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Maeda Case No Laughing Matter | May 26, 2009 |
Call it the not so funny side of the comedy business. In an ongoing case of intimidation and violence that has led to police involvement, Japan's top comedy talent agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo (profile), today said that they recently sent an analysis of the handwriting of one of their veteran comedians to Osaka Prefectural Police. The handwriting in threatening letters sent to the home of another Yoshimoto veteran, Nakata Kausu (59. Photo, left), was said to resemble that of Maeda Goro (67. Photo, right). The company asked an expert to analyze Maeda's handwriting after police spoke with him on May 15, said Yoshimoto Creative Agency president Minakami Seiji. Yoshimoto yesterday announced that Maeda was taking indefinite leave of his professional duties, though they stopped short of saying that Maeda was guilty of any crime. Maeda and Sakata Toshio (67. Photo, second from right) have been performing as the manzai duo Comedy No.1 for more than 40 years, but are said to be hardly on speaking terms. Yoshimoto said yesterday that Sakata is to continue appearing solo. Nakata made his debut in 1969 as one half of the manzai duo Nakata Kausu-Botan but in recent years has drawn criticism for his association with a yakuza (organized crime syndicate) boss. The recent news sheds some light on a case involving threats and physical attacks against Nakata. He was slightly injured in Osaka back in early January when a man with a metal bat attacked him as he sat in the passenger seat of a car stopped at a traffic light. The following day a threatening phone call was made to a Yoshimoto theater where he was appearing, with the caller giving his name simply as Yamamoto. Last month letters signed in the same name arrived at Nakata's home promising to hurt him so badly he wouldn't be able to take the stage.
Earlier story:
Nakata's Yakuza Ties Get Him in Trouble
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