is a Japanese
columnist
A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (periodical), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the ...
,
essayist
An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...
, 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
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama ...
. 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](_blank)
��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
''Hikikomori'' (, "pulling inward, being confined") are reclusive adolescents or adults who withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement. The term refers to both the sociological phenomenon in gener ...
''.
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
Mister Donut is an international chain of doughnut stores, operating mostly in Asia. It was founded in the United States in 1956 by Harry Winokur. Primary offerings include doughnuts, coffee, muffins and pastries. After being acquired by Allied ...
'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!!
, often abbreviated or just , is a Japanese variety show hosted by popular Japanese owarai duo Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Tsukitei (formerly known as Hōsei Yamasaki) and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on ...
''
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
was a Japanese politician and writer, who served as the Governor of Tokyo Metropolis, Governor of Tokyo from 1999 to 2012. Being the former leader of the Far-right politics, radical right Sunrise Party, later merged with Toru Hashimoto's Japan ...
's legislation to limit the sales of
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
and
anime
is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
to those under 18, as well as the governor's noted disdain of
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexu ...
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
K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
was "nothing but an imitation of American pop music". When a Korean-Japanese participant pointed out
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
's popularity in Japan was a sign of the weakness of
J-pop
J-pop (often stylized in all caps; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in trad ...
, 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)