At age 41, Takashi Fujii has quite the resume. In 2000 and 2001, he appeared on national broadcaster NHK's annual top-rated New Year's variety show, "Kohaku Utagassen" ("Red and White Song Battle"); he toured abroad as a pop singer in 2004, including shows in Los Angeles and Shanghai; and in 2009 he starred in the Japanese version of 2005's smash-hit Broadway musical "Spelling Bee."
Oh, and in 2011 this performer, whose day job is being a comedian, played the leading role in "Iroaseru" ("Fading Colors"), a sci-fi drama staged by the prestigious New National Theatre, Tokyo.
Despite all that though, Fujii is probably best known to prime-time TV viewers as the emcee of various comedy shows, and in the roles of some amusing characters, such as a highly-strung gay man whose catchphrase "Hot! Hot!" cracks up audiences, or in his half-English onscreen incarnation Matthew Minami.