83 Japan on American TV: SNL, Sesame Street, Marie Kondo & More (Dr. Alisa Freedman)

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, we're talking about depictions of Japan and Japanese people on popular American TV shows with Dr. Alisa Freedman. About Dr. Alisa Freedman Alisa Freedman is a Professor of Japanese Literature, Cultural Studies, and Gender at the University of Oregon and the Editor-in-Chief of the U.S.–Japan Women’s Journal. Her books include Tokyo in Transit: Japanese Culture on the Rails and Road, an annotated translation of Kawabata Yasunari’s The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa, and co-edited volumes on Modern Girls on the Go: Gender, Mobility, and Labor in Japan, and Introducing Japanese Popular Culture. She has published widely on Japanese modernism, Tokyo studies, youth culture, gender, television, humor as social critique, teaching pedagogies, and digital media, along with publishing translations of Japanese literature. Alisa has been nationally recognized for excellence in mentoring and enjoys presenting at cultural events like anime cons and Japan festivals. Topics Discussed About Japan on American TV: Screaming Samurai Join Anime Clubs in the Land of the Lost About depictions of Japan and Japanese people in American TV shows The taboo regarding the depiction of the Japanese royal family in Japanese media Self-censorship in Japan and Japanese media How Japanese mainstream media stays away from political topics About the Japanese version of SNL that aired in 2011 The variety show Pink Lady (and Jeff) How trends and tropes have shaped the depictions of Japan and Japanese people on American TV shows How Marie Kondo presents herself as both "Japanese" and "American" About Queer Eye: We're in Japan! About the SNL skit JPop America Fun Time Now The influence of Japanese pop culture on the generation that grew up consuming it About Big Bird in Japan  And much more! Support on Patreon & Ko-fi If you enjoy Japan Station and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. For a minimum pledge of $1 a month you'll get early access to all JapanKyo podcasts, bonus content, and more. And for $3 a month, you'll get access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and all of its fascinating quirks. Also, all pledges get a shout-out on the show and my undying gratitude. Thank you in advance! Support Japan Station on Patreon You can also do a one time donation via Ko-fi. Support us on Ko-fi Links, Videos, Etc. To purchase a copy of X while at the same time supporting the show, please use the Amazon affiliate link below. Japan on American TV: Screaming Samurai Join Anime Clubs in the Land of the Lost   Use the link below to check out the latest JapanKyo Docs video. Emus in Tokyo: Inside the Life of a Japanese Emu Rancher Don't forget to listen to the latest episode of Ichimon Japan. What is that sound? (Funny/Wacky Japanese Onomatopoeia) | Ichimon Japan 55 If you would like to support the show by picking up some merchandise, make sure to visit KimitoDesigns.com. KimitoDesigns.com Special Thanks Opening/Closing song: Oedo Controller (大江戸コントローラー) by Yunomi featuring Toriena (Used with permission from Yunomi) To listen to more of Yunomi's music, check out his Soundcloud page or YouTube channel. Japan Station cover art: Provided by Erik R. Featured image: Courtesy of Alisa Freedman Follow Japankyo on Social Media Facebook (@JapankyoNews) Twitter (@JapankyoNews) Instagram (@JapanKyoNews) Full Show Notes Get the full version of show notes at https://www.japankyo.com/category/podcasts/japanstation/