This is Monta Mino, the man with probably the most weekly on screen time of any Japanese Reporter, Actor, or Actress. I mean the guy is on TV all the time. He was the host of the Japanese version of Millionaire (Due to Japanese prize-money regulations, the top prize is ¥10,000,000 — less than $100,000.). He hosts a morning show about health and household things. And he does a show on Saturday nights. He is on television a staggering 34 hours and 45 minutes every week. His silver hair sparkles on the small screen morning, noon and night. He’s on air so much, in fact, that in 2006 he was honored by Guinness World Records. Always tanned and immaculately groomed, ” he is so beloved and respected by middle-aged Japanese that he could sell them anything. And that is the kind of image he has – a very confident and successful salesman. He is said to be able to command ¥5 million for an hour’s work. “-(Mainichi).
At least till now:
Ratings king Monta Mino, the world record holding godfather of Japanese TV, is in real trouble for allegedly having put his paws on the wrong kind of idiot box, according to Flash (4/10).Japan’s weeklies are currently have a field day amid suggestions that the 62-year-old
talking head sexually harassed Airi Yamada, one of his pretty young co-presenters, who’s now been banished from the screen.
Supposedly, the TV host pressured Yamada into accepting dinner dates and promised to make her into his show’s main newscaster if she agreed to become his lover, but Yamada responded by complaining to her immediate boss. Which, the story has it led to her transfer off the show.
It is not the first time he has been subject to scandal. In 1991, he was caught having an affair with a co-presenter, Kayoko Takahashi. According to Mainichi Shimbun, ” ‘Just before news of that affair broke, the producer of one of Mino’s shows went to the publisher and got them to tone down the story before it was printed,’ the NTV insider says. ‘That’s why we can still get Mino to work for us pretty cheaply.'”
Which probably explains why he has to work so much.
Remember, this is Japan. Sexual Harassment will not be tolerated. It will, however, be graded. From this weeks Flash Magazine:
If the claims are proved to be true, it seems Mino is likely to do time on late-night shows as penance, the men’s weekly claims, adding that it shouldn’t bother the sexagenarian whose start in the celebrity world came through late-night radio and who has a private night life known to be active. His innuendo-packed banter is also likely to be more accepted when screened later.
Yamada, meanwhile, is in limbo. She married shortly after entering TBS in 2002 and much of her private life is spent with friends from her college days rather than workmates. She is also said to be very serious. “She doesn’t know how to take a joke. Some people say she
always over-reacted,” a TBS source tells Flash. “She really hates dirty talk. I remember her saying that the one thing that really got her riled was sleazy men and she never took part in company parties because those types were everywhere.”Mino knew of Yamada’s aversion to lowbrow topics and apparently needled her by always bringing them up. It seems her failure to adapt to Mino’s line has also contributed to her unfair downfall.Flash (April 10)”Mino used to bring up lowbrow topics on air just to see how Yamada would react,” the network insider tells Flash. “Mino doesn’t like people who put on airs too much. He regards trips to cabaret clubs as a test of young women who work with him. He only starts to recognize their talents once they have been through a hostess bar session with him.”
Job interviews here must be tough!
