Matsuko Deluxe

is a Japanese columnist, essayist, and TV personality. Matsuko is a female persona and stage name assumed by a cross-dressing gay man. He has been described as plus-sized and gravely-voiced with a sharp tongue.

Before Matsuko Deluxe

The person who would later become famous as Matsuko was born in Chiba Prefecture. He graduated from a beauty school and was training to be a beautician when, inspired by LGBT activists, he changed careers and became an editor and writer for the Japanese gay magazine '' Badi''.マツコ・デラックスが職歴を語る 美容師見習いやゲイ雑誌の編集者
��イブドアニュース（2015年3月26日） He quit his job in his late twenties and began to live as a ''hikikomori''.

As Matsuko Deluxe

In 2000, the writer Usagi Nakamura, familiar with Matsuko's work as an editor and writer, selected Matsuko to be one of people to interview for his book about unconventional women. The book, published in 2001, names "Matsuko Deluxe" as an interview subject, introducing him as a "cross-dressing writer".

The television debut of Matsuko Deluxe came in 2000, on Fuji TV's late-night variety show '. In his 2005 book ', Matsuko writes that in 2000 his bust/waist/hip measurements were each and his weight was . It was with this unique style as a large drag queen that he began rising in popularity as a '' talento'' and writer.

In 2013, Matsuko became part of an advertising campaign for Mister Donut's 10th anniversary of introducing the "Pon de Ring" donut, and has continued being the company's spokesperson through its recipe renewal and Calpis collaboration promotions.

As of 2022, Matsuko is a regular panelist and sometimes host on the Japanese talk shows ''Goji ni Muchū!'', ''Honma Dekka!? TV'', ''Shirushiru Mishiru'', ''Matsuko & Ariyoshi's Karisome Tenkoku'', ''Jinsei ga Kawaru Ippunkan no Fuka Ii Hanashi'', ''Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai'' (''The World Unknown to Matsuko''), ''Arita & Matsuko & Man & Woman'', and ''Monday Late Show'', and also an often featured guest on the popular comedy ''Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!''

Controversies and views

In 2010, he became known for his "feud" with many of Japan's female television announcers over their perceived image.

In the same year, Matsuko was critical of then Tokyo Prefectural Governor Shintaro Ishihara's legislation to limit the sales of manga and anime to those under 18, as well as the governor's noted disdain of homosexuality and transvestitism.

In 2012, Matsuko participated in a debate on national pride of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese and when a Korean-Japanese guest claimed "Japanese entertainment is like field baseball, but Korean entertainment is like professional baseball", he replied that K-pop was "nothing but an imitation of American pop music". When a Korean-Japanese participant pointed out Lady Gaga's popularity in Japan was a sign of the weakness of J-pop, Matsuko responded that Japan had welcomed the music of many cultures, including Korean, and said that if K-pop artists did not like Japan the way it is then they did not have to stay. Matsuko's statements caused controversy on the Korean internet.

References

External links

Natural Eight profile


Biography
on ''Goji ni Muchū!''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deluxe, Matsuko
1972 births
Living people
Cross-dressers
Japanese columnists
Japanese women columnists
Japanese essayists
Japanese women essayists
Japanese television presenters
Japanese women television presenters
Japanese gay writers
People from Chiba (city)