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Japan Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Expo '25 gives the world a masterclass in mascots
Myaku-Myaku, the multieyed, red-and-blue blob serving as the official mascot for Expo 2025 in Osaka, has become more than just a face of the event — it's become the blueprint. Walk the grounds for more than five minutes and you'll see it: Countries from around the globe have brought their own mascots to the party, and many of them owe a debt to Japan's particular flavor of character culture. Take Australia. Ruby the Roo, the plush kangaroo with a rather diplomatic smile, holds down greeting duties while her comrade, Koko the Koala, presumably naps offstage. Outside the German pavilion, a white blob named Circular, cheeks blushing a delicate peach — and somehow representing the circular economy — waddles out to greet excited visitors. Behind it, a Beethoven doppelganger mugs for selfies with the crowd. Mascots at world expos aren't a new thing, and some nations in Osaka have wisely highlighted their own existing creations — Miffy, the minimalist Dutch bunny, makes an appearance at the Netherlands pavilion. But the wave of new mascots debuting in Osaka feels particularly indebted to Japan's approach: cute, weird, merch-ready. Nowhere is this more obvious than Italy's Italia-chan, a sparkly eyed anime girl clearly designed with Japanese aesthetics in mind. Ruby the Roo greets people at the Australia pavilion at this year's expo. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL Japanese mascots aren't just cute, though, they're a winning soft-power strategy. Think Kumamon, the expressionless black bear who shills for Kumamoto Prefecture, or Funassyi, the unofficial shrieking pear from Funabashi in Chiba Prefecture, who rose to chaotic fame without any government approval. Over the past decade, Japan's yuru-kyara (local mascots that promote cities or organizations) have become international oddities — so much so that U.S. TV show 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver' devoted a segment to them, even creating its own mascot, Chiijohn: a bespectacled man-otter hybrid with a talent for civic-minded PSAs. Some of the Expo '25 mascots lean hard into national branding. The U.S. brought Spark, a red, white and blue star-shaped character touting the 'spark of imagination and creativity.' He leads visitors through a medley of Americana: rugged landscapes, AI breakthroughs, space missions — set to the tune of an undeniably catchy (if slightly cringe) pop song. A Beethoven character welcomes guest to the German pavilion at the expo. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL But here's the hard truth: No mascot at the Osaka Expo holds a candle to Japan's own. Compared to the kangaroo, the anime girl and the patriotic star, Myaku-Myaku is something else entirely — the mascot to end all mascots. First off, Myaku-Myaku is a masterclass in Japanese design. It's cheerful but strange, approachable but alien — all bulbous red rings, eyeballs and a wide grin. Great characters aren't simply kawaii, though, they contain multitudes: Kumamon has a mischievous side and Funassyi revels in chaos. With Myaku-Myaku, there's a slightly disturbing physicality that repels some (those souvenir Myaku-Myaku cookies I bought were not a crowd-pleaser) but also helps it stand out in a sea of adorable figures. During the first few days of the expo, merchandise lines stretched long. Visitors wrapped red rings around their necks and even slipped into some on-trend Myaku-inspired sneakers. Expo '25 may have opened under a cloud of skepticism — delays, budget concerns and head-scratching architecture haven't helped. But Myaku-Myaku, in all its gloopy glory, is already a bona fide hit. People walk past German mascot Circular at Expo 2025 in Osaka. | PATRICK ST. MICHEL
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
John Oliver fans welcome major streaming change as new series returns
John Oliver fans will no longer have to wait nearly a week to catch new episodes of the comedian's popular Last Week Tonight series for free on YouTube. On Sunday, the British comedian, 47, debuted the 12th season of his long-running HBO talk show. By Monday, the episode's main segment was available to watch on YouTube. The video has been viewed nearly four million times at the time of writing. This marks a major shift in HBO 's release strategy for Oliver's news series, as last season, the streamer held off on posting the episode's main segments on YouTube until the Thursday after they aired. At the time, an HBO spokesperson explained that the decision was made to boost viewership on HBO's enhanced streaming service, Max. 'When Last Week Tonight With John Oliver premiered on HBO, the convenience of watching on Max did not exist, so YouTube allowed flexible viewing for the main story as well as promotional exposure. We are now delaying that availability and hope those fans choose to watch the entire show on Max,' they told The Hollywood Reporter. Oliver had criticized the delayed release, telling fans on social media: 'I know I usually share a link to our main story here on Mondays, but HBO has decided they're going to wait until Thursday to post them to YouTube from now on. I hope they change their mind.' It appears HBO has since taken Oliver's advice. A source told The Hollywood Reporter that delaying the uploads to Thursdays last season had no noticeable impact on Max viewership numbers. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has been airing on HBO since 2014. In that time, it has won 30 Emmys. During the show's 12th season premiere, Oliver focused much of his attention on ridiculing the first month of President Donald Trump 's second term. 'We have to dive straight into our main story tonight. The fact that Donald Trump is once again president of the United States. Sorry if this is how you found out,' he began the segment, eliciting boos from the studio audience. He went on to list some of Trump's most controversial political moves, including pardoning or commuting the sentences of January 6 rioters, once again withdrawing America from the Paris Climate Agreement, his plans to take over Gaza, the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and his plans to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. 'Incredibly, it has been less than a month since Trump's inauguration, but it already feels like an eternity,' Oliver said.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Tyler Fischer delivers hilarious Trump impressions in Inauguration-inspired Fox Nation comedy special
After a tumultuous presidential election cycle, America needs a laugh — and one particularly funny man is bringing some timely comedy this winter. Stand-up comic and content creator Tyler Fischer stars in a new comedy special, "No Pardon Needed," streaming exclusively on Fox Nation. The program was filmed at famed podcast host Joe Rogan's new club, The Comedy Mothership in Austin, TX on Jan. 20 — the same day President Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second Inauguration-inspired, 45-minute special is a satirical look at the current state of politics and culture, with Fischer blending his razor-sharp political commentary with impersonations of President-elect Trump, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Elon Musk and others in Trump's cabinet. Tyler Fischer On Making Comedy Funny Again | Fox News Video Fischer is well known for his unapologetic performances, having gained popularity for his impressions of political leaders and commentators; on YouTube, a skit of him mimicking the voice of Daily Wire commentator Jordan Peterson has over one million views. During the special, Fischer commented on Trump's desire to hold rallies even after his election victory in November. "I wish that I had that level of confidence," he said to the live audience. "I heard Trump is doing a rally in Austin soon," he continued. "He already won! I don't know why he's still doing rallies. It's like getting married and going on a date — you're done! You don't have to do it!" Read On The Fox News App Comedian Cancelled By Seattle Comedy Club Predicts That The Venue Will 'Go Out Of Business': No 'Real Comics' Along with making his own comedic videos on political and social issues on social media platforms, Fischer is currently touring the United States doing more stand-up routines. He has also appeared on some of the biggest podcasts and talk shows in the world, including "The Joe Rogan Experience," "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" and "Kill Tony." The rising star also acted in the film, "Terror on the Prairie" and voiced a character in the animated show, "Mr. Birchum." Click Here To Join Fox Nation Fischer is also no stranger to Fox as he's made multiple appearances on "Gutfeld!"To see more of Fischer, sign up for Fox Nation and stream "No Pardon Needed" today. Fox Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for Fox Nation subscribers. Go to Fox Nation to start a free trial and watch the extensive library from your favorite Fox Nation article source: Comedian Tyler Fischer delivers hilarious Trump impressions in Inauguration-inspired Fox Nation comedy special
Fox News
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Comedian Tyler Fischer delivers hilarious Trump impressions in Inauguration-inspired Fox Nation comedy special
After a tumultuous presidential election cycle, America needs a laugh — and one particularly funny man is bringing some timely comedy this winter. Stand-up comic and content creator Tyler Fischer stars in a new comedy special, "No Pardon Needed," streaming exclusively on Fox Nation. The program was filmed at famed podcast host Joe Rogan's new club, The Comedy Mothership in Austin, TX on Jan. 20 — the same day President Donald Trump returned to the White House for his second Inauguration-inspired, 45-minute special is a satirical look at the current state of politics and culture, with Fischer blending his razor-sharp political commentary with impersonations of President-elect Trump, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Elon Musk and others in Trump's cabinet. Fischer is well known for his unapologetic performances, having gained popularity for his impressions of political leaders and commentators; on YouTube, a skit of him mimicking the voice of Daily Wire commentator Jordan Peterson has over one million views. During the special, Fischer commented on Trump's desire to hold rallies even after his election victory in November. "I wish that I had that level of confidence," he said to the live audience. "I heard Trump is doing a rally in Austin soon," he continued. "He already won! I don't know why he's still doing rallies. It's like getting married and going on a date — you're done! You don't have to do it!" Along with making his own comedic videos on political and social issues on social media platforms, Fischer is currently touring the United States doing more stand-up routines. He has also appeared on some of the biggest podcasts and talk shows in the world, including "The Joe Rogan Experience," "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" and "Kill Tony." The rising star also acted in the film, "Terror on the Prairie" and voiced a character in the animated show, "Mr. Birchum." Fischer is also no stranger to Fox as he's made multiple appearances on "Gutfeld!"To see more of Fischer, sign up for Fox Nation and stream "No Pardon Needed" today. Fox Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for Fox Nation subscribers. Go to Fox Nation to start a free trial and watch the extensive library from your favorite Fox Nation personalities.
