Comedian Matsumoto to go on hiatus amid sex scandal report

"Matsumoto, out!"

Matsumoto is an ambassador for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.

He can take off this duty too as this event will be attended by nobody and end up a complete failure and waste of money

This “article” is lacking in many aspects. “Focus on the trial”? What trial? He was arrested? Prosecuted?

That is a pretty big name.

The article is quite vague on some important details though. It mentions a trial, but not what the trial is about. Is it a criminal case against Matsumoto? Probably not, if he had been arrested we’d have heard about it. Is he being sued by one of the women he forced into sexual activities? Or is he suing the magazine for defamation? Either of these is possible, but they are quite different.

There’s almost zero possibility that Matsumoto is going to serve as an Expo ambassador. What remains of Japan’s construction work and labor capacity will be put into reconstruction of Noto peninsula devastated by the New Year’s Day earthquake rather than the Expo nobody wants.

For those wondering, HE is suing the publisher of the articles for defamation.

"Matsumoto, out!"

Nice one!

So there was a report 8 years ago, but no legal action was taken... cant say im at all surprised. Be good to purge all of these perverted oyajis from the screens though.

He thinks his jokes are funny.... or at least he laughs at them.

Why no photo of this great tarento???

Yoshimoto Kogyo Holdings Co earlier denied a report in December by Shukan Bushun weekly magazine that Matsumoto, 60, forced several women into sexual activities in 2015, saying the article damaged his reputation.

Matsumoto is one of the more talented J comedians but Yo****shimoto Kogyo Holdings Co like all of these "talent" agencies recently in the news is as "black" as it gets.

Keeping even comedians who are constantly featured in broadcast television in penury living in share houses and subsisting on struggle wages and cup ramen for years and years in the hope, usually vain, they can ascend into the ranks of those like Matsumoto.

I kinda think that no other Geionojin over the age of around 50, would step up and take Matsumoto's place as a 2025 Expo Ambassador.

I was wondering why there was no Downtown New Year’s Eve special last week.

I was hardly able to cope without the sophisticated humour of men getting their bums smacked with wooden sticks for hour after hour after hour.

I managed to find a way, but it was tough.

Slapstick, in. Matsumoto, out.

I believe that one is innocent until proven guilty. Defamation is a serious thing especially when there is a malicious intent.

I believe that one is innocent until proven guilty. Defamation is a serious thing especially when there is a malicious intent.

Agree..

I believe that one is innocent until proven guilty. Defamation is a serious thing especially when there is a malicious intent.

So let me get this straight. You've already concluded based on an article that provides almost no facts that defamation occurred and that it was with "maliscious intent", but at the same time you strongly believe in "innocent until proven guilty"?

The Shukan Bunshun article is long but reading it will shed a lot more light on what transpired.

BS defamation as usual, same music.

I am sick of seeing this guy on TV!

Hope he loses the case! Can't stand him! The only people who think this guy is funny or cool are Alphard driving factory workers!

Shukan Bunshun is the thing we need to get rid of. No real journalism. Just scandal after scandal, a bunch of paparazzi making money off other people's misfortunes.

This Matsumoto is telling so many vulgar jokes in the duo downtown with his « friend » Hamada…that I’m quite happy he got catch with « metoo » !

The only people who think this guy is funny or cool are Alphard driving factory workers!

lol You are almost right about the guy that recommended Downtown t o me many years ago. However, I think he drove a HIACE.

"I would like to go on hiatus as I will not be able to dedicate myself to comedy as I currently do while simultaneously focusing on the litigation trial,"

Guranteed HE was asked BY his overlords to step aside to distance themselves from their product.

It’s so he can sue them for more money for “loss of revenue due to mental anguish and necessity to dedicate time to legal obligations.”

Hitoshi Matsumoto at present has not been questioned charged or convicted of any alleged sexual assault.

False Accusations—Defamation of Character by Libel or Slander

https://www.nycbar.org/get-legal-help/article/personal-injury-and-accidents/false-accusations/

However irritating one finds Matsumoto comedy, or whether just one look at his smirking mug makes you want to slap/beat the fellow unconscious. I find such published unproven career threating accusations, the cost of legal recourse punitive, the length of time taken to defend such accusations, unjust.

These alleged assaults, criminal in nature must be subject/determined, innocence or guilt. in a court of law.

All parties be afforded the right to anonymity, unless such court weavers this right in the public interest.

Not a lynch mob trail by media.

How can someone so unfunny be called a comedian?

The only people who think this guy is funny or cool are Alphard driving factory workers!

Factory workers are doing well if they can afford an Alphard! Base price is ¥6,200,000.

Yes I find  Hitoshi Matsumoto singularly to the the most irritating, pompous, the definition of self-gratification, wallowing in his own humour, more than once at the expense of others.

I would rather just switch the guy off, change channel, than watch any career flushed away by unproven criminal accusations.

raincloudToday  12:33 pm JST

Shukan Bunshun is the thing we need to get rid of. No real journalism. Just scandal after scandal, a bunch of paparazzi making money off other people's misfortunes.

As a tabloid, they're certainly guilty of sensationalism targeting celebrities and they were sometimes wrong but sometimes right. They broke the story of Johnny Kitagawa back in 2001, were the only media outlet that had the guts to stand up to him and the agency, and they were absolutely right. So too claim that they're not real journalism isn't correct.

Fighto!

Factory workers are doing well if they can afford an Alphard! Base price is ¥6,200,000

Ironically, it's the status vehicle Japanese comedians long for when they finally come into some money.

It was talked about on some "comedy" variety show my wife was watching not long ago.

I imagine Matsumoto has or had one at one time.

Matsumoto is an ambassador for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka.

HAHAHA

The joke writes himself. Take all the green-stripes with ya on the way down!

"Matsumoto is an ambassador for the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka."

And they will keep him as such, and will let him carry on his career, and probably even find in favor of him in any damages suit against the victims "hurting his reputation" by making the assaults known. It's Japan, after all, and women like Shiori Ito get sued for coming out and even get death threats and have to flee the country. People in Osaka will still love him automatically because he's from here, or at least nearby.