sub] - YouTube



Here is another one:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97zUvAM-iWA"]志村けん　空港コント　ＴＳＡ米国運輸保安庁１ #tsa　#homeland_security #dhs - YouTube

 

Ok, here's another one-----Shimura ken is in his apartment with his girlfriend when she asks him what he is thinking about----Nothing----your thinking about your wife in Tokyo, aren't you...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_qFlkqRflI"]志村けんのだいじょうぶだぁ夫婦コント - YouTube


And here is some Ken-chan doing a bit that is kind of like Tim Conway playing the old man on the Carol Burnett Show----first he does an old man, then an old woman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mldp9uBmDeQ"]寝だい列しゃ1 - YouTube

 

Ok---here's one-----this would be just like sitting in a Japanese family's home and listening to them deal with a problem-----one of the daughters has a boyfriend:

The mother isn't surprised---after all she says, she is pretty like me, of course she'd have a boyfriend. ---What did you say? ----Of course she'd have a boyfriend. ---no, before that?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08LHm5hPoek"]志村けん　コント - YouTube




Ok, here is a few vocabulary points to help some of you---a few random ones (assuming you know basics like, shiranai, wakaranai, honto, etc). You can ask if there about any vocabulary though:

kareshi ----boyfriend
toshigoro---about that age (i.e. about the age she should have a boyfriend)
bijin----a beauty, beautiful girl
shinpai----worry
kangae-sugi-----thinking too much
ite-koi!------come here
suware!-----sit!
kekkon----marriage
tsukiau----to hang out with, be together, to be in a relationship with
Chan to----properly or completely-----therefore chan to tsukiatteiru----to 'actually' be in a relationship together.
shokai---indtroduce---shokai suru, therefore otousan ni shokai shite kara----after introducing to your father
suikake----to smoke and set down suu--to smoke, kakeru--to place, set down, hang, etc.
Shuumi warui---bad interest, bad taste
kono hen made----up to here, up till here, these ones.
Kaete-morae!-----please go! from kaeru--to return, and morau---to receive

Does that help people understand. This could be a typical living room scene in Japan----though most girls would not bring home a bunch of guys as her 'boyfriend' No wonder talk of marriage was mada hayai-----too early.

 

OK---here is another one with English subtitles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7DcMO0SWkA"]Bakatono - Dreaming [Sub] - YouTube

 

Ok---here is another one----Ken-chan is playing a moron who apparently has Tourette's Syndrome----he always says, 'Deshi!'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4QRNrAQDRM"]旅客機 - YouTube