Comedian Date Misses Radio Show Due to Illness
Mikio Date, a member of the Japanese comedy duo Sandwichman, was absent from his regular radio show because of poor health.
His comedy partner, Tomizawa, appeared on the show without him and gave an explanation to listeners about why Date could not attend.
During his explanation, Tomizawa's comments became a bit unusual, and even the female announcer joined in with a surprising reaction, according to reports.
News of Date's absence quickly caused concern among fans, who shared worried messages online.
Many people compared the situation to another comedian, Toshiaki Himura from the duo Bananaman, who is currently taking a break from work due to health problems.
Fans wrote comments such as, 'Both of them are so popular, it's worrying to see them unwell.'
Neither Date's exact illness nor how long he will be away has been officially confirmed.
The situation has led to wider discussion about the health and workload of well-known entertainers in Japan.
Fans are hoping for updates and a quick recovery for both comedians.
Vocabulary6 words
- radio show
- a program you listen to, not watch
- explanation
- words that tell why something happened
- concern
- a feeling of worry about someone
- popular
- liked by many people
- illness
- a health problem
- recovery
- getting better after being sick
Quiz
Answer key
1. He had poor health 2. Tomizawa 3. Toshiaki Himura
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Mikio Date, a member of the Japanese comedy duo Sandwichman, was absent from his regular _____ because of poor health.
His comedy partner, Tomizawa, appeared on the show without him and gave an _____ to listeners about why Date could not attend.
During his explanation, Tomizawa's comments became a bit unusual, and even the female announcer joined in with a surprising reaction, according to reports.
News of Date's absence quickly caused _____ among fans, who shared worried messages online.
Many people compared the situation to another comedian, Toshiaki Himura from the duo Bananaman, who is currently taking a break from work due to health problems.
Fans wrote comments such as, 'Both of them are so _____, it's worrying to see them unwell.'
Neither Date's exact _____ nor how long he will be away has been officially confirmed.
Fans are hoping for updates and a quick _____ for both comedians.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think fans get worried when a famous entertainer misses a show?
- Do you think entertainers should share details about their health with the public? Why or why not?
- How might constant public attention affect a celebrity's health?
- Have you ever worried about a public figure's wellbeing? What happened?