The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Many of us got our initial view of Japanese culture from watching late night television programs hosted by the likes of Chris Tarrant or Clive James.

Without doubt, the highlight would always be when they presented some clips from the mental TV show called ‘ENDURANCE’

Here was a gameshow unlike anything else we had ever seen.

Sure we had some madcap stuff like ‘It’s A Knockout’ but this was another league.

The sole objective of the show seemed to be to humiliate and torture poor Japanese boys and girls to within an inch of their life.

They’d come up with the most ridiculous ‘games’ you’d ever seen … like coating people in fish then pulling them through ice in their underpants while a polar bear chased them. Yes … truly daft!

These images got burned into the mind of every young and impressionable kid in the UK, however over time Japan seemed to become far more synonymous with SONY, Honda and Toyota than anything approaching the craziness of Endurance. Infact if truth be told, Japan started to represent ‘sensible’ because the other stuff was either left in the past or forgotten altogether.

Of course anyone who has actually visited the place knows that whilst it is an absolutely ‘rule dominated society’, it has ‘pockets of culture’ that seemingly come from another planet. I won’t bore you by writing about them [go and see BBH’s great Tokyo blog if you want to know more] but what I will say is that you haven’t lived unless you’ve visited Cartoon Alley or slept in a Capsule Hotel.

Anyway, the reason for this post [there is one!] is that last week I came across something that demonstrated the Japanese subculture of ‘weird’ was becoming more and more mainstream because having innocently picked up a chocolate bar, I found it had one of the weirdest flavour combinations I’ve seen in a long time …

For those of you who can’t make it out – it’s Navel peel and almond … and let me tell you, it tasted as good as it sounded!

What’s the betting the company who makes this yuck is owned by the creator of Endurance? Ha!

Yes that’s right … DON’T give Rob a job.

Is it because he’s bald?

Is it because he lives in Sheffield?

Is it because he’s too clever for his own good?

Well as much as they’re all good reasons to deny him his destiny, it’s actually for a completely different reason.

You see it gives me the absolute greatest, greatest of pleasure to announce that the brilliant, wonderful, clever, kind bald-bloke Rob Mortimer [not to be confused with the brilliant, wonderful, clever, kind bald-bloke NP or the evil, vindictive, average bald bloke, errrrm – me] no longer needs a planning job because a UK agency has shown vision, intelligence and common sense and offered him a job.

Now I can’t say who this agency is as things are still being sorted out – plus there’s another company vying for his attention [bus analogy anyone] who he has to see before making his final choice – however what we can all be happy about is that in a short while, Mr M will be a bonafide fucking advertising planner!!!

Quite frankly this is well overdue but it’s bloodyfuckingbrilliant news – so on behalf of everyone who reads this blog as well as the entire mob at cynic, I congratulate you – plus whichever agency you end up working at! [Well done guys, you’ve made a top decision!!]

As you all know, Hari became a Dad recently and over at his blog, he’s written a lovely post about how it has changed him.

It’s well worth a read, especially if you’re one of those people who only has to answer to the bank manager [or girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/cat] because whilst you already know a child will fundamentally change your life, it seem the experience is about 97.42% positive.

To be honest I’m not sure whether my parents would totally agree with that claim – but what can’t be denied is Hari has become an even warmer and more empathetic individual which is why I am ORDERING him to have a second child immediately!