For many people, Matthew Minami has come to represent the wacky, incomprehensible nature of Japanese TV with his brief, colorful appearance in "Lost in Translation." Some probably believe he was simply invented for the movie, but his TV Asahi series, "Matthew's Best Hit TV," is in fact one of the most popular late night programs on Japanese TV.
This week, the blonde, effeminate entertainer (who is actually comedian Takeshi Fujii, though we're not supposed to tell you that) will make the leap to prime time on "Matthew's Golden TV," a two-hour variety special.
In addition to the usual mindless chatter, the special will feature one of the most popular segments from "Best Hit TV": a "psychological gourmet battle," in which four guests stand behind a scrim and sample expensive culinary delicacies like shark fin soup and high-quality steak. However, one person is actually just eating a tasteless piece of konnyaku (arum root gelatine), but claims to be eating what the others are eating. Contestants must determine which gourmet is eating the konnyaku by asking questions about the taste, texture, etc.