[Buzz] Old, Drunk and Nekkid

It seems that I accidentally cropped the bottom part off. Reported by AFP, by the way. Photo by Reuters.

I was eating lunch as I flipped open today's paper. And a surprise was waiting for me on the last page of the entertainment section. There's a picture too! Not that I am unsympathetic, but I was laughing my head off - even if I had prior knowledge of the news - at the sight of such a report.

Firstly, I was surprised that the local newspaper actually reported a piece of news on a Japanese boyband. Secondly, it had to be such a disgraceful piece of news. You don't even see Amy Winehouse running around stark naked in public places. Unless you are at a nudist beach or something.

I am not like, happy over this. I'd just like to state that. More like indifferent, okay, that would be outright lying. I am slightly amused. But this is some serious shit. Not that anyone ever expected Johnny's boys to be squeaky clean. I never did. I expected orgies and drugs - in PRIVATE. I guess someone forgot to lock the door when the man was drinking.

Goodbye FNS Kayousai host position. A few months of suspension, maybe. Oh poor thing. You expect near 20 years of entertainment business experience would help you learn something. I guess sometimes, you just mess up.

Now, it is time we sit back and see how Johnny's Jimusho tries to cover the thing up. Hide the skeletons. Now this has got to have to a pretty big grave to shove it in. Lots of monay too. Oh well, gotta move on. I didn't plan on blogging, but I love dramas, controversies and bad press. I am, afterall, just human.

READ MORE. Because I love drama. Especially when it doesn't threatens the existence of entertainment shows that I watch religiously. Though I do watch SMAPxSMAP quite often. OMG, that show is the shizz. What is going to happen to it?

This is equivalent to Paul McCartney running around sans clothes in London back in the 1970s.

[Drama] Boku no Aruku Michi

Fall 2006

Episodes: 11

Starring: Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, Karina, Sasaki Kuranosuke, Kohinata Fumiyo, Motokariya Yuika, Megumi, Suga Kenta, Tanaka Kei,

Ootake Teruaki is an autistic man who finds himself constantly quitting his jobs because of his colleagues who were too quick to judge and refuse to put in effort to understand his disability. With a doting mother who gave him endless encouragements and a patient, supportive childhood friend, Miyako, Teruaki gained a newfound courage to work at the zoo in which Miyako is the vet.

Initially, fellow animal handlers at the zoo were impatient with Teru's disabilities and were often irked by him. But as time goes by, they warmed up to Teru. Straightforward, hardworking and innocent Teru won the colleagues over and was gradually growing attached to Miyako.

When Miyako decided to marry her boyfriend, Teru and his family, worried that Teru might not be able to take it, slowly explains to Teru that things between the childhood friends will not be the same after the marriage. On the other hand, Teru's extraordinary ability to memorize word-by-word has allowed him to excel in his job. How will Teru be able to cope with the workplace without Miyako? Will Teru and Miyako's bond be broken by her marriage?

*****

Bah, I expected it to be as good as "Boku no Ikiru Michi". But it isn't. I am disappointed. The slow-paced storyline was okay. I am fine with slow-paced stories as long as there's enough character development and something special.

I didn't like the drama at all. Not to mention the fact that the ending is oh-so-predictable, the journey towards the ending is a boring one too. The only thing about the drama I like, is Karina. xD Kusanagi Tsuyoshi used to be hot, around... 1996. xD Well, times change.

Not every drama/movie about a mentally/physically challenged person is good. For this, the emotional attachment is lacked. I don't feel for Teru at all. Everything is just annoying. The majority of the characters are annoying. The only character I feel something for is Kohinata Fumiyo's character. His guilt towards his own son, who is also autistic, and how he tried to make up to it eventually. That's something. How an old man who made a mistake, a cruel one too, and then realized his own mistake when he was left alone, with no family. Oh course, the fact that he took the steps to make amends after getting to know Teru and getting to like Teru. Oh and the kid, the kid nephew. Isn't he that kid from "Kuitan"? Gotta love that kid.

Don't like the theme song. Don't like most of the drama. Don't like.

Reitings:
2/5

[Drama] Boku no Ikiru Michi

Winter 2003

Episodes: 11

Starring: Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, Yada Akiko, Tanihara Shosuke, Kohinata Fumiyo, Uchi Hiroki, Ayase Haruka...

A high school teacher by the name of Nakamura Hideo had led a normal life. He taught, and no one listened. He is timidly polite and never spoke his mind. Neither did he have any strong opinion about things and never took the initiative to take charge of the direction of his life. He harboured feelings for his colleague, Akimoto Midori, but was indirectly rejected before Hideo even confessed.

One day, Hideo was told by his doctor that he only had one year to live because of a disease. After a short period of despair and a suicide attempt, Hideo realized that he STILL has one year to live. Since then, his life changed, he became more opinionated at work. He became more daring and won the love of his life.

But can their love survive the knowledge of his foreboding fate? Can Midori support and fulfill the needs of a dying Hideo? (So totally added the questions at the end of the synopsis. Love em, questions.)

*****

This drama has a really, really famous theme song. It was the best selling single of the year and sold more than 2 million copies. A success SMAP hasn't had for a while back then. "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana" is the title. The reason I suddenly decided to watch this is because I so totally sang this song yesterday, at a karaoke. Thank goodness I pulled it off well. xD It is a good song, written by the great Makihara Noriyuki. It has nice lyrics too. T_T

Why do they always die pretty? I mean, if I have a mild fever, I look like a hag. Seriously! xD Okay, nevermind that. Love the drama.

So touching. Sometimes, we need something significant to happen to us in order to drive us to buckle up and make a difference in our lives, change our lives, to take the initiative to make it better. Had this character, Nakamura went on to live without being diagnosed with the sickness, he would have had a pathetic life ahead of him. A long and pathetic one.

But its still sad nevertheless. T_T And a tough choice, really. A short and exciting life that is full of happiness. Or a long and lonely one, living without ambition or goals. Live fast and die young, or take things slow and die wrinkled.

Not sure there. People get disillusioned, by thinking there's always tomorrow, we'd procrastinate. That is a fact. No matter how many times I am inspired by stories such as this, I just... go on living my life like I have all the time in the world. Thoughts of death are not what I want frequenting my mind because they make me restless and frightened.

Kusanagi Tsuyoshi has a funny face. Its the jaw, I think its the jaw. Its oddly shaped. But he has this kind face that makes you think he wouldn't hurt an amoeba if he can help it. I find it odd how Midori still calls Hideo "Nakamura-sensei" after marriage. Its odd. Imagine your boyfriend (am so writing this under an assumption that a dude wouldn't visit a blog packed with talks about Johnny's boysies) calls you Miss [Insert your last name/family name/surname here]. I'd so dump him already.

And I really don't like to watch bawling men. I get it that this character is facing death and I would so bawl like a baby. But Kusanagi Tsuyoshi bawls too well and I am so convinced and I don't know. It makes me uncomfortable. Midori is a strong woman. And preparing for your husband's death, planning his death and the stuff you have to do upon his death with him is not easy. T_T I'd probably run without looking back if I were her.

For Hideo, this sickness that he had was probably the best thing that happened to him. I really think so. His life was much improved, and so did that of those around him. But death is never a good thing. Erm, contradictory. Nevermind. I find it especially touching how Yoshida, played by a pre-suspension Uchi Hiroki, who was Hideo's student went on to become what Hideo used to be, passing on advice that Hideo used to give.

Rating: 4/5