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Masatoshi Hamada | |
|---|---|
浜田 雅功 | |
.jpg) Hamada attending Midosuji Runway in Osaka, Japan in 2022 | |
| Born | (1963-05-11)May 11, 1963 (age 62) Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| Spouse | Natsumi Ogawa |
| Children | 2 (including;Hama Okamoto) |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Medium | Owarai Television |
Masatoshi Hamada (浜田 雅功), nicknamedHama-chan (浜ちゃん), is a Japanese comedian best known as thetsukkomi half of theowarai duoDowntown alongsideHitoshi Matsumoto. Hamada is married toNatsumi Ogawa, with whom he has two children.
Hamada was born nearDaikokucho Station inNaniwa-ku, Osaka to Kengoro and Nobuko Hamada. His family moved toAmagasaki,Hyōgo Prefecture before entering a kindergarten. There, he attended Ushio Elementary School and metHitoshi Matsumoto. He and Matsumoto did not become friends until junior high. Like Matsumoto, his family was very poor and lived in an old, run-down apartment building.
In 1982, he and Matsumoto enteredYoshimoto Kōgyō, to become a comedy duo. They made their debut in 1983.
Hamada is frequently seen whacking Matsumoto and other celebrities on their heads, whether it be with his hand, a paper fan, or whatever he is holding at the moment. He laughs with a distinct, high-pitched cackle whenever he sees his colleagues in pain. Never one to hold his tongue, he is known for being blunt and tactless towards everybody, no matter how famous they may be. He has a notoriously quick temper and is prone to snapping at others, including overzealousfans who bother him on the streets. There is a running joke or legend within the industry that says "Whoever is whacked on the head by Hamada will become successful orureteru."
Because of his aggressive and seemingly remorseless behavior, he has been dubbed "Hamada the Super Sadist" (ドSの浜田,Do ESU no Hamada).[1] This fearsome side of his personality has been pointed out in the media on several occasions:
In a recent[when?] episode of Gaki no Tsukai, however, a number of younger comedians have said that Hamada's "super sadist" act is just that; he is known to be fair and kind to both staff and other comedians off the air.Jimmy Onishi during his "24 hours Long interview" for Gaki no tsukai even admitted that he got on with Hamada the best since "he was the most normal" of the cast.
Though not as common, Hamada can also be on the receiving end of jokes, usually delivered by Matsumoto. Some of Hamada's commonly mocked traits are:
Hamada provided the Japanese voice ofSlowking inPokémon: The Movie 2000. A limited editionPokémon card called "Hama-chan's Slowking" (ハマちゃんのヤドキング,Hama-chan no Yadokingu) was released to promote the movie.[14] The Slowking on this card was illustrated by Hamada himself.[citation needed]
In 2001, he starred in the televisionminiseriesAshitaga Arusa ("There's Always a Tomorrow"). Named after afamous song byKyu Sakamoto, it ran from April 21 to July 30 and featured many other Yoshimoto Kōgyōgeinin, includingCocorico. A feature film version was released in October 2002.
He is the voice ofShrek in the Japanese language dub of the animatedShrek films. He was personally selected by producerJeffrey Katzenberg to take on the role.[15]
He worked as a guest sportscaster forFuji Television at the2006 Winter Olympics inTurin, Italy.[citation needed]
He was the voice of the host of the sole Japanese release of the American trivia quiz video game seriesYou Don't Know Jack.
In the 1990s, Hamada was also part of a musical duo withTetsuya Komuro calledH jungle with t [ja] (where the "H" stands for Hamada and the "t" stands for Tetsuya) and produced several songs, including their most popular song, "Wow War Tonight", which sold over 2 million copies and ranked number 2 in the top 100 Oricon singles of 1995. H Jungle with t also performed some songs at live concerts during the mid-1990s. In the song "Wow War Tonight",Hitoshi Matsumoto has a line that is repeated several times throughout the course of the song, "B-U-S-A-I-K-U H-A-M-A-D-A", this translates as "Ugly Hamada", one of several of Matsumoto's insults at Hamada. Other common insults are "Gorilla".
In 2004, "Chicken Rice" was released with lyrics written by Matsumoto. The lyrics reflect their childhood (more specifically Matsumoto's childhood) and tells the story about how it was too expensive for them to eat out at restaurants or have nice food, so out of consideration for his parents he would always eat chicken rice as it was the cheapest. The song also asks the rhetorical question "Do children appreciate what their parents do for them nowadays?". This song reached number 2 in theOricon weekly rankings.
Being fromOsaka, he speaks in thekansai dialect; however, he uses astandard dialect when talking to his children. His hobbies aregolf andbaseball.[16] His comedy partner Matsumoto quit smoking in 2003, while he himself is still a heavy smoker.[citation needed]
Although he has always disliked animals, he later became attached to the family dog. In a March 2007 episode ofGaki no Tsukai, when asked what he would save first in his house if an earthquake occurred, his reply was "the dog."[17]
In June 2014, he was revealed to be having anaffair withgravure idolMaiko Kikkawa. The affair had lasted for 3 years before its discovery. Hamada wrote a public apology, which his wife accepted.[18]
In 2017 Masatoshi dressed inblackface asEddie Murphy from the filmBeverly Hills Cop for the 2017 New Year's Eve special ofDowntown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!![19]
In 2023, a 24-year-old esthetician, known as A-san, claimed she had a "sugar dating" relationship with Masatoshi Hamada in 2018–2019. A-san said they met through a mutual acquaintance and had several secret meetings, during which Hamada provided financial support. The claim surfaced after reports of Hamada's alleged separation from his wife, Natsumi Ogawa.[20][21][unreliable source?]
Hamada has denied the separation reports, addressing them publicly on a radio show, but rumors suggest the couple has been living separately for some time.[22]
On March 10, 2025, Yoshimoto Kogyo announced Hamada's temporary hiatus due to poor health, citing "physical discomfort" since late 2024.[23]
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