Enter the World of Japanese Comedy with Documental — Who is Funny?
This is Matsumoto Hitoshi, one of the most famous comedians in Japan. He is part of a manzai duo known as Downtown, and is a regular on several programs such as Gaki-no-Tsukai. I discovered through their annual No-Laughing games. In these games, the Gaki members must hold back their laughter for 24-hours or else they’ll be met with physical punishment. They can’t help but laugh as they are bombarded with skits that are so relentless that they are not safe, even when trying to sleep. The games produce big laughs and have become a beloved tradition to watch on New Years, which is when they broadcast.
It isn’t always easy to decipher the intent behind the jokes from other countries due to cultural differences, or sometimes bad translations. But in a way, the structure of Japanese comedy, Owarai, can actually combat some confusion. It typically revolves around the Boke and the Tsukkomi routine, the funny man vs the straight man. The Boke’s antics may seem odd at first, but it’ll all be contextualized when the Tsukkomi enters, usually with a well-timed retort. This is just a surface-level formula that can help categorize comedians.
The typical perception of Owarai may align with Karla Cavalli, host of the Travel channel show, Planet Primetime. She interviews members of Gaki-no-Tsukai, asking, “I want to know why this kind of comedy is so popular in Japan? The punitive punishment comedy.” To which Matsumoto replies, “We want to ask, why this kind of comedy isn’t popular?”
To celebrate Owarai, and its vast array of styles, including the aforementioned punishment comedy, Matsumoto Hitoshi created Documental, a show that pushes the no-laughing premise to the extreme. Produced by Amazon, this series is easily accessible, which makes it the perfect gateway into the Japanese comedy scene, and its unique Owarai offers insight into what makes us truly laugh.
Documental: How It Works
10 comedians are confined in one room for six hours. In this place, anything is allowed as long as they follow one rule: No laughing. They each have to put up an entrance fee of a million yen (~$18,966), which is then combined into a 10 million yen pot for the winner to take home.
When a contestant laughs they receive a yellow card, followed by the red, which will eliminate them. They accumulate points by making each other laugh, and whoever has the highest score among the last remaining few will be the winner.
Matsumoto Hitoshi, the creator and host of this project, was allowed by Amazon to push the limits of censorship. Due to his renown and influence, he was able to invite anyone he wanted, and sadistically pit these disparate comedians against each other. There are comedians from different agencies, underground scenes, one-joke acts, rookies, popular mainstream staples and even one disgraced talent back from a long probation. Being faced with this random line-up may seem daunting, but the show is designed to be beginner friendly.
Easing into Laughter
The first episodes spotlights all the comedians in the season, and they are awarded extravagant titles and given the chance to share what they feel they offer the show. They enter the room one-by-one, and their place in the scene is indicated by the reaction they receive by their peers. The more surprising and prominent guests usually appear last, accompanied by ominous boss music.
The odds are stacked heavy against some comedians as there is a hierarchical gap created by seniority, popularity, and gender. The female comedians sometimes defer to the pace set by the males. While the status and place of a comedian is more clearly defined, they still show respect for another by allowing jokes and situations to play out. Some contestants were clearly favored, while some were brought in to fail. Matsumoto admits he found several of those invited to be unfunny, but their inclusions were necessary to mix up the formula and make the games more unpredictable.
Documental’s humor, and the many cultural references, will be lost on those unfamiliar with Owarai. Luckily, Matsumoto’s constant laugh track provides a great resource for understanding. He finds genuine amusement in everything, unconcerned with good taste, and his laughter helps bring those watching in on the joke. be difficult to understand and its cultural references will be lost on a Western audience. However, the show provides a great resource.
The easiest jokes to understand are the visual and physical gags. They are simple enough for anyone to follow, although they do reach levels of vulgarity you may not be accustomed to. The show spans six hours, and as the comedians have exhausted everything else, they will attempt the tried and true dirty jokes. The comedians on Documental have no issues about stripping down.
Some comedians will perform the gags they are well-known for. For example, Cookie, who gets some of the biggest laughs on the show, is iconic for his use of grotesque DIY costumes and props. However, many find that their signature bits fail to work in this context. The moments where the jokes fall flat is where we get to see the Tsukkomi shine.
The tension created by the no-laughing rule heightens the contestant’s sensitivity to every insignificant detail, meaning the potential for comedy is everywhere. Many jokes will collapse without the Tsukkomi there to react or call attention to it. You can see this happen during the first season when all the Tsukkomis are knocked out. The comedians can’t make each other laugh anymore because there’s nobody there to further develop their ideas.
Admittedly, Documental has plenty of dull moments as jokes don’t all land perfectly. However, there are those who find success by leaning on their own failures. When the pressure is on to be funny, sometimes the opposite works.
If there was one comedian that Documental was made for, it would be Jimmy Onishi. From the very first season, he had an acute understanding of the nature of the show. “I don’t have to worry whether my jokes work or not because this time, nobody’s supposed to laugh…with a rule like that, I can do whatever I want with no pressure at all. I’m going to perform a bunch of new gags.” If not for his weak defenses and his tendency to self-destruct, he maybe could have been the champion. Another key to building off one’s failure is persistence. Ayumu Kato stands out, in my opinion, as an unfunny comedian that grows on you over time. Despite his joke being dismissed initially, Kato’s confidence to keep performing his mediocre material began to affect the comedians.
Impossible to Replicate
The many attempts to adapt Documental for other countries aren’t well-received, as they fail to live up to the original’s standards. The formula seems to only work with the unique qualities of Owarai. The Tsukkomi-Boke dynamic means they have to respect and work with each other in order to be entertaining.
As someone who enjoys this show, I’m always baffled at how the comedians aren’t dying of laughter every minute. My favorite part of the show is seeing them all try to hold back a smile. They pace around the room, fidget, and open their mouths wide. The craziest moment is when this comedian concentrates so hard, that he becomes drenched in sweat.
Seeing the comedians laugh gives them humanity. Even with ones I find irritating are redeemed, as we become comrades in what we find funny. Maybe what winning a show like Documental reveals is, in fact, who is the least funny. Because if you’re not able to laugh, do you truly have a sense of humor? What matters the most, being able to tell good jokes? Being well-balanced? Or is it that perhaps, the funniest person is the one who invites the laughs to be created together?
As of writing, up to 5 seasons have been officially translated to English and are available to watch on Amazon prime.
