Chiba Kun Ambassadors On Nekketsu BO-SO TV

"The rising Korean super star"

Kevin Ng

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So guys, do I look like a Korean? I'm not sure why Kevin felt so, but I will welcome his compliment with both hands and open heart haha! Sounds very much like a direct translation from Malay language though, but cincai-lar.

Catching up from where I stop in the previous entry, in which I did a countdown to the live show of Nekketsu BO-SO TV (熱血BO-SO TV). Our first task as a guest was a very simple one - to clap hands during the opening. The show is led by Mr Happa Ikki (八波一起), a popular presenter and TV personality, who acts as the boss of the company. The show is being portrayed as an advertising company to promote the charm of Chiba Prefecture and joined by several staffs and reporters, known as its agents. Unfortunately for us, its advisor, Mr Morita Kensaku, who is also the governor of Chiba Prefecture couldn't make it to the show on that day.

Woahh, never thought on day my name will appear in a Japanese show lol!



Tried to control my machoness in front of the camera, for not wanting to appear as overly excited like a jakun in my first live TV appearance haha!

This show started its broadcast in early April 2010 on a weekly basis. Among the guests who have been invited to the show in the past were Chiba Kun (チーバくん) and also Akimoto Sayaka (秋元才加) and Kuramochi Asuka (倉持明日香), members of the idol group AKB48 which has gained enormous popularity in Japan.

Chiba Kun Ambassadors was invited to appear in the show every fortnightly beginning April this year. Our job is mainly as a commentator, to share our thoughts about the differences between Japan and our homeland for each segment in the show. So far, Zoltan Gergely Kurunczi (Hungary), Sikiru Tijani (US), Mi and Kei En (China) have appeared in the show in April and May. For June, I was invited and to pair up with Mi for the show.

The showed started with the introduction of each members in the set. As Mr Happa were introducing me, he made an impromptu request to have me stand up, to tell the whole Japan how tall I am lol! That was totally not in the script and was a spontaneous thing. So, I stood up proudly to show how tall I am, while he continued to pose me with another couple of questions. It was then that he said, "Errr, can already. You can sit down now" haha wtf!

  Nabedana Co., Ltd. (鍋店株式会社) a sake brewing company in Kozaki town, (神崎町) in Chiba.

This week, all three segments were all about food. Maybe they knew I love food so much, that they purposely prepare such segments for me lol! First up was about an exploration of a famous wine cellar in (酒蔵探訪) in Kozaki town (神崎町) by Kuro-chan (クロちゃん). Located in Katori District, in the far northern section of Chiba Prefecture, Kozaki has been known as a village for fermentation and there are two shops which produce sake.

One of the shop which was featured in the show is Nabedana (鍋店), which has brewed the finest sake for the past three centuries. Mr Sato from Nabedana brought some of its sake to the studio for the guests to try on. It has a distinctive fragrant smell and the more you drink it, you will feel the heat produced by the sake. I however, just took a sip of the sake, 'coz I was kinda worried that I might get drunk and fall asleep halfway through the show lol!

The varieties of sake produced by Nabedana.

Filtration process or shibori (絞り), where bellows are used like a filter, in which moromi (final culture) are filtered to get clear sake.

The second segment was called the "Nekketsu Local Gourmet" (熱血ご当地グルメ), a corner to introduce Chiba's popular food and restaurants. This week, it was a unique sandwich from Kamogawa city (鴨川) in the southern tip of the Boso Peninsular. The hosts made the guests to guess what kind of sandwich it was, which prompt several silly answers from them.

Rikki-san said it was a whale-cum-dolphin sandwich lol wtf!

It's smoked mackerel sandwich (サバサンドイッチ).

This special sandwich is made famous by a restaurant called FUSABUSA (里海食堂 FUSABUSA). The crispy toast combines perfectly with the freshly smoked mackerel, which also has sliced tomatoes, lettuce and onions to go in between the bread. This dish originated from Istanbul, Turkey and is a very popular dish, widely sold in coastal towns in Japan. In Turkey, it is called balık ekmek (balık=fish, ekmek=bread).

So, how did the mackerel sandwich taste like? This fishy snack takes on almost poetic resonance. Really. The mackerel fillets, generously proportioned; and the bread, bearing a beautiful char from the grilled and perfectly sized, so that fish is not lost in a sea of dough. The salad, which is fresh and crispy and if you like, piled onto your sandwich freely.

The freshly caught mackerel are smoked before they are inserted into the bread.

The sandwich was too good that I didn't bother to look at the camera anymore lol!

The segment that followed afterwards was "Chiba's Soul Stirring Taste" (魂を揺さぶる千葉の味). As we welcome the upcoming summer, the trio of Takeuchi Siblings (竹内兄弟) introduced the taste that represent the summer season in Chiba - watermelon.

From the show, I learned that watermelon originated from Africa and was introduced to Japan after the Muromachi Period (室町時代), from 1337 to 1573. Watermelon, known for its potassium content, is found to be effective for fatigue recovery and diuretic effect, which works wonderfully well during the hot summer months. Watermelon are widely produced in Chiba Perfecture but the most popular one is in Tomisato city (富里市), where it is known as Japan's largest watermelon production city.

Everyone shared a funny moment during the live show.

This city is so into watermelon that there is an event called the "Watermelon Road Race" (スイカロードレース) held annually. What's unique about this event is that at every checkpoint, there would be a corner for the runners to enjoy free watermelon. At the end of the race, runners can feast on the juicy watermelons as much as they can. Sounds quite fun, isn't it?

I guess if this is done in Malaysia, the runners might bring their fruit juicer to make watermelon juice at the end of the race lol!

"Suika Musume" (スイカ娘), a kind of pickle made of watermelon skin.

My weird facial expression after tasting the "daughter of the watermelon" lol! But to be fair, it didn't taste that bad; the pickle taste very much like pickled cucumbers.

Back to the watermelon story, the staff from Fusa-no Eki (房の駅) has come out with two new products made of watermelon. The first one is called the "Suika Musume" (スイカ娘) or the "watermelon's daughter". It is a type of pickle made of watermelon's skin. The watermelons used are those which are still young; when their sizes are still about the size of a tennis ball.

The second product was watermelon jelly (スイカゼリー). I have eaten stuff made out of watermelon such as watermelon juice, but this is my first time to see watermelon are turned into dessert.

Watermelon jelly, packed in a very cute container.

This is the traditional way for the Japanese to eat their watermelon. Just kidding!

So, after three segments, all on food ended, it was also time to say goodbye to the show. Compared to the rehearsal, the forty-minute live show went by like a a flash. I'm glad that my first live appearance in a TV show was a smooth sailing journey without any silly or awkward moments, which I am famed for haha!

Ever since this story about me appearing in the show went public, whenever I chat with my friends nowadays, they will tease me with lines such as, "Yes, Mr Celebrity?" or "Ada itu olang sulah manyakk sombong". So, in return, I replied them, "Yup exactly, so from now onwards, you guys gotta take nombor giliran or book me a few days earlier whenever you wanna chat with me haha!

Having a photo with Mi at the end of the live show.

A group photo with everyone who appeared in the show on June 16, 2012.

Just a friendly public announcement here. I will be making a second appearance next week on 30 June 2012, on the same show again. It is also a live appearance and will start at 5:30 p.m. on Chiba TV. Do catch me if you have time! Suddenly I feel like I am talking like a celebrity already now lol!

※ Link of the show (16 June 2012) on the official site.

Appearing In Japanese Variety Show

"Are all Malaysians as tall as you?"

Mr Happa Ikki

main host of Nekketsu BO-SO TV

Guess what? I have quit my engineer job. Although I have just started working for less than three months, I have decided to give up on my job to become an entertainer in a Japanese variety show. TV personalities are more commonly known as geinoujin (芸能人) in Japan. And before you start wondering why did I choose this path, instead of doing a more secured and stable job, think again because I was just kidding only-lah.

I am still a full-time engineer, but sometimes a part-time babysitter and now, part-time geinoujin hahaha wtf! I'm pretty sure you saw that coming, didn't you? I was recently invited to be one of the two guests in a local variety show on Chiba TV called Nekketsu BO-SO TV (熱血BO-SO TV). Since April this year, two persons from the first batch of Chiba Kun Ambassadors are invited each time to the show, on a biweekly basis. So far, Zoltan Gergely Kurunczi (Hungary), Sikiru Tijani (US), Mi and Kei En (China) have appeared in the show. 

I met up with Mr Ishizaki at Chiba Station, and Ms Osada later accompanied me to Chiba TV headquarters. 
Here I am, outside the building upon arriving at Chiba TV.

I didn't even think twice whether or not to accept the invitation to the show when I received the e-mail last month. It was not something you get to do everyday - to appear in a TV show, what's more when it is a live recording, isn't it?

Nekketsu BO-SO TV is basically a program to introduce information about local personalities and specialties of Chiba Prefecture through a live show. Its name "BO-SO" comes from the multiplication of two identical words - Chiba Prefecture's pseudonym "Boso" (房総) and "boso" (暴走) which means run wildly. Not sure how running wildly is connected with the show; probably the local specialties are too good that when people try on them, they will be so impressed until they run wildly.

The schedule of the day for the whole crew team.

I literally have zero knowledge about the geinoujin world in Japan. I don't think I can even name any random three current popular Japanese actors or actresses. Yes, that is how bad I fare haha! However, despite that disability, I'm still very determined to join a few of these geinoujin and have fun at the show.

The show was scheduled to start at half past five in the evening. However, we were told to be there by three as we would be given a briefing by the producer, change our costumes, do some rehearsal and finally, the live show. However, looking at the schedule, it is amazing that the behind-the-scene crew members had arrived there at noon. I can't help but to be really impressed by the amount of preparation time made for a show that lasts for only 40 minutes.

 

Two sets of wonderful bento boxes and snacks, plus drinks for the two of us.

Upon reaching the main entrance of Chiba TV, the security staff requested Ms Osada to register her name first. However, it was a free pass for Chiba Kun Ambassadors. For once, I experienced the feeling of arriving at a location like a VIP haha wtf!

We were directly taken into a waiting room, also specially designed for the two Chiba Kun Ambassadors. The moment I stepped into the room, I saw a couple sets of bento box on the table. And I guessed it right; it was for both of us! As I just had my lunch a couple of hours earlier, I tapao-ed the bento box, and also the rest of the snacks back home lol!

The flow of the show and also the detailed script for each segments for us to go through one last time. Now I know every second counts in a live TV show.

Mr Kimura Akihide, the producer then came in to give us a short briefing about the show. He was certainly a no-nonsense guy and quite scary actually haha! He will sound you immediately if you do not pay attention to him fully when he was explaining, just like what happened to Mi. Reminds me of some of my strict discipline teachers back in my high school lol!

After the briefing, we went to change our costumes. I got my elegant black baju Melayu and a beautiful piece of kain samping from my senior, Nazrul a.k.a. Doink who was kind enough to lend me for the show. It was my first time wearing a traditional Malay costume, but the tough part was the kain samping. I have never tied it before and honestly, I was actually worried that it might drop off during the live show. I bet if that were to happen, I would be super famous around Japan after the show hahaha wtf!

Took a photo in front of the mirror while chit-chatting with the super friendly staff who were applying some light make-ups for me.

As Mi got her hair and face done by the make-up artists duo, consisting of the mom and her daughter, I asked them if guys will have themselves done as well. She said to me that my natural look is already too good and I do not need any extra touch-ups.

Haha, unfortunately, the make-up artists were not that flirtatious as I would've wanted lol! She instantly asked me to take a seat and started working on my face. She has been doing this job for the past 40 years! I told her that it almost equals to two times of my age. She just gave me a smile and continued with her task of performing a make-over for me lol!

 Entered the studio and the first thing was to adjust our chairs' position to fit the camera angle.

And we started the rehearsal session at four, for the next one hour.

As we stepped into the studio for the rehearsal session, all the guests were already seated on their positions. To see these people in real, while I have only seen them on TV all this while gave me some kinda goosebumps feelings. Several crew members on the other hand, were making some last-minute adjustments to the set and equipments.

And hence, we began our rehearsal session. 

Mr Happa Ikki asking me a couple of questions at the beginning of the show.

Kuro-chan (in pink t-shirt) introducing his corner.

While the presenter mostly looked at their script held together with them when they speak, I wondered how could they managed to memorise them in just a short while and almost not refer to the script at all during the live show an hour later. But do you wanna know the secret behind it? Let me reveal how they managed to do that.

There are crew members who will stand just next to the camera. They will be holding the script, printed with unusually large font and from there, the presenter just have to read them up while trying to look into the camera and appear as if they aren't reading from a script. I gotta say they did a great job in mastering that skills.

This is an example of the script, held by one of the head crew of the show.

From participating in this live show, I have learned quite a few things in a production of a variety show. For example, the short 60-second commercial break is the time where they make quick adjustments for the next segment. It's just amazing to see how the crew members invade the main set like nobody's business trying to rearrange the chairs and tables, and the guests of the show doing some touch-ups on their make up with just about fifteen seconds before the show resumes. And they barely panic and looked as calm as ever.

There were a few segments where we get to sample the food during the show. However, for the rehearsal, we were only given empty plates. When the host asked me how was it, I told him the food tasted delicious. He responded by expressing his amazement at my ability to foretell how the food taste even before I taste it haha!

Rikki-san (seated, first from left) were clearly super impressed with my giraffic height haha!

And so, the rehearsal session ended.

Took a photo in front of the show's poster outside the studio after the rehearsal session.

At the end of the rehearsal session, Mr Kimura came to us and told us that we don't have to be stiff during the show, but relaxed and enjoyed it as much as possible. I barely gave much comments during the rehearsal, because like Mr Kimura had reminded us, it would be better we keep them during the live show; otherwise the suspense and excitement will be lessen if we say out everything during the rehearsal.

I felt quite anxious during the rehearsal to be honest, probably it was my first time. I told myself to be as natural as I could, and just enjoy the moment during the live show that will come shorty after that.  And finally, as the clock ticks away, we were just minutes away from the live show. Everyone took their positions and the cameras were ready to start rolling.

With a countdown of five, four, three, two and one...

~ to be continued ~