Masashi Tashiro

Masashi Tashiro
Birth name	Masashi Tashiro ( điền đại chính )
Also known as	Marcy(マーシー,Māshī)
Born	(1956-08-31)August 31, 1956
Origin	Karatsu, Saga
Genres	Doo-wop
Occupation(s)	Television personality, singer, actor, film director
Years active	1980–2001 2002–2004 2008–2010 2015–2019 2023–present
Formerly of	Rats & Star
Website	official shop

Masashi Tashiro(Điền đại まさし,Tashiro Masashi)(born August 31, 1956) is a Japanese former television performer and a founding member of the bandRats & Star.Tashiro was atenorsinger with the band and, later, a TV entertainer in Japan. He directed a film after the breakup of Rats & Star.

In September 2000, Tashiro was referred to prosecutors for filming up a woman's skirt.From 2020 to 2022, he was incarcerated inFukushima Prisonfor violating the Methamphetamine Control Law. After his release in October 2022, Tashiro began his YouTube Marcy's Channel on August 4, 2023.

Early life

Tashiro was born on August 31, 1956, inSaga Prefecture.His father, the manager of acabaretchain, had an affair with another woman; this led to his parents' divorce and his mother raising him alone. In 1961, when Tashiro was six years old, he and his mother moved to Tokyo and he enrolled in a missionarykindergarten.In 1963, he enrolled at Toyama Elementary School inShinjuku.At age thirteen, when he was a student at Okubo Junior High School, Tashiro's mother remarried. He enrolled in a higher grade at a private high school and lived with his father so he was not financially dependent on his mother's new husband.

In 1972, after graduating from Nakase Junior High School in March of that year, he entered Shibaura Institute of Technology Senior High School to study mechanical engineering. Tashiro metMasayuki Suzukiat Shibaura, and they later formed thedoo-wopbandthe ChanelswithNobuyoshi Kuwano.Tashiro sang baritone, Suzuki was the lead singer, and Kuwano was the trumpet player.

Tashiro was reportedly involved in fights,motorcycle-gangactivity, partying atdiscotheques,and goinggirl-huntingdaily in high school, and was arrested for assault. He met his wife at the end of his junior year in high school, but they are now separated due to hisscandalsand arrests. In March 1975, Tashiro graduated from Shibaura. Around this time, he began driving and developed an interest in cars; his first car was aNissan Sunny.Later cars were aNissan Gloria,aCamaro,aFord,aHonda Prelude,and aMercedes-Benz.

In June 1975, Tashiro ran away from home after an argument with his father. He was taken in by Chanels member Hiroyuki Kuboki and worked as aclerkat the samegas station,living in the company dormitory for two years. Tashiro became atruck driverin 1978 when he was hired by the president of a trucking company which patronized his gas station. Although he had already formed the band, he reportedly kept his job as a truck driver.

Entertainment career

The Chanels and Rats & Star

The Chanels were formed in 1975, and began performing as an amateur band in 1976. They finished first place on the Japanese television programGinza Now(ギンザNOW)and won a prize in a music contest sponsored byYamaha.

Tashiro made his debut as a group member in 1980, and they became known for theirrhythm and bluesstyle. The four main singers, including Tashiro, woreblackface(usingshoe polish). Their first single, "Runaway", sold over one million copies. The group's May 1981 single, "Hurricane", was covered byPuffy AmiYumiin 2001.

In 1983, the group changed their name toRats & Starbecause of the similarly-named French fashion brandChanel.They broke up in 1986 after leader Suzuki released a solo single, "The Summer Disappeared Over the Glass"(ガラス càng しに tiêu えた hạ,Garasu goshi ni kieta natsu).Tashiro appeared on the TV music showThe Best Ten(ザ・ベストテン),and was a lyricist for singer and actressKyōko Koizumi.He released therecord,The Legend ofNiijima(Tân đảo の vân nói,Niijima no densetsu),as a solo artist.

In March 1996, Rats & Star reunited for six months and coveredEiichi Ohtaki's song "If I Could Meet You in a Dream"(Mộng で phùng えたら,Yume de Aetara)the following month. The song was a hit, and they appeared onNHK'sKōhaku Uta Gassenon New Year's Eve of that year.

Comedian

After Rats & Star broke up, Tashiro's comedic ability was discovered byDriftersmemberKen Shimuraand he became atelevision comedian.As a comedian, he was nicknamed the "King ofpuns"(ダジャレ の đế vương,Dajare no Teiō)and "Genius ofprops"(Tiểu đạo cụ の thiên tài,Kodōgu no Tensai).On July 10, 1988, Tashiro opened atarentoshop called "Marcy's"(マーシーズ)(after his nickname) onTakeshita StreetinShibuya, Tokyo.He appeared in television commercials, hosted television programs, wrote an autobiography and a book about puns, directed a film and was the main character in theFamicom/MSX2action gameTashiro Masashi no Princess ga Ippai,which was released in Japan on October 27, 1989. Tashiro appeared inShizuka Ijuin's film,Crêpe,in October 1993 withKaho Minami.

Controversy

Voyeurism

Toritsu-Daigaku Station, where Tashiro was found to have been taking voyeuristic videos up a woman's skirt

On September 24, 2000, Tashiro was referred to prosecutors for videotaping up a woman's skirt with acamcorderin theTōkyū Tōyoko Line'sToritsu-daigaku StationinMeguro,Tokyo. When asked why he had done it at anews conferenceon October 4, he said that he had been producing a comedy film calledMini ni tako ga dekiru(ミニにタコができる)–a pun on the similar Japanese pronunciations for "mini"(ミニ,miniskirt)and "mimi"(Nhĩ,ear)and the two meanings of "tako" (callusand octopus) based on the Japanese saying "mimi ni tako ga dekiru"(Nhĩ にタコができる,literally "I have a callus in my ear [from hearing something so often]" ).The "mini ni tako"remark became widely known in the Japanese media.

In December 2000, Tashiro was fined 50,000 yen (about US$430) for voyeurism.He was temporarily barred from working in the entertainment industry by his agency, MTM Productions. While he was barred, Tashiro did volunteer work such as carrying the wash and serving meals in a nursing home three days a week. On June 28, 2001, he announced his return to the entertainment world: "Please take care of Masashi Tashiro again."(もう1 độ だけ điền đại まさしを, よろしくお nguyện い trí します)

In July 2001, Tashiro appeared as a guest on the television programsDowntownDX,GuruguruNinety-Nine(ぐるぐるナインティナイン)andMecha-Mecha Iketeru!and returned to the cast of "Shimura Kenno Bakatono-sama"(Chí thôn けん の バカ điện dạng).To become a regular on another program, "Hamada Company Dangan! Heroes"(HAMADA COMPANY đạn hoàn!ヒーローズ),he had to travel from Tokyo toOkinawawithout being discovered by anyone. Tashiro lost the contest when he was found out inKyotoand 100 pictures of him were taken, but the public liked his stunt and his popularity returned. On July 6, 2015, Tashiro was referred to the prosecutor's office for filming up a woman's skirt with his mobile phone inTōkyū Den-en-toshi LineFutako-Tamagawa StationinSetagaya,Tokyo.

Tashiro hostedFuji Television's sports program,SRS,with actressNorika Fujiwara.It was later discovered that he was warned many times by the staff, who became irritated with his habit of sneaking into the women's bathroom (possibly with camera equipment) and not emerging for hours; Fujiwara and other female television stars changed their clothes in the ladies' toilet when Tashiro was hiding inside. The staff associated with the show suspected that he had set up a small camera in the toilet.

Drug use

First trial

On December 9, 2001, Tashiro was arrested forpeepingthrough the bathroom window of a man's house near his home in Kita-senzoku, Ōta, Tokyo byDen-en-chōfupolice.According to the police, a 32-year-old man spotted Tashiro and ran after him for 300 meters wearing only a bath towel around his waist, catching him and delivering him to the station. An eyewitness reported that Tashiro put on askicap, spoke loudly "Forgive me"(Hứa してくれ,yurushitekure)and "It was a misunderstanding"(Khám vi いだ,kanchigai da)when he was caught, and a camcorder in the vicinity of the scene was recording. He was released on bail.

Tashiro was arrested for possession and use ofamphetaminethree days later.Sevendetectivessearched Tashiro's house as part of an investigation of the peeping incident and discovered a bag containing 0.4–0.9g of amphetamine. Tashiro said that he bought it, but how he used it was unknown because asyringe(used to inject drugs) was not discovered in the home search. He was detained as a suspect at the police station from his arrest to February 1, 2002, and was dismissed by MTM Productions.

On December 28, 2001, Tashiro was prosecuted for violation of the Stimulant Drugs Control Law.He said, "I used drugs to get rid of stress and tension before appearing on a TV program" for the investigation by theTokyo District Prosecution Office.He also said, "I lived confined to the house and I began to worry. From about this April, I used it once every few days". According to an indictment, he warmed amphetamine over a fire and absorbed it in his home's video room. Tashiro's first trial for drug use and other crimes was inTokyo District Courton February 1, 2002. A week later, he was found guilty and received a three-yearsuspended sentenceof two years' imprisonment.

In spring 2002, Tashiro returned to the entertainment world as director of theV-CinemaseriesThe Way of the Whales(Kình nói,kujira-michi).He recorded a 2003 guest appearance forTBS'sSunday Japon(サンデージャポン,sandē japon)on New Year's Eve, his last television appearance to date.

Second trial

On the night of September 20, 2004, Tashiro was arrested for violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Law on aNakanostreet because he had abutterfly knifewith a blade 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long.He shared his car with a female acquaintance, and police questioned them both. An investigation indicated that he had about two grams of amphetamines and about four grams ofmarijuanain a rucksack. Tashiro was arrested the following evening because the woman said "This rucksack is his", and he confirmed it. After this incident, former Rats & Star member Masayuki Suzuki apologized for Tashiro's crimes.Tashiro said that the pressure of stardom contributed to his addiction to drugs. After this arrest, Tashiro was harshly criticized by many of his former co-workers:

We want him to get out from the entertainment world because what he did was despicable.

— Cha Katō,Ken Shimura,Masayuki Suzuki,Yoshio Sato,Nobuyoshi Kuwano

The damned fool! I'd like to slap him!

— Kenichi Mikawa

I don't want to be associated with such a man.

— Takeshi Kitano

Tashiro was virtually retired from the entertainment world. The media referred to him as a "formerentertainer",and footage of Rats & Star was almost never broadcast; when it was, Tashiro's voice was lowered or removed and he did not appear. Newspapers and magazines tacitly agreed not to talk about him at all.Hikari Ōta,half of the comedy duoBakushō Mondai,accidentally said his full name. InThe God of Entertainment(エンタ の thần dạng,enta no kami-sama),Sayaka Aoki(displaying only part of his name), said: "I put a camera in the chest drawer".

Tashiro was arrested for possession of amphetamines on September 21, 2004. On February 7, 2005, he was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment.On June 26, 2008, Tashiro was released from prison.

2010 cocaine arrest

On September 16, 2010, Tashiro was arrested with a 50-year-old woman in a parking lot atRed Brick ParkinYokohamafor possession ofcocaine.According to police, he had two bags of cocaine and said: "It is for my own use".Tashiro said he bought cocaine from a DJ.The Yokohama District PublicProsecutors' Office indicted Tashiro on October 6, 2010.

The incident outraged and disappointed his former co-workers and friends, some of whom publicly commented. BandmateMasayuki Suzukisaid, "I have no idea what to say about this affair. I just wanted him to remember the very hard time not only his family and those around him but also that he himself has had. He really is a bonehead."

Torata Nanbu, leader ofTokyo Shock Boysand one of the people who had supported Tashiro's comeback, said: "My heart is aching very much. I don't mean to beat him up, but he makes me feel empty inside. I wonder if the drug might be more fascinating for him than the feeling of returning to the entertainment industry... I cannot take any more. Regrettably, this is the end. It is no longer possible for him to restore his reputation."Tashiro had been scheduled to appear onTashiro Nakamura Nanbu Akua-Chan,a Rainbowtown FM radio program, as part of his comeback but the program was cancelled.

He was released on parole on July 20, 2014, and began a stay at DARC Jeanne (Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center Jeanne). Tashiro appeared at a press conference on March 18, 2015, announcing the opening of the Asagaya Loft A.

2019 arrest

Tashiro was arrested again on November 6, 2019, on suspicion of drug use.

Car accident

Tashiro was rumored to be returning to the public eye in spring 2004 before he caused a car accident onŌme KaidōinSuginami.According to news reports, at about 1 am on June 16, 2004, he struck an 18-year-old vocational-school student who was riding a motorcycle after he made an illegalU-turn.The student was seriously injured.

"Person of the Year" incident

At one point, Tashiro led the online voting for 2001 Person of the Year, passing the number of votes received byOsama bin Laden(left) andGeorge W. Bush.

In 2001, users of theinternet forum2channel(2ch) voteden massefor Tashiro asTimeMagazine'sPerson of the Year.The voting was known as the "Tashiro Festival" (Tashiro Matsuri,Điền đại tế ) by 2ch users. 2channel programmers developed scripts such as "Tashiro Cannon" (Tashiro-hō,Điền đại pháo ), "Mega particle Tashiro Cannon" (Mega-ryūshi Tashiro-hō,メガ hạt điền đại pháo ), "25 repeated blows Tashiro Cannon" (Nijū-go renda Tashiro-hō,25 liền đánh điền đại pháo ), and "Super Tashiro Cannon" (Chō Tashiro-hō,Siêu điền đại pháo ) to vote repeatedly, and "Super Tashiro Cannon" crashedTime'swebsite. Tashiro temporarily reached the number-one position, passingOsama bin LadenandGeorge W. Bush,on December 21, 2001.Time'sstaff discovered the problem, however, and he was removed as a candidate.

Appearances

Television

• Monomane Ōza Ketteisen(も の まね vương tọa quyết định chiến,The Mimic Champion Contest)(Fuji Television)
• Star Dokkiri Daisakusen(スターどっきり đại tác phẩm chiến,Star candid great Strategy)(Fuji Television)
• Yūyake Nyan-Nyan(Tịch やけニャンニャン,Sunset Nyan Nyan)(Fuji Television)
• Shūkan Stamina Tengoku(Tuần san スタミナ thiên quốc,Weekly Stamina Heaven)(Fuji Television)
• Takeshi,Itsumi no Heisei Kyōiku Iinkai(たけし・ dật thấy の bình thành giáo dục ủy ban,Takeshi and Itsumi's Heisei Board of Education)(Fuji Television)
• Naruhodo! The World(なるほど!ザ・ワールド,Indeed! The World)(Fuji Television)
• Ken Shimura's idiotic feudal lord(Chí thôn けん の バカ điện dạng,Shimura Ken no baka tonosama)(Fuji Television)
• TV Crews Tonari no Papaya(TVクルーズ となり の パパイヤ,TV Crew next-door Papaya)(Fuji Television)
• Tokoro-san no Tadamono Dewa nai!(Sở さん の ただも の ではない!,Mr. Tokoro's You are not ordinary!)(Fuji Television)
• Quiz Derby(クイズダービー)(TBS)
• Tokusō TV Gaburincho(Đặc lục soát TVガブリンチョ,Special Investigation TV Chomp)(TV Asahi)
• DowntownDX(ダウンタウンDX)(NTV)
• Super J Channel ANN(スーパーJチャンネル ANN)(Friday, TV Asahi)
• Soreyuke! Marcy(それゆけ!マーシー,Let's go! Marcy, A program sponsored by a business enterprise)(MBS)
• Guruguru Ninety-Nine(ぐるぐるナインティナイン,guruguru naintinain)
• It's so cool!(めちゃ2イケてるッ!,mecha-mecha iketeruu!)

Radio

• Tashiro Masashi no Super Gang(Điền đại まさし の スーパーギャング,Masashi Tashiro's Super Gang)(Thurdsday,TBS Radio) – October 1986 – March 1987
• Tashiro Masashi no Say! Young(Điền đại まさし の セイ!ヤング,Masashi Tashiro's Say! Young)(QR)
• Tashiro Masashi no All Night Nippon(Điền đại まさし の オールナイトニッポン,Masashi Tashiro's All Night Nippon)(LF)

Films

• Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace(1999)

Music

SeeRats & Starfor work as a member of Chanels and Rats & Star.

• Nījima no Densetsu(Tân đảo の vân nói,The legend of Nījima)(August 27, 1986)
• Paradis Latin no Yoru wa Fukete(パラディラタン の đêm は càng けて,Late in the night ofParadis Latin)(September 21, 1987, as "Shinnosuke& Marcy ")
• Unjarage(ウンジャラゲ)(November 2, 1988, asKen Shimura& Masashi Tashiro and Daijōbudā family)
• Nettaiya(Nhiệt mang đêm,Sultry night)(July 1, 1994, as Marcy & Izumi)
• Bāsama to Jīsama no Serenade(Bà dạng と gia dạng の セレナーデ,Serenade for an old man and woman)(December 17, 1993, as Ken & Marcy)
• Ai ga Natsukashii(Ái が hoài かしい,Nostalgia for love)(March 8, 1995, as Masashi Tashiro &Kuniko Asagi)
• Ultra Tengu(ウルトラ☆テング,The ultra long-nosed goblin)(August 14, 2010, as Marcy & Frontier Create)

Books

• Tashiro Masashi no Dōtoku Yomihon(Điền đại まさし の nói đức đọc bổn,Masashi Tashiro's moral handbook)(May 1988,Kōdansha) –ISBN4-06-103101-5
• Marcy no Chōhōsoku(マーシー の siêu pháp tắc,Marcy's super law)(April 1994, Magazine house) –ISBN4-8387-0534-4
• Shinema de Aishite―Eiga no kazu hodo, Koishitai(シネマで ái して― ánh họa の số ほど, luyến したい,Love me in the cinema―I want to be in love almost as same as the number of films)(October 1993, Japan Literary Arts Company) –ISBN4-537-02384-8
• Jibaku―The Judgement Day(Tự bạo ―THE JUDGEMENT DAY,Self-destruction or suicidal bombing)(July 2002 K2 publishing sale) –ISBN4-434-02252-0

See also

• Ken Shimura
• Takeshi Kitano
• Akiko Wada
• Kazuhide Uekusa
• Sosuke Sumitani
• Voyeurism
• Masayuki Suzuki
• Nobuyoshi Kuwano

External links

• official shop(in Japanese)