The internet is already making fun of the Kusanagi nudity scandal
As news of SMAP member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s arrest over public indecency dominates every news outlet, Japanese netizens are hard at work creating humorous parody images about the scandal. Here’s a fantastic photoshop an advertisement poster [via Zaeega]:
The original advertisement, a PSA in which Kusanagi informs everyone that analog TV broadcasting will soon come to an end, has been changed to an announcement about Kusanagi disappearing from television. It also lets us know that SMAP will now only have 4 members.
Like just about any other advertisement starring Kusanagi, the Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting ads are being pulled from the air and posters are being taken down.
Also appearing on the internet: T-shirts bearing the phrase “What’s wrong with being naked?!”, which Kusanagi is said to have shouted at police officers when they arrived on the scene of his nude noise making.
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Have to say, it is weird and somewhat frightening that the Japanese media would freak out over something like this and completely blacklist the guy. I’ve been reading japanprobe and a couple other blogs similar to it for a while and this seems to be commonplace when someone does anything out of line. A friend of mine who’s really into Morning Musume the music group was telling me about all the stupid reasons members have been kicked out like smoking or having a boyfriend.
For those in Japan, what is with this mentality? How did it come about and how is it accepted?
P.S. I realize Morning Musume is a band with a specific image it attempts to portray, but this could be applied to reporters, actors, what have you.
Japan is all about avoiding confrontation, so when something potentially scandalous/offensive shows up, they try to bury it. The good news is this is in no way permanent, not for someone of his stature. If Mona Yamamoto can comeback after an adulterous trip to a love hotel with the shortstop of the Giants and Koda Kumi and come back after insulting millions of 30-something women, Tsuyo-pon can come back from a bit o’ nudity. Especially since there are no pictures.
It’s not a Japan-only thing.
True, while celebrity scandals play big in American media now, that hasn’t always been the case. Some celebrities have gone to great lengths to retain their image, which becomes harder and harder with the internet and cameras on every cellphone.
I agree that it shouldn’t be any problem assuming he stays under the radar for a while; the public forgets these things, despite how much the media tries to remind us about them when the celebrity tries to make a comeback.
Also, unrelated, but I want that T-shirt (^o^)
Welcome to Japan. It’s nice to have you here.
You must understand – nothing important is happening anywhere in the world. Finding stingrays and otters in river are just about the most exciting thing in Japan. The world almost ended when they found a SMAPper running around naked.
Really, what’s wrong with being naked?
Fight for your right!
I don’t get it. Why does the police even make this public? Do they have to?
Effing wrong for thatt~~!!
I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SMAPPPPP!!
That visage freaks me the hell out, he looks like a robot in this post’s photo/handbill/ad