Japanese comedian Ken Shimura tests positive for COVID-19

Sorry to hear this, and hopefully he recovers quickly, but at the same time, I am glad that such a high-profile Japanese entertainment figure has tested positive, if only to show the general public that this virus can infect anybody and should be taken absolutely seriously.

We are all vulnerable. Stay safe. Avoid crowds.

According to NHK and other news sources, he was admitted to hospital over the weekend after feeling ill for a few days with a fever and pneumonia, and was put on a respirator. His condition was serious for a while but he is now recovering.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200325/k10012349011000.html?utm_int=news_contents_news-main_005

One of his main concerns apparently was to get someone in to look after his dog while he was hospitalised.

https://geitopi.com/事件・事故・トラブル/志村けんが新型コロナウイルス感染し緊急入院%E3%80%82/

Good on you, Tono. Get well soon.

Glad to hear that he has a respirator or ventilator. That kind of equipment is in short supply in NYC.

I'm a fan.

But hopefully someone as famous as he is, getting the virus will wake up some people and give them a sense of reality.

All these people living in a fantasy world, need to realize that this thing is for real!

He is the Japanese Benny Hill!

Shimura replaced Arai Chu as the fifth member of the Drifters comedy troupe back in the 1970s. Perhaps he felt driven to work harder at getting gags, but rapidly endeared himself to the mostly young audience. (The show ("It's 8 p.m., let's get together everybody!") unfailingly won the condemnation of the national PTA organization. He can be credited with having kept slapstick comedy alive. To see some of his wacky videos, input his name 志村けん into the YouTube search window.

This is reality.

His older stuff was pretty funny, but would be considered offensive now.

No laughing matter.

His older stuff was pretty funny, but would be considered offensive now.

I like where he slides over half a dozen girls in bikinis, all covered in that slippery goo. That's some fun stuff!

He plays a pervert in a lot of his skits. Even if you weren't a victim of sexual harassment, it is quite offensive.

He played the pervert, but was also funny. I know my daughter and young nieces back in the day learned in some ways what a pervert was and were not afraid to point out such behavior. Perhaps more educational than offensive.

He's one of the great ones; hope he pulls through ...

I hope he gets well soon, but now such a high profile and popular celebrity has the virus it might make people sit ip and think.

As for how he got the virus, it is obvious. He was in close contact with an infected person, he didn't wash his hands often enough and he touched his face. The virus is here, now, in every community and social group. Wake up Japan.

Henna Ojisan translates to "strange old man" in context to the character he plays

Was actually thinking yesterday while watching TV and thinking how all these celebretes sitting close together, talking loudy and eating in close quarters in a small studio with audience crammed in, is inviting trouble.

Not good. I expect many more talento to get the virus and as others have mentioned, maybe then will the Japanese begin to take things more seriously.

I don't like the way he uses (exploits) captive, helpless animals for his "Shimura Zoo" program on Saturday evening...

His older stuff was pretty funny, but would be considered offensive now.

He plays a pervert in a lot of his skits. Even if you weren't a victim of sexual harassment, it is quite offensive.

JT: photo, please. Have no idea who this is. Too lazy to do your work for you and google it.