# banzai... the show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283 "2003-08-10T23:41:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/1 "2003-08-10T23:41:09Z")
easily the funniest thing i’ve seen in a while… anyone else seen it? reminds me of the iron chef competition on futurama… except funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Meka\_Leka\_Hi\_Meka\_Hiney\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Meka\_Leka\_Hi\_Meka\_Hiney\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meka_Leka_Hi_Meka_Hiney_Ho)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/2 "2003-08-11T02:47:19Z")
BWAHAHAHAHAHA That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/3 "2003-08-11T02:53:38Z")
I liked the first episode somewhat but it’s already lost its novelty to me. I turned the TV when it came on tonight and that’s pretty bad considering it was only background noise since I was cleaning my room at the time ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/4 "2003-08-11T03:28:27Z")
first and last time i saw it was for 2 mins tonight. Not my cup of tea. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/5 "2003-08-11T04:41:46Z")
It fails for me, I suspect because it’s very hard to satirize something that’s wildly silly to begin with. They’d do better just to show us _real_ Japanese game shows with subtitles. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/6 "2003-08-11T05:54:16Z")
I watched it tonight, and when they did the keyboard challenge, for some reason it cracked me up that they broke into “Something about You” (or whatever that song is called) when the Level 42 guy won. It doesn’t seem like it should be funny, but it really made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/7 "2003-08-11T06:30:39Z")
First time I caught this version (I’ve seen the segments that used to play around movies on USA several years ago), I liked it the same way that I liked _MXC_ on TNN. A fun, pointless diversion when there’s nothing else on. I’ll probably try to catch it again. If for no other reason than to see if my dog become entranced again by the TV like she was while this was on. She normally barely looks at the screen for more than a few seconds (which makes it hard for me to train her to bark and growl whenever FCC Chairman Michael Powell is on), but she wouldn’t look away until the show ended. Strange. Got to admit I liked the contests with the aging rock stars, first time I’ve seen Rick Wakeman in years, he’s looking rough. Are these the UK episodes or are these new ones made for the American market? This was discussed in an earlier thread, but I can’t remember if there was ever a definite answer. What made me wonder again was: Do we Americans know who Hugh Cornwell or the Stranglers are? The Sex Pistols, Yes, and even Level 42 (one-hit wonder here), but the Stranglers? ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/8 "2003-08-11T08:27:10Z")
Worst. Show. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/9 "2003-08-11T09:47:34Z")
I watched about ten minutes of it last night and couldn’t stand it. I did like Mr. Shake-hands-man, though. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/10 "2003-08-11T13:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*It fails for me, I suspect because it’s very hard to satirize something that’s wildly silly to begin with. They’d do better just to show us _real_ Japanese game shows with subtitles. \*\* Agreed. I think it would be funnier if they played it straight. ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/11 "2003-08-11T13:35:20Z")
They need to show this at around 8pm on a Friday night so it can be used as a drinking game by those inclined to do so. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/12 "2003-08-11T15:05:07Z")
It’s funny the first time but after that you notice they do just the same things each show. So then it gets boring for me. Frankly, I don’t know the point of the show at all. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/13 "2003-08-11T20:20:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thudlow Boink \* > \*\*Agreed. I think it would be funnier if they played it straight. \*\* That’s why I definitely prefer **Iron Chef** over **Bonzai** …Iron Chef is actually funnier because it is dubbed over… A typical commentary during the show (loosely paraphrased with terrible attempt at remembering names): [iron chef] Ohta (Shinchiro): “Qui-Zon!” Quizon: “Yes, go ahead Ohta”… Ohta: “I don’t believe it, but I think our challenger is putting garlic butter on the tentacles of the octopus BEFORE he throws it into a pot of boiling water! The challenger says it should keep the octopus from turning a bad shade of green when it gets boiled alive…he sounds like he knows what he’s talking about, but I think the octopus has other ideas!” (Octopus clinging tightly to challenging chef’s arm) Quizon: “Hmmmm…sounds like a very interesting development, thanks Ohta…” Moments later… Ohta: “Qui-Zon!!” Quizon: “Uh, yeah…what is it Ohta” Ohta: “It looks like our challenger has given up on the octupus going in the boiling pot alive and is now attempting to fillet the octopus with a steak knife dipped in a soy-curry sauce. The challenger said that it will bring out the smokey flavor of the octopus once he cooperates!” (Octopus clinging tightly around challengers neck) Quizon: “Hmmmm…sounds like a very interesting development, thanks Ohta…” [/iron chef] Now that was entertainment! ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/14 "2003-08-11T20:30:25Z")
I like watching it with my kids, but it certainly ain’t rocket science. Oh, and Yeticus Rex, Ohta actually is saying “Fukui-san” ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/15 "2003-08-12T00:28:42Z")
I too like Mr. Shake-Hands-Man. I also like the girl who stares at the celebrities, but says nothing, to see how long she can keep them talking. Other than that, it has lost the novelty with me as well. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/16 "2003-08-12T01:10:45Z")
Can’t get enough of it! 🆒 I LOVE this show! Mrs. HeyHomie and I bet each week, $.50 per stunt. Last week she won 4 to my 3, so she’s up 50 cents for the week. Damn! Funniest. TV show. Ever. I was in stitches a couple of weeks ago during the stunt where Mr. Chappy hid his cheese and pickle sandwich in a briefcase, and the six guys in suites walked around in circles, and you had to guess which briefcase had Mr. Chappy’s sandwich. Pure freakin’ genius, I tell ya. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/17 "2003-08-12T01:38:56Z")
I caught the end of the episode with the Reverse Time Detective and the keyboard contest. I don’t understand why there’s a betting system; the contests and contestants are too pointless and mundane for me to care who wins. The exaggerated Japanese voices, seizure-inducing transitions, etc. have novelty, but it wears off. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/18 "2003-08-12T01:46:11Z")
I think that’s the key **HeyHomie** , it’s not a show designed to be watched by yourself. It’s a great show to watch with friends or others with a perchance for random humor. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-the-show/194283/19 "2003-08-13T14:48:34Z")
**Betting _ENDS!_** 😃