Japan’s Foreign Talento, Profile I: Thane Camus

Hello there and welcome to a new type of post in which I will tell you the stories of famous foreigners who have achieved the status of “talento” in Japan. The term “talento” sounds a lot like the English word “talent”, but don’t let that fool you. Any loser who frequently appears on Japanese TV is considered a “talento.”

Profile I: Thane Camus

At first glance he may appear to be some queer white guy with a pirate earring, but he actually Japan’s most popular foreign talento. Thane Camus’ past is largely a mystery. Some say he came to Japan at age 3, while others claim it was more like age 6. The one thing that everyone agrees on is that he is the grandson of Albert Camus, the pied-noir philosopher.

Since he spent his formative years in Japan, Thane Camus is about as close to Japanese as white guys get. His Japanese is top notch(some say it is even native level)and his mannerisms are somewhat Japanese. If he were asian, some Japanese would probably misake him for one of their own. Internet rumors have speculated that Thane’s English is nowhere near as good as his Japanese, some citing an e-mail he apparently wrote in broken English(it was a complaint to a webmaster who was hosting some anti-Thane pages/forum posts).
Thane rose to fame as an English conversation guy on N-H-K. He also wrote several popular books in Japanese about how to speak English. His English learning CDs are available at stores. His break into mainstream talento status came after he started appearing on Sanma’s comedy show, Karakuri TV.

Some say that it was Thane who introduced the Japanese to Bobby, a Nigerian whose comedy acts featuring stupid behavior and incomprehensible Japanese helped reinforce the image of blacks as moronic clowns. Thane may not have created Bobby’s act, but he did host many of Bobby’s ‘LOL stupid monkey clown’ comedy segments. Thane would have to be stupid not to see the racism in such segments, but that didn’t stop him. He was just another gaijin talento doing what the Japanese audiences wanted to see.

Last year Thane went on TV frequently to talk about how great it was to have a baby with his Japanese wife. With his friendly smile and his shiny earring, he was the image of the ideal foreign husband/father.

In August 2005,a Nikkei Entertainment survey found Thane to be the most popular foreign talento in Japan. So basically, Japanese viewers prefer foreign “talento” who are essentially Japanese. If you are lucky enough to be a rich foreign guy who moves to Japan at age 3, you could be a foreign celebrity in Japan too!

31 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - January 27, 2006 at 7:47 am

Categories: Celebrity News, Discrimination Tags:

http://camus-music.com/ Camus

This I find funny. There seems to be many Camus in Many countries.
Maybe I should move to Iceland and Take over.
http://camus-music.com/ Camus

This I find funny. There seems to be many Camus in Many countries.
Maybe I should move to Iceland and Take over.
Will

Gee, how can you write about this guy and not mention his star turn in 2002 on the NHK 連続テレビ小説　Sakura. It was always laughable that someone in his (?)30s like Thane (from the katakana I had thought it was Shane, thanks) would be the original love interest of the main character. Until he conveniently dumps her so she can find her real “samurai” (a gym teacher in the middle school that Sakura comes to from Hawaii on a JET-like job)
Will

Gee, how can you write about this guy and not mention his star turn in 2002 on the NHK ????????Sakura. It was always laughable that someone in his (?)30s like Thane (from the katakana I had thought it was Shane, thanks) would be the original love interest of the main character. Until he conveniently dumps her so she can find her real “samurai” (a gym teacher in the middle school that Sakura comes to from Hawaii on a JET-like job)
Ignacio Gotz

Your name and face came into my mind today, I Googled you, and voila! Hope you are in good health and prospering.
Ignacio Gotz

Your name and face came into my mind today, I Googled you, and voila! Hope you are in good health and prospering.
Tatiana

I went to HS with Thane, and his English (like his Japanese) is impeccable. He’s also the most awesome guy ever. Thane, if you ever find this obscure site–H.U.N.K. forever.

T.
Tatiana

I went to HS with Thane, and his English (like his Japanese) is impeccable. He’s also the most awesome guy ever. Thane, if you ever find this obscure site–H.U.N.K. forever.

T.
Luis

One day, I’ll be as good he is in the Japanese profiency department.
Luis

One day, I'll be as good he is in the Japanese profiency department.
Pingback: Japan Probe » Blog Archive » Thane Camus & Talent Agencies
Pingback: Japan Probe » Blog Archive » Thane Camus & Talent Agencies
Jackie

First, even if his English isn’t the best, who could blame him? Isn’t Albert Camus FRENCH after all? What is his grandson doing over in American? And second, why did you write:

“His Japanese is top notch(some say it is even native level)”

What does that mean? Are you saying that a “foreigner” could never reach native level even when he has lived in that country since he was 4, 5, or 6 years old? Are you saying that other “foreigners” who immigrate to North America very early in their lives are incapable of mastering the language JUST BECAUSE THEY AREN’T WHITE? I mean how much more “native level” can his Japanese get? He’s been there since he was 3 or 6 years old; he grew up in Japan, that’s as Native-level as you’re ever going to get.

“Some say he came to Japan at age 3, while others claim it was more like age 6.”

What would it matter if he came here at 3 or at 6? Would there be a huge difference in his Japanese if he came later? He would still have been very young both ways!
Jackie

First, even if his English isn’t the best, who could blame him? Isn’t Albert Camus FRENCH after all? What is his grandson doing over in American? And second, why did you write:

“His Japanese is top notch(some say it is even native level)”

What does that mean? Are you saying that a “foreigner” could never reach native level even when he has lived in that country since he was 4, 5, or 6 years old? Are you saying that other “foreigners” who immigrate to North America very early in their lives are incapable of mastering the language JUST BECAUSE THEY AREN’T WHITE? I mean how much more “native level” can his Japanese get? He’s been there since he was 3 or 6 years old; he grew up in Japan, that’s as Native-level as you’re ever going to get.

“Some say he came to Japan at age 3, while others claim it was more like age 6.”

What would it matter if he came here at 3 or at 6? Would there be a huge difference in his Japanese if he came later? He would still have been very young both ways!
http://www.japanprobe.com James (admin)

Jackie:
You’re not making much sense here. You claim that I shouldn’t comment on his English ability because as someone with a French grandfather, he clearly cannot be expected to speak English well (he’s American by the way).

Then you take a position that is almost the opposite of what you just stated. You believe that since he came to Japan as a child, there should be no question that his Japanese is at a native level. When I said “native level”, I meant that some people think he speaks Japanese without any accent. Since many international children who are brought to Japan end up going to international schools, it’s actually pretty rare for there to be blonde haired white Americans who speak Japanese as a native would (compared to many foreigners who speak it with accents).

I really don’t know why you are concerned about the 3 or 6 years old thing. I was merely naming two conflicting reports of when he came to Japan. But since you’re all about reading some racist anti-foreign message out of everything I wrote in this post, go ahead and think whatever you want.

Felicity

Speaking Japanese without any accent doesn’t mean one is near native level. I’ve been in Japan since September and I am told many times by Japanese people that if they hadn’t seen me but had heard me talking, they’d think I was Japanese. Still, I’ve got a long way to go until my grammar and vocabulary are at native standard.

http://www.japanprobe.com James (admin)

Jackie:
You’re not making much sense here. You claim that I shouldn’t comment on his English ability because as someone with a French grandfather, he clearly cannot be expected to speak English well (he’s American by the way).

Then you take a position that is almost the opposite of what you just stated. You believe that since he came to Japan as a child, there should be no question that his Japanese is at a native level. When I said “native level”, I meant that some people think he speaks Japanese without any accent. Since many international children who are brought to Japan end up going to international schools, it’s actually pretty rare for there to be blonde haired white Americans who speak Japanese as a native would (compared to many foreigners who speak it with accents).

I really don’t know why you are concerned about the 3 or 6 years old thing. I was merely naming two conflicting reports of when he came to Japan. But since you’re all about reading some racist anti-foreign message out of everything I wrote in this post, go ahead and think whatever you want.

Felicity

Speaking Japanese without any accent doesn’t mean one is near native level. I’ve been in Japan since September and I am told many times by Japanese people that if they hadn’t seen me but had heard me talking, they’d think I was Japanese. Still, I’ve got a long way to go until my grammar and vocabulary are at native standard.

Picolo

I was about to say ha ha funny Camus or something along those lines, but he’s just another ******* racist. Good job Camus! Burn in hell. Or atleast change your ways.
Picolo

I was about to say ha ha funny Camus or something along those lines, but he’s just another ******* racist. Good job Camus! Burn in hell. Or atleast change your ways.
http://www.hopkinsenglish.net Ray Hopkins

As far as promoting Bobby is concerned, you could tell in the skits that he didn’t like what was going on and it’s obvious the network put him up to it. And in that industry, if someone snaps their fingers, you’re blackballed. Thane does have a family to look after, and if keeping them fed means that you have to put up with some self-demeaning minstrels for a few hours, then that’s the way it has to be. Don’t shoot the messenger.
http://www.hopkinsenglish.net Ray Hopkins

As far as promoting Bobby is concerned, you could tell in the skits that he didn’t like what was going on and it’s obvious the network put him up to it. And in that industry, if someone snaps their fingers, you’re blackballed. Thane does have a family to look after, and if keeping them fed means that you have to put up with some self-demeaning minstrels for a few hours, then that’s the way it has to be. Don’t shoot the messenger.
http://www.pikcard.com Pamela

I’ve been wondering about this annoying gaijin ever since I saw him on a rather odd Japanese cooking/energy-saving TV competition. (I think it’s an older show, but it’s currently being broadcast on a local channel here in Los Angeles.) I’m sure he’s a very nice person…I’m just uber jealous! I used to live in Japan when I was a kid, so I’m generally envious of all talento. Can’t wait to read about the next one! How about VJ Jasmine? She REALLY irritates me!
http://www.pikcard.com Pamela

I’ve been wondering about this annoying gaijin ever since I saw him on a rather odd Japanese cooking/energy-saving TV competition. (I think it’s an older show, but it’s currently being broadcast on a local channel here in Los Angeles.) I’m sure he’s a very nice person…I’m just uber jealous! I used to live in Japan when I was a kid, so I’m generally envious of all talento. Can’t wait to read about the next one! How about VJ Jasmine? She REALLY irritates me!
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http://asia-travelbug.blogspot.com/ Mike

Great post. I actually have met him — him and the faux-moron Bobby came into a buddy’s wedding for Karakuri TV. I have been in Japan for 20 years, so I remember Thane when he was up and coming on Jingai club on TV. He was (is?) one of the first gaijin who was a normal, intelligent guy who didn’t have to dye his hair or act like a douchebag to get airtime. I wish there were more out there like him.

As for Bobby…people wonder why the Japanese tend to treat black people with no respect beyond, “You must be good at hip hop.” He acts like a Monkey, literally. You should have seen this guy on the program. Literally, a monkey wouldn’t even seem so monkey-like. But in reality he’s NOT an idiot. You can’t make those stupid Japanese jokes without really knowing how to speak. So instead of trying to show Japanese people that people are just people, black or otherwise, he instead chooses to reinforce the black people = inferior racist image held by so many here. He makes life more difficult for other blacks, American, African or otherwise in Japan, and doesn’t help the rest of us either. Douchebag!

Japan’s Foreign Talento, Profile I: Thane Camus

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