Photo: YouTube/America’s Got Talent
entertainment

Japanese comedian baffles, amazes judges on 'America’s Got Talent' with weird dance, Japanese humor

34 Comments
By Dale Roll, SoraNews24

Japanese comedy is a special thing. While some of it is a more familiar kind of stand-up or a type of “dumb and dumber” slapstick duet, much of it is far more off the wall than anything other countries could come up with. Take, for example, the comedian who uses traditional Japanese instruments to play weird, familiar jingles; a subtle kind of humor, but poignant in its unexpectedness. Plus, who could forget the ridiculous, early 2000s sensation, Hard Gay?

For some, these comedians raise perplexing questions, mostly involving the word “why.” But for many, the ridiculous parts of Japanese comedy are what make it so funny. That’s why when Japanese comedian Yuriyan Retriever traveled to America to try out for "America’s Got Talent," she absolutely blew the judges away…in a very perplexing kind of way.

While talking to the judges before her performance, Yuriyan seems like she might do something ordinary, like sing a song or even do a regular standup comedy routine. That is until she strips off her black hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants and reveals that she’s wearing a U.S.-flag patterned mankini. Then she strikes a gymnast’s pose, and the epic and iconic melody of “The Final Countdown” begins to play, and Yuriyan starts to perform a bizarre, jerky, and weirdly hilarious dance that involves wrist rotating, sashaying, head shaking, and many pointed glances at the audience.

While Howie is loving it and Gabrielle seems amused, Simon is quick to hit the red rejection buzzer, and Julianne, clearly unable to process the level of raw talent she’s witnessing, pushes her red buzzer with a shrug shortly after. Yuriyan is not affected; after an “I’m watching you gesture” to Simon, she blissfully continues on with her bizarre dance, completely winning over Howie. When it comes time for judging, though, her fate remains uncertain with the other three judges, even though she tries to bribe Simon by inviting him to her hotel room.

▼ Their faces say it all…

yuriyan3.jpg
Photo: YouTube/America’s Got Talent

Japanese Twitter users were so happy to see that Yuriyan was (relatively) well-received by American audiences, and almost all of the comments on AGT’s video on Twitter are in Japanese. Somebody even subtitled the segment in Japanese, and everyone loved it!

“Yuriyan invited Simon to her hotel room hahaha”

“Yuriyan! Awesome! America’s also awesome for accepting her lol”

“When did you get promoted to worldwide fame, Yuriyan?!”

“Such energy and courage deserves praise! Yuriyan’s amazing!”

“Am I the only who almost started crying? I think she’s so cool.”

“This was the first time I laughed so hard in a long time! Her facial expressions are on point!!”

You’ll have to watch the whole video to see if she makes it on to the next round or not, but let’s just say, there’s a certain charm to her dance that won over many. There’s also extra backstage footage in which Julianne teaches Yuriyan how to dance, and Yuriyan gives Simon an extra long hug, so it’s absolutely a video worth watching to the end.

yuriyan4.jpg
Photo: YouTube/America’s Got Talent

Yuriyan isn’t the first Japanese comedian to try their hand at the various “Got Talent” shows; tablecloth trickmaster Mr. Uekusa is known to be a Got Talent regular, having tried out for several different countries’ shows to varying degrees of success. Plus, many other talented Japanese citizens, including a magician, a dancer, and a technodelic performance group, have all had some success on the show, so let’s hope Yuriyan will keep trying to make it to the top!

Source: Twitter/AGT_auditions

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Japanese magician’s cutting-edge performance stuns judges on Britain’s Got Talent 【Video】

-- Foreigner delights Japanese netizens with hilarious video about Japanese washlet toilets

-- Will technodelic Japanese performance group SIRO-A win this season of America’s Got Talent?

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

34 Comments
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Not at breakfast!

8 ( +9 / -1 )

She has amazing skills. Although she did have some peculiarities, she flawlessly and smoothly delivered to the judges. I’m talking about her English ability....

1 ( +4 / -3 )

While Howie is loving it and Gabrielle seems amused, Simon is quick to hit the red rejection buzzer, and Julianne, clearly unable to process the level of raw talent she’s witnessing, pushes her red buzzer with a shrug shortly after.

Welcome to our world

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Gross, but funny. But gross.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Please stop. Its embarrasing!

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Ridiculous, embarrassing, unskillful. Like most comedians here, has the sense of humor of a 6 yo child.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

That British Simon guy is giving a weird finger gesture which has another meaning in Japanese...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@fraris

don’t be so harsh. kids can’t help their age

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It'll just upset me, so I'm not watching. There's awkward people humour I like, Andy Kaufman, Curb, the Office etc. but this will just make me cringe.

I know it happens, but talent shows should not show professionals and judge them like they are amateurs. Its just another example of fakery and general low moral standards. You can do what you like so long as folks are buying/watching. Maybe its always been this way, but I do not like it.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

What do ppl expect? Freak show hosted by judges who are full of themselves and where silly/over-reactions are the norm i.e "Their faces say it all…".

She/her performance isn't really any weirder than the show itself, the judges or being into reality/talent shows.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Man that was BAD even by j-standards......

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Two ways to look at these shows - most of the acts know they have no shot at winning before they even audition. So is any publicity good publicity? Or is having no shame a good thing in this day and age? People will literally do anything to get on tv or seek fame.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Dear Lord.

That infantile cr@p is the reason I thank the lord for Netflix. How in the hell would anyone over 4 years old think that's entertainment?

A pound to a penny she's doing the rounds of the variety shows here before the month's out.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

RiskyMosaic

Looks like you have pretty consistent judgement.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Still funnier than Amy Schumer.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

1.  That's a SHE?

2.  She still should have won it.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

when mojimoji-kun is the peak of comedy in a country, it's fair to say the cupboard is bare.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

when mojimoji-kun is the peak of comedy in a country, it's fair to say the cupboard is bare.

before her was pikachu..  it's fair to say the cupboard has been bare for a pretty long time.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Zero humor and Disgusting. Thought her to be a man at first. Wearing skimpy clothes does not make you funny.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I wonder how she could enter in the competition of that show since she got not TALENT! As Simon mentioned, anybody could have done that. That was absolutely horrendous and stupid!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Why did she said she was a performer and dancer? Isn't she a comedian?

This specific performance was pretty bad, not funny at all, but she does have some funny stuff. I personally like the ones she make fun at the way American girls behave with each others. Guess she thought she would be hated doing that in America...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Lol, America loves it when someone has the courage to go up there despite the fear of being criticized

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Proof that if it's funny in Japan, it more than likely isn't funny in any other country on the planet

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Walking walking walking supermarket.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What? No complaints about "Cultural Appropriation"? I'm shocked...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ridiculous, embarrassing, unskillful. Like most comedians here, has the sense of humor of a 6 yo child.

Zero humor and Disgusting. 

You guys aren't exactly a barrel of laughs yourselves. I understand people not finding it funny. What I don't understand is people getting all worked up and self-righteous about comedy that doesn't make them laugh, as though some religious code is being violated.

if it doesn't make you laugh, move on. And smile once in while.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I personally thought it was gold.

Original, ballsy, sharp-witted, kind of strange and something I had never seen before. It is not often that you see that kind of a combination in any any performance anywhere.

No cookie cutter act with this presentation. Well done.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Dear Lord.

That infantile cr@p is the reason I thank the lord for Netflix. How in the hell would anyone over 4 years old think that's entertainment?

A pound to a penny she's doing the rounds of the variety shows here before the month's out.

I doubt that appealing to any deity will make your world more understandable. Flix-out if you must but understand that we come in all shapes and sizes both bodily and cerebral.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I just watched it - I went into it not expecting to like it, as I'm not a big fan of Japanese comedians overall, but I actually had a few good chuckles, and the audience was loving it.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Hervé L’Eisa

What? No complaints about "Cultural Appropriation"? I'm shocked...

“Gender Appropriation”? Not sure which way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nobody knows that she is good in English, only me?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Not too easy on the eyes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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