is a Japanese comedian and singer who is represented by

Ohta Production , sometimes shortened to Ohta Pro, is a Japanese talent agency headquartered in Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo. It was founded in 1963 and focuses on talent management for actors, athletes, comedians and '. The agency have produced numerous television ...

Saruganseki

Born in

Aki District, Hiroshima is a district, and is within the Minami-ku, Hiroshima ward, Ward (electoral subdivision), one of the eight wards that comprise the Hiroshima Prefecture, in Japan. 'Minami', is Japanese for 'South'. 'Ku', is loosely suggestive of a division, ...

, Japan, Ariyoshi formed the

owarai is a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word ''owarai'' is the Honorific speech in Japanese#Honorific prefixes, honorific form of the word ''warai'' (by adding o- prefix), meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". '' ...

duo Saruganseki with Kazunari Moriwaki in 1994. The pair became famous through the variety television show '' Susunu! Denpa Shōnen'' when they were made to hitchhike across Asia, a task that was covered on the show for six months. They were so popular when they returned that when they published a book about their travels, it became a best-seller. When they released a single, ''Shiroi kumo no yō ni'', it reached number three on the

Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...

charts, with the album reaching number two. They even received a new artist award at the

Japan Record Award is a major music awards show, held annually in Japan that recognizes outstanding achievements in the Japan Composer's Association. Established in 1959, the Japan Record Awards are one of the oldest and most prestigious music awards in the count ...

s in 1997. While for a time they were earning 20 million yen a month (about $170,000 in 1997 US dollars), their fame did not last long, and the duo broke up in 2004.

Solo career

After his career went into decline, Ariyoshi's income reportedly fell to virtually nothing. However, he gradually began reappearing on television, now as a solo comedian noted for his poison tongue. His career really began to revive around 2006 when, on shows like '' Ametalk'' (hosted by

Ameagari Kesshitai , also known simply as Ameagari, was a Japanese comedy duo ''( kombi)'' consisting of Hiroyuki Miyasako () and Tōru Hotohara (). They are from Osaka and, like most other comedians from the Kansai region, are employed by Yoshimoto Kogyo. The duo ...

), he became known for giving mischievous nicknames to famous personalities. In 2009, public opinion research conducted by Oricon found that those polled considered him to be the number one "comeback" personality of the year. By 2011, he was ranked as the top television

tarento Television personalities in Japan, known as in Japanese, are celebrities who regularly appear in mass media in Japan, especially as panelists on variety shows. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, bankable stars in the United States were descri ...

in terms of number of appearances. He now hosts and have hosted several television shows, including ''Ariyoshi AKB Kyōwakoku'' with

AKB48 AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...

and ''Matsuko & Ariyoshi Karisome Tenkoku'' with

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 pers ...

, and is a regular guest on variety shows like '' London Hearts''. As of September 2019, Ariyoshi has over 11 ongoing regular television programs in his name and as the MC and several other special programs.

Personal life

On 2 April 2021, it was announced that Ariyoshi had married the TV announcer Miku Natsume, who was the host on ''Matsuko & Ariyoshi's Angry New Party''.

TV programs

*''Matsuko & Ariyoshi's Angry New Party'' (2011–2017) *''Matsuko & Ariyoshi Karisome Tengoku'' (2017–) *'' London Hearts'' (2011–) *''Ariyoshi-Kun no Shōjiki Sanpo'' (2012–) *''Ariyoshi Japon'' (2012–) *''Ariyoshi Seminar'' (2013–) *''Ariyoshi Hanseikai'' (2013–) *''Sakurai-Ariyoshi The Yakai'' (co-host with Sakurai Sho of

Arashi is a Japanese boy band consisting of five members formed under the Johnny & Associates talent agency. The members are Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto. Arashi officially formed on September 15, 199 ...

, 2014–) *''Ariyoshi Base'' (2016–) * ''Ariyoshiiieeeee!'' (2018–) *''Ariyoshi no Okane Hakken Totsugeki! Kaneo-Kun'' (2019–) *''Ariyoshi's Wall'' (2020–) *'' 74th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen'' (2023) *'' 75th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen'' (2024)

Filmography

Films

*'' Bubble Fiction: Boom or Bust'' (2007) – played a cameo role *''

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi mus ...

'' (2010) – played a cameo role

Television drama

*''

Bengoshi no Kuzu is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by . It started in Shogakukan's manga magazine ''Big Comic Original'' in August 2003. In 2010, the manga was re-titled ''Bengoshi no Kuzu Dai-2 Shin'', and continued until June 2014. The ...

'' (2006, TBS) – Shinpei Kozuka

Dubbing roles

*'' Ted'' – Ted *''

Ted 2 ''Ted 2'' (stylized as ''ted2'') is a 2015 American fantasy comedy film. The sequel to ''Ted (film), Ted'' (2012), the film was co-produced and directed again by Seth MacFarlane, who co-wrote the script with returning writers Alec Sulkin and Wel ...

'' – Ted

References

External links

Official profile
Ohta Productions (in Japanese) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ariyoshi, Hiroiki Japanese male comedians 1974 births Living people Japanese television personalities Singers from Hiroshima Prefecture 21st-century Japanese male singers