Fucking Fuji TV!! Apparently over 200 babies showed up for the audition. Some audition! If it were a real audition, there is no doubt in my mind we would have made it on TV, I know I am prejudiced towards my own child, but Sara was definitely one of, if not *the* cutest baby I saw there today. Even the other mothers standing in line were going on and on about how cute the hafu baby is, and she should be a model and blah, blah, blah. Plus we were the only gaijin or half baby there! Come on now! I've worked in the entertainment industry long enough in this country and been on TV enough times to know that that fact alone should have pushed us through the door, nevermind getting a foot in!
So we get a number, fill out a questionairre and then wait and wait and wait. Then they call 20 babies in to the set at a time, which by the way is so tiny I was shocked. It looks huge on TV! So so so tiny! The director or someone explains that because there are so many people, there's no time for a real audition and a box with balls will be passed around. Amongst the balls, there is only 1 red ball. Whoever picks the red ball of the 20 people gets to be on the show. Once the red ball is picked, that's it. Everyone else can go home. WHAAAAT???
The first mother picks a ball...it's red. WHAAAAT?!?! I came all the way from Nagano to wait in line all morning for a lottery? Not even a real audition? So unfair. I was hoping someone would pull us out of line and say "your baby's so cute, we'd like you to stay" but really, it's like a 2 minute portion of the show. I'm sure they don't care that much how cute the babies really are. It must be some kind of sign from the powers that be, "don't exploit your child". Message received, but not sure if I'll listen.
Although I never heard from the band either, going to Tokyo wasn't a total bust. (I was pretty sure I wouldn't hear from them anyway) I got to see one of my friends from USJ who is now living and working in Tokyo for lunch and then I went to another friend's house to hang out for awhile before going back to Nagano. The 2nd friend is also an interpeter and she gave me some leads on work in Tokyo so that was at least productive. It was really good to see them both, and I got to have a truly delicious avocado cheeseburger for lunch at Kuaina Burger. That in itself may have been worth the trip!
I literally had to run to catch the Shinkansen on the way back though which is not so easy with a stroller and baby luggage for a full day trip. But I managed to make it onto the train about 10 seconds before the doors closed. Sara was an angel and slept the entire trip home, and I met a really interesting woman on the train. She works for CLAIR, which I believe is the branch of the Ministry of Education in charge of the JET program. She gave me her business card, and I'm thinking it might be a good idea to send her an email to say hello and nice meeting you and all, because who knows where that might lead? Connections are always a good thing to have in this country!
So all in all going to Tokyo today was a very good thing, but Fuji TV can kiss my big white ass!
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2 comments:
Oh boo ;/
Sara should have totally been a shoe-in for the competition! Too bad - it would have been really cool to see you on tv (nm the fact I'm here in the states..)
Glad you had a good time in Tokyo! I know we always do as well. Did you get to hit up the shops like Gap?
they should have sent someone down the line and picked all the cute smiley babies and then done an audition. How crap.
Sounds like the trip wasn't all bad though - especially with a lunch like that and meeting someone from CLAIR - I think they would be good to work for, speaking from the oh only 2 people I have ever met who work there - or who did
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