Billy the new Bobby/?

[Digital Masta]

So while I've been busy out of my skull at this summer camp and I have internet because I'm @ my host family's house otherwise I'd be SOL with internet anyway.

So while I wasn't called Bobby or Bob Sapp by my students (other kids who were @ the same facility but not part of the camp called me Bob Sapp and then asked my "boss" if he had a big penis, big surprise) I have been refered to as Billy.

Of course judging from the movements they were making when they did it they are of course refering to Billy Blanks who is apparently popular here.

[4letterwords]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The end is near.

[Daishikaze]

Billy Blanks? The Taibo guy?

[JapaneseLever]

yes it seems the billy phase is in now. My half-African Half-Japanese friend is now referred to as Billy, and this started a little less than a month ago. Seems this guy is everywhere on TV now.

I see dark days ahead...

[ミュー]

Black residents of Japan, prepare for the Billyocolypse. You have been warned. Seriously, the dude is ALL OVER the TV... with his silly damn workout program.

[Hatsumomo]

I don't really like Billy Blanks, but I have to say that the use of his workout video three times a week helped me lose 31 pounds.

[Azrael]

Why the FUCK does every person of color on Japanese TV have a name that starts with B? Bob, Bobby, now Billy...what's next? Biffo? Bubba? Bobaloo? Godfuckingdamnit.

I'm not going to complain too much though, Billy Blanks is infinintely better than Bobby/Bob Sapp. At least we're moving up. I guess.

Hatsumomo - did you really lose weight with those vids? I kinda sort considered getting them for a moment.

[crabity]

ooooh so that's what people were talking about lol

my friend on mixi keeps makes incomprehensible entries about billy >.>

[Hatsumomo]

Hatsumomo - did you really lose weight with those vids? I kinda sort considered getting them for a moment.

Yep. I had bought one of his tapes since it was uber-cheap and used it three times a week over a summer. I swear the guy's on crack, but it worked. I need to take it up again.


Oh, and I vote the next one is going to be Bubba.

[stsparky]

I won't mention his Hummer or that he is a bad driver. But he has buzz right now.

[RoxFontaine]

Oh. No.

[Yang]

For the reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EtFBs9Cyc

Well..in defense of Billy Banks's working out vids, i would say that at least IT WORKS it's not another cheap crap that try to fool us ...i've been witness on how a girl-friend of mine tried it out during 1 month and half and she loose a LOT LOT LOT of weight....after 1 month and so not seeing her i could appreciate the results...and i was like "wtf, you loose LOT of weight?!? HOW?!?!" and she said "Working out every day with the Taebo vids stuff, it works and it's funny!"

So yeah...it's kinda super effective...and i hate to admit it but i was considerating following the working out vids as well...

[Talking Book]

Is the blonde even a real woman? Sorry. Just the first thing that came to mind watching that....chest.

[koku]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EtFBs9Cyc

^ aaaahhahsahahahahahaha -- holy hell.


Wow. Yeah.... even I think he's charismatic. And yeah, he's a hell of a lot better than Bobby Ologun.

[RoxFontaine]

Is the blonde even a real woman? Sorry. Just the first thing that came to mind watching that....chest.

*Insert random "Blanks" pun here*

[erbiumfiber]

There's a whole section in Tokyu Hands (department store) devoted to Billy and there's usually a crowd. I don't know if the videos are subbed or dubbed or if you just figure them out by watching. The whole package of videos and some rubber band- thingees was about 12,000 yen. I bet it's cheaper on Amazon.com.

Billy is a lot better looking than Bobby so a very slight improvement for black men in Japan? :box: Seriously, no one actually looks like Bobby, he's pretty unique (his bug-eyed look for instance). So no one could confuse the average black guy in Japan with Bobby, unless he's blind. :duh:

I almost was going to make a thread about this, predicting that black guys were now going to be called "Billy." :bang: I saw him on TV (besides his informercials) working out with some junior high students who were in awe of him...

Seriously, are there any white tarento in Japan that have followings like the black tarento? I can't think of any offhand. Maybe some movies stars? I'm very confused...

[Digital Masta]

Why the FUCK does every person of color on Japanese TV have a name that starts with B? Bob, Bobby, now Billy...what's next? Biffo? Bubba? Bobaloo? Godfuckingdamnit.

I'm not going to complain too much though, Billy Blanks is infinintely better than Bobby/Bob Sapp. At least we're moving up. I guess.



I was wondering the same damn thing, although if I ever became a famous black man in Japan it wouldn't help that my name is Brandon. Outside of being refered to as Billy (of course I look nothing like him) I'm not gonna complain much either because at least he's doing something positive in a sense. He's promoting his workouts not selling his soul to the Japanese to get a laugh...

















yet.

[koku]

Man. The nickname that I went by was Bobby because my real name would take Japanese people a year to remember, but after Az wrote "Why the FUCK does every person of color on Japanese TV have a name that starts with B? Bob, Bobby, now Billy...what's next? Biffo? Bubba? Bobaloo? Godfuckingdamnit," ... Maybe I should give myself a different name next time.

[Azrael]

My dad's name is Robert, but sometimes he goes by Bob or Bobby. ...If he ever comes to Japan, I'm going to tell him to go by the name Steve. Or, Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious.

[Hatsumomo]

^The pronunciation for that would cause mass head exploding.

[Pierrot le Fou]

The DVD is subtitled (my girlfriend got it).

It works because it's 45 minutes of really fucking intense aerobics. If you do ANY sort of really fucking intense aerobics for 45 minutes/day you're going to lose weight. Holy crap, after about 15 minutes my girlfriend started half-assing it -- how could you not?

[Druid]

Why the FUCK does every person of color on Japanese TV have a name that starts with B? Bob, Bobby, now Billy...what's next? Biffo? Bubba? Bobaloo? Godfuckingdamnit.
That last one didn't start with a B, ya know.

[Azrael]

The DVD is subtitled (my girlfriend got it).

It works because it's 45 minutes of really fucking intense aerobics. If you do ANY sort of really fucking intense aerobics for 45 minutes/day you're going to lose weight. Holy crap, after about 15 minutes my girlfriend started half-assing it -- how could you not?
You know, that's what I was thinking.

They're running the promos for it on satellite FOX, and it was like a 7-day plan of intense workout. And I was thought the same thing - if you do an intense workout everyday for a week, you're going to lose weight regardless of whether you put cash in Mr. Blanks pocket or not.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Yeah, but people are dumb like that.

Honestly, if you did 10 minutes of crunches, 10 minutes of pushups, and 10 minutes of jumping jacks every single day for a week, you'd lose weight that way too.

[ミュー]

Yeah, but people are dumb like that.
Thinking for yourself!? ...pfft only silly Gaijins do that >>

[Pierrot le Fou]

Thinking for yourself!? ...pfft only silly Gaijins do that >>
Tae-bo sold HOW many copies in the US?

[Psychochink]

Honestly, if you did 10 minutes of crunches, 10 minutes of pushups...every single day for a week, you'd lose weight that way too.

Damn, you can do 10 minutes of crunches or (especially) pushups? My muscles give out a hell of a lot before I'd reach even half that point.

[Pierrot le Fou]

No, I would most certainly vomit and/or break for a beer and/or (most likely) give up after 50.

[Hatsumomo]

I used to be able to do 10 minutes worth of crunches and pushups. Called it "pyramids" in gymnastics practice. 20 crunches-20 pushups, 19 crunches-19 pushups, 18 crunches-18 pushups, and so on until the end. And this was added on all the other conditioning we did.

And everybody wants to be all shocked when they see how much muscles my arms have and my abs are still rock-hard.

[koku]

^ That pyramid thing sounds fun. I'd do it if I wasn't lazy.

[stsparky]

Apparently one does “Hindu Pushups (tp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_pushup#Hindu_press_ups)” as shown below:
http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduPU.gif
and the “Hindu Squat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_squat)” as:
http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduSquat.gif
per Ross Enamait (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Enamait) ignoring Matt Furey who seems to be a fraud.
http://www.rosstraining.com/images/sledross1.jpg

[Azrael]

I think workout vids/programs are really just a psychological push. Everybody can say they want to get healthy and exercise, but when it actually comes time to do it, most people back out of it. Too much effort, no instant gratification perhaps.

Exercise vids lets people stay in their houses, a big first step because actually going to a gym also takes effort and many people will quit at this step. Then, all you have to do is pop a disc in your player. Once you get started, it's easier to roll with it, it's just the start-up where everybody gets tripped up.

[mikem]

my friend on mixi keeps makes incomprehensible entries about billy >.>

My friends too. They are only incomprehensible because they are talking about his workout program me-thinks.

Whenever I see foreigners on TV I sort of always wonder why someone doesn't put Az on TV. He could just sit up there and tell slightly cleaner versions of his editorial stories. Maybe find him a nice partner like PLF. Hah. You two could be like those シンバシ　guys.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I have a face fit for radio, that's for sure.

That and my Japanese is utter and complete crap. I'd make for good entertainment for the chillun on a gameshow when they realize there's at least one adult in the world that even a 4 year-old is smarter than.

Which is to say that I'd probably kill myself after a downward spiral of depression and alcohol due to my idiocy and lack of popularity, as Az is screwing groupies in his Yoshimoto corner office 'til 80.

[mikem]

^See! You proved my point. You guys would make awesome TV.

[Pierrot le Fou]

You are a whore, and if I become famous, I will have you strung up in the town square and pelted with cabbages. Rotten ones. And have a scarlet "A" branded on your chest. Then force you to be an ALT until you're 65.

Boy will you pay.

[Azrael]

Of course, it doesn't take a whole lot to be more entertaining than Japanese TV.

You could plant a few seeds in a pot, and then just have them grow into a sunflower, and watch this whole process unfold - that would be more interesting than Japanese TV.

And I don't think Japanese TV would like me. I don't jump around and act like an idiot, and I talk about too much stuff the Japanese don't like being brought into the limelight.

[Digital Masta]

Most insane home workout ever... Power 90 X

http://www.beachbody.com/jump.jsp?itemType=GATEWAY&itemID=63

Oh...my...god. I was doing this for a month before I left for Japan...dear god.

[Hatsumomo]

I think workout vids/programs are really just a psychological push. Everybody can say they want to get healthy and exercise, but when it actually comes time to do it, most people back out of it. Too much effort, no instant gratification perhaps.

Exercise vids lets people stay in their houses, a big first step because actually going to a gym also takes effort and many people will quit at this step. Then, all you have to do is pop a disc in your player. Once you get started, it's easier to roll with it, it's just the start-up where everybody gets tripped up.


Not to mention that exercise videos are cheaper than a gym membership, especially if you stumble on one or two that give you definite results. And then there's the fact that you're in your home in private and the self-conscious thing doesn't come into play. No worries about what people think.

[Eddie Echoplex]

My dad's name is Robert, but sometimes he goes by Bob or Bobby. ...If he ever comes to Japan, I'm going to tell him to go by the name Steve. Or, Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious.

You know, one might think the japanese would've called every black man Denzel... Why the hell won't they?.

[rameek]

so i do the gov't kids (ALT) thing for nova now. and unfortunately i did get the bobby thing so if they did it in the middle of my lesson i proceeded to call them by ichiro suzuki, daisuke matsuzaka and ken hirai (per AZ). they would get annoyed and never understand why i was doing it. after the lesson they would ask why and i tell them you know my name isnt bobby and i dont look like them. funny i never get it from girls.

well the past 2 weeks Billy has been the new thing but it doesnt get me as upset the bobby thing. i still do the same name treatment.

[MNJetter]

I had a conversation with a Japanese friend the other day....

Her: "Do you know Billy?"
Me: "Who?"
Her: "Billy."
Me: "I know a couple of Billys. But I suspect that you're not talking about any of them. Does he have a last name?"
Her: "Billy Blancus." (this is how the last name is pronounced in katakana)
Me: "um.....No, sorry. Is he an ALT?"
Her: "........no." *does a few rhythmic punches in the air*
Me: "Ohhhh."

[rameek]

Actually Billy Blanks was my idol as a kid. He was the full contact karate grand champion for years and his matches with nasty anderson was legendary! He used to do over 1000 push ups and sit ups in a day. After he felt he couldnt get any stronger after that he decided to hit the weights.

I know a few people that used his taebo and the new one they lost weight. Its really high impact aerobics.

[MNJetter]

Yeah, I haven't tried the newer one yet, but I was a huge taebo fan from the year it first came out. I'd still be using my videos, but my VCR here in Japan quit working, and I've been too stingy/lazy to go buy a new one, so I lent the videos to a friend who was thinking of trying the newer ones, but can't really afford them. She loves them now.

I need a new VCR.....

[mikem]

I need a new VCR.....

Come to Tokyo on a Thursday. Just from my apartment alone I've seen three of them thrown out in the past month. I bet at least two out of the three worked perfectly.

[japanat]

Well, I cracked up (laughing, not insane. Well, maybe not insane) today. My 1st-grader class called me "Bobby" today, then another boy said no, I was more like "Billy". Huh...? I know all gaijin look the same to them, and I wish I had the time to get their bodies, but -

I always figured the fact that I'm a blonde-haired, blue-eyed American with a German grandfather and a Dutch great-grandmother, fish-belly white and fat just might register! Not on these kids!

I guess it's a good sign, when the kids are color-blind, right?

[RoxFontaine]

Apparently one does “Hindu Pushups (tp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_pushup#Hindu_press_ups)” as shown below:
http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduPU.gif
and the “Hindu Squat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_squat)” as:
http://www.bronzebowpublishing.com/HinduSquat.gif
per Ross Enamait (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Enamait) ignoring Matt Furey who seems to be a fraud.
http://www.rosstraining.com/images/sledross1.jpg

I've done the push-ups. NO JOKE! If you can do more than 10 of those, you're skilled.

[Digital Masta]

I've done the push-ups. NO JOKE! If you can do more than 10 of those, you're skilled.


I've done them as well...they are crazy.

[mawande]

My neighbor, who is from Minnesota and has been here in Japan for about 30 years, spent much time mocking the Billy's Bootcamp concept. While I was helping her pack for a trip this morning, I look again at her pile of exercise videos she never uses, and began to giggle.

On the bottom of the pile are two Taebo tapes that have never been moved from their package. Much to her surprise, I pointed out exactly who was the man in the videos. "That's the same guy?" she asked in shock.

[koku]

Guys, I'm still in need of a new nickname.

No one seems to be aiding this disastrous turn of events.


C'MON PEOPLE! The fate of black people in Japan IS AT STAKE!

[stsparky]

Guys, I'm still in need of a new nickname. No one seems to be aiding this disastrous turn of events. C'MON PEOPLE! The fate of black people in Japan IS AT STAKE!
Taebo Billy?

[erbiumfiber]

Guys, I'm still in need of a new nickname.

No one seems to be aiding this disastrous turn of events.


C'MON PEOPLE! The fate of black people in Japan IS AT STAKE!

Well, you could pick the one name that works in both English and Japanese: Ken

I was actually thinking "Sam" as well as they have the name "Osamu" which was the name of my mover and he went by "Sam" for the obvious Osamu-Osama connection.

But then I remembered that they actually still publish "Little Black Sambo" here (or, until recently, did, I remember there was a big controversy in some US newspaper about racism in Japan due to the popularity of this book). So if there's a possiblity that they might take "Sam" as "Little Black Sambo" then you REALLY don't want to go there.

All the Japanese-American babies at the church I used to attend were named "Ken" (their names would be in the church bulletin as recent baptisms). Sometimes "Ken-ichi" but the kids can drop the "ichi" when they're in America...

And Ken Watanabe is really popular right now.

[ミュー]

And Ken Watanabe is really popular right now.
hehe, I know an expat guy who named his kid Kobayashi even though neither he nor his wife has that surname. Personally, I wouldn't mind being "Mitsui", just so I could try and convince new acquaintances that I was a distant relative of the super-powerful Mitsui clan.

[japanat]

This is really ironic, when you consider that recently some of the popular names for full Japanese kids I've taught include: Karin or Karen, Jeni, Juli, Debbie, Lily and more.

[erbiumfiber]

Hey, what are your kids' first names (if you don't mind posting them)? Did you go completely Japanese, pick names that work in both languages, etc.?

I have noticed that pet names are often Western first names...