entertainment

SMAP broadcasts 79-minute live earthquake special

25 Comments

Five-man pop group SMAP broadcast a live special of their Fuji TV variety show "SMAP x SMAP" on Monday night. Although SMAP's variety show is usually a lighthearted affair lasting for around 54 minutes, Monday night's special was a more somber show with different content than usual and lasted for 79 minutes.

The show's theme was "What can we do now?" and featured Takuya Kimura, 38, and company sporting black suits and solemnly discussing their thoughts on the disastrous earthquake and tsunami of March 11.

Group leader Masahiro Nakai, 38, said, "I would like to express my sincere condolences for all those who were lost in this disaster. I'd also like to express my sympathies to all those who lost their homes and livelihoods."

Kimura told viewers how he felt "incredibly moved" at seeing survivors trying to rebuild their lives from the rubble.

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, 36, said, "Let's all take a moment to think about what a precious gift it is to be able to live in a home with our families." Shingo Katori, 34, called for solidarity saying, "Let's believe in one thing. Let's believe in Japan, in ourselves."

The group then took on the role of panelists and asked for opinions from viewers. They received over 10,000 emails and around 3,000 faxes expressing opinions and ideas to help the rebuilding effort.

"SMAP x SMAP" airs on Mondays at 10 p.m.

© Compiled from news reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

25 Comments
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Celebrities can promote social program better than politicians ...

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the more I watch Smap, the more I like Shingo , he seems real

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The group then took on the role of panelists and asked for opinions from viewers. They received over 10,000 emails and around 3,000 faxes expressing opinions and ideas to help the rebuilding effort.

this shown more fans from SMAP. They have became famous in 1990s. Thanks SMAP for your inspiration

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Hasn't Japan suffered enough?

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This group should donate a lot of money or set up a telethon !!!!!

Or they should have a live outdoor concert and give the tickets to the relief effort

if everybody donates 100 yen they could make a big impact.

When I have vacation or free time, I will go up there and donate my time.

I think they should do the same !!!

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"... expressing opinions and ideas to help the rebuilding effort."

Yes,that will REALLY help,bunch of crap,what is needed is tho cut the red tape and get the bureaucrats out of the way to let needed drugs and food through.

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i am still wondering why no richie talent on tv has hired a helicopter and dropped food stuffs and medicine, that would like make their talent status like go through the roof! oh,,,thats right,,it is hard to think for yourself if you are a talent, you need someone to do it first then follow like a sheep i wish i had a helicopter.....

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mrskit, even if you had yr own helicopter you cudnt do what yr suggesting, think about it, hopefully you can see why

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Modern wide vision LCD and plasma TVs consume huge amounts of electricity. SMAP = FAIL.

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Doesn't matter what people do... for some people it's never good enough. I'm sure they'll do more in the future.

Have you ever thought about the people/stars/'tarento' who are doing their bit without publicity? Perhaps these people, SMAP included, are helping in other ways.

I watched the show and it was quite moving. Nothing wrong with it.

As for LCD and plasma TVs consuming a lot of power? The average 52 inch LCD tv costs about 2,500 yen/year to run. I hardly think that is a huge amount of electricity.

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Thank you, SMAP~ Good on them.

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Thank God for cable TV.

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SMAP: "What can we do now?"

Answer: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 members of SMAP? $1 million each, that's a $5 million donation to quake/tsunami victims. Don't need a 79 minute program and 40 year-olds dancing around and singing like they're teenagers to come up with that answer.

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GW,,please explain,,,,because if helicopters can pluck people from roofs to safety surely they could drop foodstuffs off to people who have being couped up in evacuation centers for nearly 2 weeks??

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Hasn't Japan suffered enough?

Thanks for the chortle!

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good on them, i hope that their kind words will make at least one person's day easier.

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mrskit

you cant just jump is a heli or plane & start flying around, the skies are highly regulated, flight patterns, etc etc, think about it

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gw good point, of course i realised this, yet with all the reporter news helicopters out there, surely THEY could do it for the people im just frustrated at the lack of help there seems to be for the people in evacuation centers right now

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i hear ya

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So how much was raised from the 'special' SPAM show? Or did they do it just for their own satisfaction?

I am getting tired of all talk and debates. When are we going to see images on the TV showing long convoys of trucks delivery relief suplies and aid? So far I have only seen the one or two trucks and the odd helicopter on TV...

Let's not forget 480,000 people are in over 2000 shelters. That's a lot of toilet paper, tissue box's, food, water, fuel and other supplies that are required every single day.

Stop talking and start doing. (Yes I have made several donation to JRC)..

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kokorocloud - Thank you, SMAP~ Good on them.

Why? What did they do apart from sing and talk? Do we have any official info about any money they raised? If not, why are they being praised?

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From Johnny's Entertainment, the company that SMAP belongs to.

March 15th, entertainment agency Johnny & Associates announced that all planned domestic concerts by their artists in March have been cancelled. Instead, the transport and power unit trucks normally used for these live performances will be lent to disaster-stricken areas in Japan, free of charge.

anyone else here lent huge trucks and power supplying units?

Just because they aren't twitting and blogging about it every second doesn't mean they haven't done something.

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yomuri; "the company that SMAP belongs to". Eaxctly old boy,they are owned by the management. All decisions are made by management. I doubt anyone has the ability to own huge trucks and power supply units here, but lend is much different than donate.

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Love you Smap

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Hasn't Japan suffered enough?

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