Hostess Clubs Are Now Online, But So is Abe (w/Micaela Braithwaite)
One of Japan's most successful social media presences, Micaela, joins the boys to talk about Prime Minister Abe's extremely ill-advised foray into a twitter trend (a conversation which we highly encourage him to edit himself into, if he is so inclined).
From his messaging, clothing choices, home decor, video editing and general disrespect for the concept of the collaborative project and the artist who created it, we try to imagine ways in which it could've been worse.
Also, as tons of businesses in Japan are trying to make the transition into telework, we take at look at Zoom-kyaba, and what it might reveal about the true value received when paying a cute girl to sit near you while you get drunk.
Also, Ollie recommends a Hiroshima river cruise that is already planning for the ways in which this pandemic will forever change society, or at least society's willingness to put on trousers, and Bobby takes a look at a complex conflict between those who want to bring a little bit of diversity into the world of Japanese River Cruising and racists.
Topics discussed on this episode range from:
- Social media backlash against people posting post-apocalyptic pics/going outside
- How the lockdown has changed the way we perceive everyday activities and social interactions
- Chances to improve your Japanese during your self-isolation
- How to best support your community financially and feed yourself while doing your best to prevent Covid-19 spread
- How Fukuoka counts as a real, major city in Japan, and we count as a real podcast despite what people may think
- The unfortunate optics on Abe's attempt to collaborate with the Hoshino Gen call for online participation in his new song
- How people feel that his call for people to stay home is tone deaf when the government has not ordered business closures, or provided financial support to allow people to choose to stay home
- Why Musicians are particularly upset with HOW Abe chose to make use of Hoshino's clip
- The cultural implications impact of Hoshino Gen making an official statement to denounce Abe's video
- What IS the service that hostess clubs and kyabakura clubs provide
- what does their popularity say about emotional support networks and family relationships in Japan
- Do their services even make sense and are they worth anything once they're done over an internet connection?
If you'd like to throw us some money, that's now a thing you can do at:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/japanbyrivercruise
and please keep sending us messages at
https://japanbyrivercruise.com/
Social Media Links:
Micaela:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ciaela
https://twitter.com/ciaela
https://www.instagram.com/mikaeradesu/
Ollie Horn:
https://twitter.com/olliehorntweets
https://www.instagram.com/olliehornpics/
Bobby Judo:
http://instagram.com/bobbyjudo
https://twitter.com/bobbyjudo
https://www.youtube.com/user/bobbyjudo
★ Support this podcast ★
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/japanbyrivercruise
and please keep sending us messages at
https://japanbyrivercruise.com/
Social Media Links:
Micaela:
https://www.youtube.com/user/ciaela
https://twitter.com/ciaela
https://www.instagram.com/mikaeradesu/
Ollie Horn:
https://twitter.com/olliehorntweets
https://www.instagram.com/olliehornpics/
Bobby Judo:
http://instagram.com/bobbyjudo
https://twitter.com/bobbyjudo
https://www.youtube.com/user/bobbyjudo