Shimura Ken and the Gospel
I think it was the summer of 1990 (or was it 1991?). It was my second trip to Japan. I was staying overnight at a family friend's house in Chiba prefecture. That evening, we watched the tv together. A show came on and not long afterward, everyone watching was laughing out loud at a comedy skit. At this time, I have not able to understand any Japanese language. Regardless of my inability to comprehend any Japanese at that time, I was laughing till my belly was aching. I have never seen a show like this before. One person, in particular, stands out as the leading performer/comedian. His expression, demeanour, and comedic timing was incredible. I instantly became a fan of the show and the comedian right away. I asked my host the name of the show and the name of that comedian. The show was "大丈夫だあ" (Daijyoubudaa) and the name of the comedian was Shimura Ken 志村けん. When I returned to Toronto, I went and looked for the show at some Japanese video rental shop in Toronto