Takaaki Ishibashi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese owarai
artist, singer and actor.
Born in Katsushika
, Tokyo
, Japan, Ishibashi moved to Narimasu, Itabashi
after his father's bankruptcy in his first grade at an elementary school. He attended Teikyo Junior & Senor High School and is best known as a member of Tunnels
with his partner Noritake Kinashi. He is currently married to former actress . He is currently the host of the popular music/interview show, Utaban
with Masahiro Nakai
. He has several nicknames such as "Taka-san", "Taka-chan" and "Takaaki".
Ishibashi is known for "teasing" music artists on his show Utaban
, especially Morning Musume
. He has over the years come up with different pet names for each member such as Johnson
for or Ka-san for . This is apparently done purely for humor, based on comments made regarding Takaaki by his "victims", and in many cases these taunts actually increase the marketing "buzz" surrounding the artists.
Particularly well known is Ishibashi's fascination with accusing of anything from simple hideousness, to outright alien or supernatural evil, which started back when the group first debuted (apparently, due to her plainer image). Numerous CG images will depict her as a hag or Kappa or show her in some maniacal facial expression while doing the activities she is speaking of in the interview. Both Kei and her mother apparently credit this humorous "abuse" with Kei's popularity as a member.
He is also an actor
known for playing Isuro Tanaka in the film Major League II
and Taka Tanaka in Major League: Back to the Minors
.
Ishibashi is a member of the Japanese vocal group Yazima Beauty Salon
Owarai
is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
artist, singer and actor.
Born in Katsushika
Katsushika, Tokyo
is one of the special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It lies in the northeast of the ward area. The ward calls itself Katsushika City in English.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 429,289 and a density of 12,600 people per km²...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan, Ishibashi moved to Narimasu, Itabashi
Itabashi, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Itabashi City. Itabashi has sister-city relations with Burlington, Ontario in Canada; Shijingshan District in Beijing, People's Republic of China; and Bologna in Italy....
after his father's bankruptcy in his first grade at an elementary school. He attended Teikyo Junior & Senor High School and is best known as a member of Tunnels
Tunnels (owarai)
The are an owarai duo with a long history composed of Tokyo born and . Both of them attended where Ishibashi, the taller of the two, participated in baseball, and Kinashi participated in soccer....
with his partner Noritake Kinashi. He is currently married to former actress . He is currently the host of the popular music/interview show, Utaban
Utaban
was a long running Japanese music variety show, broadcast weekly from October 15, 1996 until March 23, 2010 on TBS. The name of the show is an abbreviation of , meaning "music program"...
with Masahiro Nakai
Masahiro Nakai
is a singer, actor and host for music events and variety shows such as the long-running music show Utaban. He is the leader of the Japanese idol group SMAP.-Early life:...
. He has several nicknames such as "Taka-san", "Taka-chan" and "Takaaki".
Ishibashi is known for "teasing" music artists on his show Utaban
Utaban
was a long running Japanese music variety show, broadcast weekly from October 15, 1996 until March 23, 2010 on TBS. The name of the show is an abbreviation of , meaning "music program"...
, especially Morning Musume
Morning Musume
, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
. He has over the years come up with different pet names for each member such as Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
for or Ka-san for . This is apparently done purely for humor, based on comments made regarding Takaaki by his "victims", and in many cases these taunts actually increase the marketing "buzz" surrounding the artists.
Particularly well known is Ishibashi's fascination with accusing of anything from simple hideousness, to outright alien or supernatural evil, which started back when the group first debuted (apparently, due to her plainer image). Numerous CG images will depict her as a hag or Kappa or show her in some maniacal facial expression while doing the activities she is speaking of in the interview. Both Kei and her mother apparently credit this humorous "abuse" with Kei's popularity as a member.
He is also an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
known for playing Isuro Tanaka in the film Major League II
Major League II
Major League II is a 1994 sequel to the 1989 film Major League. Major League II stars most of the same cast from the original, including Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, and Corbin Bernsen. Absent from this film is Wesley Snipes, who played Willie Mays Hayes in the first film and who by 1994 had become...
and Taka Tanaka in Major League: Back to the Minors
Major League: Back to the Minors
Major League: Back to the Minors is a 1998 film, distributed by Warner Bros., directed and written by John Warren, with David S. Ward taking the co-writer duties. It is the third film in the Major League series.-Cast:...
.
Ishibashi is a member of the Japanese vocal group Yazima Beauty Salon
Yazima Beauty Salon
is a Japanese vocal group consisting of DJ OZMA and the owarai group Tunnels in character and in drag depicting a group of women they found scouting for talent in Las Vegas, Nevada...
Trivia
- Pays some of the highest taxes of any Japanese celebrity, hovering around 300 million yen (about 3.0 million USD) per year.
- Was a promising high school baseball player, even making an appearance in the KoshienKoshienKōshien is a district of Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan.Kōshien also refers to:*Koshien Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, which is the venue of the annual high school baseball tournaments:...
tournament.
- His favourite brand of cigarettes is Mild SevenMild SevenMild Seven is a brand of cigarettes produced by Japan Tobacco. Mild Seven cigarettes are the third widest smoked cigarette in the world, behind Marlboro and Camel. Manufactured originally in Tokyo, by Japanese Tobacco Inc. it has been a top seller since its creation in 1977...
but he is not allowed to smoke.