Ken Watabe

Ken Watabe
渡部建
Born (1972-09-23) 23 September 1972 (age 52)
EducationKanagawa University–Faculty of Economics School JCA
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • television presenter
Years active1994–present
AgentProduction Jinrikisha
StyleConte (tsukkomi)
Television
  • Hirunandesu!
  • Academy Night Q
  • Love music
  • Gyōretsu no dekiru Hōritsusōdansho
  • FNS uta no Natsu matsuri
  • FNS Music Festival
  • FNS uta no Haru matsuri
  • Moshimo no Nedan
  • Semason
  • Geinin Hōdō
  • Moshimo no Simulation Variety: Otameshika'!
  • Shinobu Sakagami no Seichō Man!
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Spouse
(m. 2017)
PartnerKazuya Kojima
Children2

Ken Watabe (渡部建, Watabe Ken, born 23 September 1972),[1] is a Japanese comedian and television presenter. He performs tsukkomi in the comedy duo "Unjash" with his partner Kazuya Kojima.[1] Watabe currently serves as a co-MC with Chisato Moritaka in the Fuji TV program Love Music.[2]

Biography

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Watabe was born in Hachiōji, Tokyo. He has an older brother and sister. He graduated from Hachiōji Municipal Katakura Stand Elementary School, Hachiōji Tatsunaka Mountain Junior High School, Tokyo Metropolitan Hino High School and Kanagawa University Faculty of Economics.

In 1993, when he was in his second year in university Watabe was invited from his high school classmate Kazuya Kojima to say that he "will not laugh with you" or "have only you". They later formed the comedy duo Unjash. Watabe was told from his partner that he was the fifth member. (According to Arashi no Shukudai-kun, aired on Monday, 14 January 2008)

He graduated from the second year of Jinrikisha Comedy School JCA. Watabe entered a half a year late, and had hardly received classes.

Personal life

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On April 11, 2017, Watabe married fashion model and actress Nozomi Sasaki, who is sixteen years younger than him.[3] Sasaki gave birth to their first child, a son, in September 13, 2018.[4][5]

In June 2020, Shūkan Bunshun published allegations that Watabe had been involved in extramarital affairs throughout their relationship, some of which involved secret meetings at accessible toilet restrooms in Roppongi Hills, and for which he would pay his partner 10,000 yen in cash. Watabe admitted to the relationships and apologized for his behavior, cancelling several of his public appearances.[6][7] Despite this revelation, Sasaki gave birth to a second child, which was born on April 27, 2023.[8]

Filmography

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TV programmes

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Current

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Year Title Network Notes Ref.
2011 Hirunandesu! NTV Tuesday Regular
2013 Aiba Manabu TV Asahi
2015 Academy Night Q TBS MC
Gyōretsu no dekiru Hōritsusōdansho NTV Quasi-regular
Love music Fuji TV MC [9]
FNS uta no Natsu matsuri
FNS Music Festival
2016 FNS uta no Haru matsuri

Former

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Year Title Network Notes
2011 Onegai! TV Asahi "Yūji no buccha ke Heya, Home Watanabe no Sugo i Ranking"
Kyawakore TV Tokyo MX MC
Hashigoman
2013 10-Biki no Kobuta-chan: Yasegaman shinai TV Fuji TV
Moshimo no Nedan
AnoHito-tachi no Tsukurikata: Naze kō natta!? Factory
Semason NTV
2014 Kore Kangaeta Hito, Tensai ja ne!? Ima sugu Yakudatsu Seikatsu no Chie, Atsumemashita TV Tokyo First MC
News na Bansan-kai Fuji TV MC
2015 Suiyō Kayō-sai
Tokyo Extra TBS MC
Academy Night Q MC
Geinin Hōdō NTV Quasi-regular
Shinobu Sakagami no Seichō Man! TV Asahi
Cream Quiz Miracle 9

Radio

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Current

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Year Title Network Notes
2012 Gold Rush J-Wave Navigator

Former

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Year Title Network Notes
2007 Platon J-Wave Navigator
2011 Circus Circus

TV dramas

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Year Title Role Network Notes
2007 Hataraki Man Makoto Chiba NTV Episode 9
2012 Saiko no Jinsei Host TBS Episode 3
2016 Funassyi Tantei Fuji TV Narration

Internet

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Year Title Website Ref.
2012 Shūkan Otoko Jishin Bee TV
2016 Watabe no Arukkata Hulu [10]

Dubbing

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Year Title Role
2010 Clash of the Titans Graeae's witch
2016 Storks Junior[11]

Stage

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Year Title Role
2006 Renai Gikyoku Masaya Mukai

Advertisements

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Year Title Ref.
2015 Suntory Precious "Onagokai with Watabe: Hokkaidō-ban", "Onagokai with Watabe: Futatabi Hokkaidō-ban" [12][13]

Bibliography

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Books

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Year Title ISBN Ref.
2009 Escape! ISBN 978-4344017085
2012 Home Watabe no "Homeru Gijutsu" 7 ISBN 978-4833420082
2014 Geinō-kai no Athend-ō ga Oshieru: Saikyō no Mise 77-ken ISBN 978-4163901343
2015 Geinō-kai no Gourmet-ō ga Sekai ni Susumeru! Tokyo Saikyō no 100-sara ISBN 9784163903477
2016 Watabe Kōkō Yakyū no Mikatadesu. ISBN 978-4048955805
Watabe-ryū: Ī Mise no Mitsuke-kata Oshiemasu. Subete Shinten: Hatsudashi 80-ken ISBN 978-4163905471 [14]
2018 Unjash Watabe no Otona no Tame no "Ī Mise" Erabi-kata no Gokui ISBN 978-4797394511
2022 Chō-ichiryū no Kaiwa-ryoku ISBN 9784866631868

Serials

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Title
Men's Non-no "Renai Shinri Naika Watabe Clinic"
Hōchi Kōkō Yakyū "Ken Watabe no Kandō gochisōsama!!"

Screenplay

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Title Notes Ref.
Glay "Eternally" Music video; Co-writer [15]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Unjash Official Profile". Production Jinrikisha (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  2. ^ "Love Music". Fuji TV. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  3. ^ "佐々木希さん、渡部健さんの不倫騒動を謝罪。「あなたが謝ることではない」と気遣う声も". ハフポスト. June 13, 2020. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022.
  4. ^ "佐々木希が第1子男児出産 渡部建パパに「奇跡に感動し、夫婦で涙しました」 |最新ニュース|eltha(エルザ)". eltha (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  5. ^ "佐々木希:第1子男児を出産 産声聞いて「夫婦で涙しました」 渡部建がパパに コメント全文". MANTANWEB(まんたんウェブ) (in Japanese). 2018-09-13. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  6. ^ "渡部建の1回1万円の〝トイレ不倫〟は買春に当たるのか? 専門家に聞く". Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2020-06-24. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  7. ^ Master, Blaster (2020-12-04). "Japanese comedian apologizes for his many "multipurpose toilet affairs"". Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  8. ^ "佐々木希が第2子出産「幸せです」 渡部建「さらに精進いたします。やるぞぉやるぞぉ」 - 芸能 : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 4 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  9. ^ "森高&渡部の新音楽番組『Love music』10・16スタート". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. 2 Oct 2015. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
  10. ^ "アンジャッシュ渡部、テレビ意識せずに美食旅「本当にやりたかった」新番組". Owarai Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha. 21 Oct 2016. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
  11. ^ "コウノトリ大作戦!". Fukikaeru. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  12. ^ "中村アンらの女子会に渡部建が乱入!". Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. 5 Apr 2015. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
  13. ^ "広告紹介 | サントリープレシャス" (in Japanese). Suntory. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
  14. ^ "アンジャッシュ渡部が隠れた名店紹介するグルメ本刊行、店選びのコツも伝授". Owarai Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha. 28 Oct 2016. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
  15. ^ "「Eternally」ミュージックビデオ解禁(GLAY NEWS & INFO 2013.05.15)" (in Japanese). Glay official site. Retrieved 10 Jan 2017.
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