Hiroyuki Ariyoshi has become one of the most ubiquitous personalities on television, hosting several regular shows on different stations. What people like about him is his ability to turn mundane topics into something interesting.
On the variety show "Dare Toku" ("Whose Benefit?"; Fuji, Tues., 11 p.m.), Ariyoshi looks at rumors, legends and common beliefs to see if there is any truth to them. The show sends comedians out into the field to investigate these stories.
This week, Takushi Tanaka travels to Okinawa to try and catch a legendary sea monster and find out if it's edible, a task that is more difficult than he thought because the creature routinely destroys fishing gear. Another comedian goes to Hyogo Prefecture to find out why one eatery's famous fried rice is so cheap.