"OH! Mikey!": Japanese TV

Other cultures always look a bit strange from the outside. How do Americans look to Japanese people? Well, here's one answer: unbelievably wack and bizarre, prone to weird fits of raucous laughter, and clueless about the most important things in life (like: how to enjoy a picnic).

A Japanese late-night TV show spawned a series of skits called "OH! Mikey!", involving mannequin 'actors' who represent an American family living in Japan. The central character is a boy named Mikey; his mother and dad always smile huge American smiles even when they are fussing at Mikey or quarreling with each other - because Americans smile too much. Or because mannequins can't change their expressions. Or perhaps both.

Here's a sample; in the first episode, you will see the Fuccon family (yes, that is their name) at their picnic. They eat leek sandwiches and leek-stuffed musubi, which is the mother's idea of a proper 'bento' and which causes the dad and Mikey to complain. In the end they will decide that picnics are stupid and they can eat lunch and quarrel at home.



Pretty strange stuff, but after all....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!