Beat Takeshi appears in ad for ECC language school

ECC, the school to go if you need to speak English, French and Chinese for a few seconds!

Beat Takeshi appears in a commercial for ECC ... just like he's been doing for the past couple of years. Why is this news? Because he mumbles out a few other languages? I could never figure out what he was saying in the old ads. Like, "Askadarfgra English?"

Why not indeed.

He spoke English in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, what's to be nervous about?

ECC's posters I see in the trains say "learn from professionals" - since when have they professionals?

Beat Takeshi would appear in an add for varnish remover or any thing if the money was there. A true squeak hammer-wielding modern phenomena. Totally talentless, yet anything the idiot touches turns to gold. What's next? Painting?

I want to see this ad.

darkbob - That was indeed a dark post, ha ha!

Funny point is that he put on his news program Saturday night that he can't speak a word of English except for what's scripted for him. He showed video of himself practicing with the ECC "Professionals" looking on. He garbled out his lines, but everyone applauded him anyway. That kind of counters the adds, doesn't it?

ps to darkbob: The french love him, and he has a museum of his 'paintings' and other artwork... The Japanese Andy Warhol...

Let's hope we can understand his pathetic attempt at English this time. Great advertisement for ECC. Haha

Let's hope we can understand his pathetic attempts at speaking English this time. A great advertisement for ECC. Lol

Takeshi is right, all it takes is constant practice to become good even in golf.

darkbob, he DOES paint.

Will he be teaching my kid when he goes there now? What happened with the SMAP dude? We were very happy with his lessons. Couldnt believe that he flew up here to Tohoku every week to teach my son. darkbob. great post!! couldnt agree more.

Koriyamaboy, if you're referring to Shingo, that's ECC Jr. Same company, but different objectives. Takeshi does ads for the eikaiwa, while Shingo does ads for the Jr. home teachers/classroom visit program.

Or did the ads. Not sure if Shingo still does them, but last I saw there were still posters of him up in the schools (yeah, I just gave away something about myself there).

@Monkeyz: He still does the ads. There's a whole series on now. In one, he asks a little girl about her dream and she replies in well-spoken English. Personally, I think she studied overseas for a while to speak like that but I could be wrong.

@kawachi: You're not. It's a well-known fact that the Big 4 (or is it 3 now) hire native English speaking foreign children who look Japanese for their commercials. Why ECC wants anything to do with that psychotic Beat Takeshi is beyond me. He just reinforces the stereotype that only weird Japanese men go to eikaiwa schools.

Beat must be having cash flow problems. No other reason than that to stoop to pushing an English salon. But maybe he owns it.

Shouldn't you actually be able to speak English if you are going to promote an English Language school??!!

Sarcasm, much like Beat's sense of humor, does not translate easily in this day and age...

Beat Takeshi trying to speak English with lips that dont move....what a joke!

Concerning the commercial with the girl, I taught a pair of twins that had previously went to an all week preschool in Japan with no foreigner students whose English turned out to very good. I had one or two students in the same program that turned out very well, so it is possible. But it's not likely if only 45 minutes once a week.

Also does anyone remember the old Nova commercials? Yoku Gambarimashita!!!??? Foreign teachers being taught how to speak Japanese, before they enter the class.

Takeshi is a loser. Not funny, mean to talento, and has no clue about English nor any other language. Probably cannot read and write Japanese either.

I don't consider Takeshi a loser.

There are many people that wouldn't mind getting the pay-cheques that he pulls nor many that can claim a display case full of awards as he has.

If that is a loser I take it every-time over working at a desk for x-hours daily and a fraction of his income, etc.

Smart choice.

Beat must be having cash flow problems. No other reason than that to stoop to pushing an English salon. But maybe he owns it.

He's been in the print ads for quite some time, at least a few years.

Couldn't you get hold of a smaller photo?

his constant practice enabled him to perform perfectly.

Oh no it didn't. He's almost unintelligible. Not that that's anything new.

Not as bad as the Softbank ad with the lady singing something about a "melting snowman", still haven't found anyone japanese or otherwise that got the full lyrics.

A winter fairy is melting the snowman...that's how it goes, Zenny.

I don't get how companies/organizations select celebrities to represent their brand. Beat Takeshi for an English company? AKB48 girl for the POLICE? This is one particular area where advertising companies in Japan mystify me. Shallow idiots!