TV Star Shimazaki Talks About Celebrities Who Disappear from TV
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Japanese TV personality Wakako Shimazaki has spoken about a pattern she has noticed among celebrities who stop appearing on television.
She made the comments during an episode of "All Star Thanksgiving Festival," a popular Japanese variety show that is broadcast twice a year.
Shimazaki said she believes there is a common trait shared by entertainers who eventually disappear from TV screens. She expressed her surprise, saying, "Isn't that unbelievable?"
During the same show, medal winners from the Asian Games made a surprise appearance. They joined the program at very short notice.
The episode also featured a brand-new competition called the "Heart-breaking Hill 300m Race," in which contestants ran up a steep hill.
Fellow TV personality Koji Imada also discussed the show, praising its technical staff highly. He jokingly compared them to a "secret support team," suggesting their skills were extraordinary.
Together with Shimazaki, Imada shared details about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into producing the long-running show. Both expressed admiration for the crew who make the program's elaborate games and segments possible.
Their comments gave viewers a rare look at the effort and skill required to keep a major variety show running smoothly for so many years.
Vocabulary10 words
- TV personality
- a well-known person who often appears on television
- common trait
- a quality that many people or things share
- Asian Games
- a large sports competition held for Asian countries
- competition
- an event where people try to win against others
- technical staff
- workers who handle equipment and technology for a show
- secret support team
- a hidden group that helps with special or difficult tasks
- crew
- a group of people who work together to make something, like a TV show
- variety show
- a TV program with different kinds of entertainment, like games and music
- broadcast
- to show something on TV or radio
- behind-the-scenes
- the work done before or during a show that people do not usually see
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Quiz
Answer key
1. A pattern among celebrities who disappear from TV 2. Asian Games medal winners 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Japanese TV personality Wakako Shimazaki has spoken about a pattern she has noticed among _____ who stop appearing on television.
She made the comments during an episode of "All Star Thanksgiving Festival," a popular Japanese _____ show that is broadcast twice a year.
Shimazaki said she believes there is a common _____ shared by entertainers who eventually disappear from TV screens.
During the same show, medal winners from the Asian Games made a _____ appearance.
The episode also featured a brand-new competition called the "Heart-breaking Hill 300m _____," in which contestants ran up a steep hill.
Fellow TV personality Koji Imada also discussed the show, _____ its technical staff highly.
He jokingly compared them to a "secret support team," suggesting their skills were _____.
Both expressed _____ for the crew who make the program's elaborate games and segments possible.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think some celebrities eventually stop appearing on television?
- What do you think makes a variety show successful over many years?
- Why might behind-the-scenes staff be important to a TV show's success?
- Would you enjoy watching a show with games like the 'Heart-breaking Hill 300m Race'? Why or why not?
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