Meshida, a former Japanese salaryman turned English language standup comedian, has spent the last ten years crafting his unique brand of comedy, delighting audiences in both Japan and the UK. Alongside his successful career as a standup, he's made a name for himself on YouTube, particularly for his humorous take on Japan's "pink" culture, while also exploring many other "wholesome" cultural topics. In our conversation, we delve into his journey to becoming a full-time comedian, the nuances between Japanese and Western humor, memorable moments from his time on stage, his earnings from viral YouTube videos, the sources of his joke-writing inspiration, and the reactions of his parents and Japanese audiences to his career and content. We also discuss other topics, including:
- First open mic experience at 21
- Why physical humor is popular in Japan
- Turning his insecurities into self deprecating humor
- His 1st successful joke which got a huge laugh
- Is "Manzai" the Japanese equivalent of Western standup?
- Once losing his confidence for 6 months after bombing on stage
- The one question he would ask his favorite comic
- Why its difficult to monetize YouTube even with millions of views and 60k subscribers
- His YouTube strategy to gain more fans and followers
- Meeting other international Japanese standup comedians
Funny Japan Project: https://funnyjapanproject.com/
Standup Comedian Meshida: https://www.youtube.com/channel/
More Now and Zen Japan episodes: https://www.nowandzen.jp/
Grow website traffic = Zo Digital: https://www.zodigital.jp/
Japan Adventures via Camper Van = Dream Drive: https://www.dreamdrive.life
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