Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizo, 33, and TV personality wife Mao Kobayashi, 28, have had their first child, Ebizo's management agency announced in a fax to media on Tuesday. Kobayashi gave birth to a baby girl at 6:37 p.m. on Monday. Ebizo was performing at the time and couldn't be present at the birth, but baby and mother are said to be well.
The news follows the bar brawl scandal in which, Ebizo, the scion of a dynasty which has dominated traditional kabuki theater for more than 300 years, had his performances suspended and several companies pulled TV adverts featuring him.
Ichikawa and Kobayashi were married in March of last year. The pregnancy was announced in February of this year in the midst of the scandal. Sources close to the couple say that Ebizo's father, Danjuro Ichikawa, 64, is delighted by the news and that there is a spirit of celebration throughout the Ichikawa kabuki dynasty.
© Japan Today
18 Comments
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miyazawa3
what..? They did not divorced yet....?
chewitup
Lot of difference that makes. I have no idea why commoners feel the need to copy the foibles of the aristocracy. I put substance over form and the timing of birth and marriage is nothing but form.
Man's priorities are out of whack.
tmarie
Sadly she won't go. He's famous and rich. She doesn't have to work and has a baby. Perfect in her eyes.
Pukey2
Especially now that she's given birth. However, good on them for actually having a baby AFTER getting married!
whiskeysour
Ohhhh noooo!!! It though they were going to get a divorce. Hmmmmmm, I guess she`s standing by her man.
Mao`s an idiot !!!! I can see them divorcing soon.
hoipolloi
Godan:
But putting work before family especially something like not attending the birth of your firstborn child shows extreme dedication in eyes of your superiors! </sarcasm>
freakashow
With parents like that, I'm guessing that their daughter will grow up either working in a hostess bar or in the porn industry. I guess not all daughters can have a well-adjusted father like a Tsutomu Sekine (tarento Mari Sekine's father), or Sanma-san (father of Imalu).
tmarie
Lovely family. Dad is a drunk who is known for cheating. Mom is a dimwit who just wanted to get married and have kids. Mom turns a blind eye on dad's behaviour, dad can't be bothered to be there for the birth... They both get what they deserve. That poor baby!
papasmurfinjapan
But I can guarantee you she won't be working in kabuki.
chewitup
He is lucky not to be celebrating in jail.
And I wonder if she will ever cry as much as her father.
Godan
I think he missed the opportunity of a lifetime in not being there when his daughter was born. "Work" is never more important than witnessing the start of a new life being brought into this world. I was there for the birth of both of my sons and they were experiences that I will treasure til the day I die. Ebizo is still making the wrong choices IMHO.
DenTok2009
bring on the sake! celebrate! (at home!)
DenTok2009
wow... time sure flies. seems just like yesterday that Ebizo was busy dodging reporters and what's his name was being jailed. nine months have passed and it's business as usual. Ebizo back to performing and the scandal buried.
sillygirl
miamum - i think you could be right!!!!
Virtuoso
The child, whether talented or not, is automatically guaranteed a job in showbiz for life, based on the qualification of having two famous parents. Nanahikari for ever!
Nicky Washida
Lets hope so sillygirl. In my experience with my husband if anyone can turn a man from a "tough guy" to a dribbling slave willing to pander to her every whim, its a baby daughter!
sillygirl
let`s hope he curbs his urges to go out to get stinkin drunk and cause trouble so that his daughter grows up to be proud of her dad.
himehentai
announced in the midst of the scandal = Created to create a distraction??
I hope this little girl grows up with better male role models around than her father ...