I can't help but feel that God is orchestrating the unravelling of my life.
Comedian Iwasaki Udai's life has been full of twists and turns. His childhood led to a self-consciousness about comedy. He debuted in a group while in university and suffered bitter setbacks. He then formed Kamomentaru and achieved his long-cherished dream of winning the King of Conte 2013 competition. After hitting rock bottom, he finally became the one person known as a "genius." His journey was chronicled in a series that ran in the magazine Weekly SPA! and has now been published as a book.
"What I thought throughout the nearly two years of serialization was that all the different activities that I had been doing separately were ultimately connected and the plot was being resolved. I couldn't help but feel that it was a fateful encounter, and I thought, 'Kami is an amazing writer.'"
This book is a chronological look back at what he experienced and felt throughout his comedic career, but even during the serialization, there were major changes in his state of mind.
"One of the reasons is that I've started to enjoy appearing on variety shows, which I used to dislike. In the past, I would overthink things and never get any results, so I gave up on television once. But recently, I've branched out and started working as a scriptwriter and judge, which has given me the impression of being a 'genius'. Maybe it's because I look like a big shot, but people are now making fun of my character. This is something I would never have imagined before."
The changes that have come about only through the passage of time can also be felt by the duo Kamomentaru, who have been together for 18 years.
"It's been almost 20 years since I formed a comedy duo with my partner, Makio Yusuke. Because of that experience, I think we're in a good position where people understand how to enjoy even the strangest skits. If someone who'd only been in the business for six months had done the same thing, I wonder if they would have been well-received. There's an impression that manzai comedians place importance on their "nin" (the individuality and character of comedians), but I actually think that the important thing about skits is "who's performing them."
On the other hand, his feelings about laughter remain unchanged: he has a penchant for dark humor, such as humor at the absurd or grotesque.
"With the times being such that compliance is a big issue, I don't feel as keen to do dark comedy as I used to. But even so, ever since I was a child, when a friend of mine was struck by tragedy, I felt sorry for him, but I also wondered why such a trial had been prepared for him, and why such horrible things exist in the world, and I found it amusing. I don't do it out of a calculating thought like 'because it will get a laugh', but rather 'because I think it's funny', and that attitude hasn't changed at all."
Udai's commentary on award competitions on note became a hot topic, and he now serves as a judge at comedy competitions, but he still has a special attachment to the comedy sketches that helped him grow.
"In recent years, comedy sketches have become more like plays that depict human beings, which is something I'm happy about because it's close to the direction I like. But that's just the way the times are going, and comedy sketches should actually be a much broader genre. I think it's good that there are comedians who say, 'Isn't that just theater?' and I hope that they will change the current comedy scene once again."
It will be exciting to see what fate the god of comedy will bestow upon this genius, who pursues his own unique sense of "fun" by transcending all genres, including comedy sketches, stand-up comedy, theater, and manga.
Five turning points in Iwasaki Udai's career as a comedian
2001 Debuted as a member of the comedy group WAGE
The five of them made their professional debut together with members of the same-named Waseda University club. "I didn't even get to experience the bitterness and harshness of the entertainment industry, and it felt like I was just being swept away by the waves" (Iwasaki Udai, same below).
2007 Founded the Iwasaki Makio Theatre Company
He formed a theater unit with his current partner, Yusuke Makio, who was a member of WAGE. "Looking back now, it was a big event that has led to the present, but at the time, it felt like we were setting sail like a small boat made from a single leaf."
2013 "King of Conte" winner
They won the 6th championship with two works, "Kotobauri" and "White Socks." "It felt like we were given a license to express ourselves in a way that wasn't mainstream. This was also an opportunity for us to experience failure on television..."
2015 Established the Kamomentaru Theatre Company
He has also achieved the remarkable feat of having a play he wrote for the theater company nominated as a finalist for the Kishida Kunio Drama Award for two consecutive years since 2020. "It's a training ground where I can try out the kind of unselfish expression that I find most interesting right now."
2022: The final year of the M-1 Grand Prix
Although he was eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2021, he made a mark in the losers' bracket in 2022. "I realized I could do manzai, which I had always felt I was not good at, and it broadened my horizons. I can now put on the face of a comedian (laughs)."
