Mao Asada to be reporter for TV program 'Sekai Fushigi Hakken!'

I bet she'll do really well as a reporter.

No stranger to travelling overseas and has a bright personality. You're probably right.

Well, I guess I'm watching it then.

Love u Mao-chan.

TV viewer rating will not go down, i guess.

Mao Asada as a "reporter"??!! Why on Earth would anyone think this is a good idea? I find her to be an incredibly annoying presence on or off the ice. I generally like Sekai Fushigi Hakken, but I will now be less inclined to watch the program.

"Everything was a new experience for me, so it was hard..." What does that even mean? She has traveled the world as a skater, so why does she maintain such an insular attitude?

This is obviously just an attempt at making a celebrity bring up the ratings, but I do hope that she grows into the role and becomes qualified to do what her new job entails.

Uh, don't you have to have a personality to be a reporter for a show like this?

I never understood the attraction of Mao. Once she got a little older, she stopped seeming annoying to me. But still does not exactly draw me in with her scintillating personality.

I stopped watching J TV like 2 or 3 yrs ago when I got cable. Doubt I will ever go back, it is so bad, and the American shows are so good.

reformed basher,

Well, I don't know what we are talking about, I'm sure there is a lot of crap and there is also personal taste. I find the mediocre US and Brit shows to be amazingly well produced and well acted, even if they are uninteresting or stupid, the skill level is really high these days (Dexter, Mad Men). And the stuff that has some heart is off the charts. (Try "the Wire", "Breaking Bad" etc).

In comparison, the J tube has people who are either famous for being famous, or who are pretty models who lip-synch music for lots of money, i.e. no skill to speak of, sit around and offer banal comments on current events, or eat stuff and show us that it either tastes really good, or that some of them don't like it and fall off their chairs gagging. (Then there's the news where they read off the police blotter and give the pols' comments as if that in itself is analysis and reporting.)

Back on topic please.

Does Mao have acting talent? or is she just tarento like most of the actors hired to boost ratings?

I can't believe you used the words America, TV, and great in the same sentence. Just tuned into the new Sherlock Holmes today. It's not bad as TV snows go, just not for me. I think the main actor kind of turns me off, and the music is a little over the top.

These days, American TV, IMO, is just too much useless talking about nothing relating to the story (LOST and Walking dead) and I fast forward it during these parts. The best US TV show in the last 10 years is CSI Las Vegas. The other CSI's are just typical gun & chase crap.

ReformedBasher: Given that JT deleted the most part of my comment, but allow your flat out insults, I'll forgive you your naivete.

"On a show that's basically a series of short documentaries about foreign cultures?"

Exactly my point, which as usual, you miss: she's going to travel to another country, stay at a top end hotel with a huge crew, say "Umai" when she eats the local food, and that's it and that's all. Tell me how that requires talent?

"I don't think you're stupid, it's the fact that you pretend you are smarter than you obviously are."

Well, true or not, that would be YOUR problem, wouldn't it? I said I hope that Mao can be up to the task, but given your comment on how certain nations' TV programs are better than others, I can say without a doubt that it's not exactly a high hurdle, or even a triple axle, to overcome. Face the facts -- she was hired for her celebrity, and that's all. If she can later fit into the job, which again isn't much but saying the food tastes good, all the power to her.

@Basher, just sayin, high production values and serious actors makes good shows. Of course not all shows, and there will of course be personal preference.

J TV is just "umai" or "mazui!!!" Mao will be doing a similar performance, despite the fact that she is a world traveller and a very highly trained young woman, i.e. she can have perspective on stuff. I doubt that will be much in demand. She will be indistinguishable from the lip syncers and unfunny comedians.

Lowly: "J TV is just "umai" or "mazui!!!" Mao will be doing a similar performance, despite the fact that she is a world traveller and a very highly trained young woman, i.e. she can have perspective on stuff. I doubt that will be much in demand. She will be indistinguishable from the lip syncers and unfunny comedians."

Precisely. It'll be a camera crew following her around to: a) see what the locals think of Japan (and not reported if it's negative), b) eat local food, stop for a moment, then say "umai" (or "mazui"), or compare spas, hotels, and buses that none of the people can likely afford. I hope she can improve the programming, but knowing the programming I think it's just going to reduce her to another talentless tarenuto when she should be doing more. There are good ways to use your celebrity status, and bad. I'm going to say this is not one of the good, but perhaps she can prove me wrong.

@smith,

yeah, except they will report the negative views of Japan as long as they can make the people saying them seem kooky or funny.

Mao is a kid, I doubt she will have any influence. Anyone who trains at the level she does is going to have some grit, but not necessarily intelligence. I know a skater and she a very good skater, but is not bright. Also, tho Mao trains everywhere, she has been on a training schedule and not had much fun. She will probably be an enthusiastic gear in the machine.