Toshiaki Kasuga (春日 俊彰) is a Japanese comedian best known as the boke half of the comedy duo Audrey alongside Masayasu Wakabayashi. On stage, he usually wears a pink vest and white pants. +more
Biography
1979 - Born in Tokorozawa, Saitama *1991 - Graduated from Meiho Elementary School, Tokorozawa, Saitama *1993 - Met Wakabayashi as a classmate *1994 - Graduated from Nihon University Dai-ni Junior High School in Tokyo *1997 - Graduated from Nihon University Dai-ni High School in Tokyo *1997 - Entered Nihon University majoring in commerce in Tokyo *2000 - Formed owari duo "Nice Middle" with Wakabayashi *2000 - Took a year off from Nihon University *2001 - Returned to Nihon University *2002 - Graduated from Nihon University *2005 - Changed the duo's name to "Audrey", taken from Audrey Hepburn *2007 - Defeated by Wang HongXiang at K-1 Tryout *2008 - Won 2nd place at Autobacs M-1 Grand Prix 2008 *2009 - Won 1st place at Shinshun Owarai Taisho - New wave awards (won 76,009 votes out of total 212,036 from TV audiences)
Early life
Kasuga learned swimming from his early childhood through his junior high school years. He attended a private junior high school in Tokyo, Nihon University Dai-ni Junior High, and met Wakabayashi there when they were 8th graders. +more
After his high school years, Wakabayashi invited Kasuga to be his manzai partner. However, Kasuga decided to attend Nihon University instead. +more
Attending mass communication seminars, Kasuga initially planned to be a TV producer while Wakabayashi kept inviting Kasuga to start a comedy career. Finally Kasuga accepted his offer, and they formed a comedy duo, "Nice Middle", in 2000.
Career
Dark days to M-1 Grand Prix 2008
Although they happily jumped into a comedy career, they stayed unsuccessful for several years. One day, six years since their debut, a TV play writer called Wakabayashi in person and told him "Kasuga has no talent as a tsukkomi. +more
Rise to popularity
Shaving his sideburns (a hair style called a "techno-cut"), wearing his hair parted "80/20" (80% of the hair is combed to the right and the rest to the left) and a pink sweater vest, Kasuga, a unique arrogant character, has been broadly accepted by audiences since the M-1 Grand Prix.
In October 2009, Kasuga was chosen with Wakabayashi as a new regular member for "Waratte Iitomo", the nation's most popular afternoon TV show, and a radio personality for "All Night Nippon", one of the longest-running radio programs in Japan.
Character on stage
Kasuga walks heavily and slowly with his proud 101 cm chest expanding toward the center of the stage. At the opening, he drops a bossy comment to female audiences such as "Would you like to deliver Kasuga's baby?" In manzai, he tries to shoot tsukkomi and each time it turns out to be terribly off-the-line boke. +more
In manzai and talk, he responds back saying "Oui" ("Yes"). Holding up his index finger, he yells "Toos!" meaning "Hey!" or "I did it!" Some of his other recurring gags include "Onigawara", "Apa" and the "Kasu" dance.
Penny pincher
His stingy life style has been introduced in many variety shows. He says that he wants to save as much money as possible to buy a single-family home in the future.
Other ventures
Kasuga participated in K-1 kickboxing in 2007. He retired after two fighting matches due to ruptured eardrum.
Kasuga has represented Japan at the Finswimming Master World Cup, organized by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 event in Ravenna, Italy and a silver medal at the 2016 event in Prague, Czech Republic.
Kasuga started bodybuilding in 2013 and placed fifth at the 23rd Tokyo Bodybuilding Tournament in 2015. He did not qualify at the 24th event in 2016.
Kasuga ran a YouTube channel under the name Hideo Furui, which was discontinued in December 2021.
Personal life
He is described as reserved, polite and modest, contrary to his character on TV. Wakabayashi has said he has never heard Kasuga speaking bad about others. +more
His father has been very supportive of his career, making original DVDs of Kasuga to distribute to the family's neighbors, and frequently giving him advice by e-mail. Though initially against his comedy career, his mother is also supportive, distributing to neighbors the Playboy magazine when one of the issues carried an article on Kasuga. +more
Kasuga had a fanatical female fan called "Ochimusha" (stray samurai) when he was a football player in high school. From the age of 20, he had a girlfriend (called "Dogu" (clay doll) by Wakabayashi) for five years. +more
On his birthday, February 9, 2009, he was photographed by a paparazzo during the night while he was dating a 30-year-old woman who, according to Wakabayashi, resembles the "Hippo of Isodin. " (One of Japanese confectionery/pharmaceutical company Meiji Seika's anime characters. +more
In April, 2019, Kasuga proposed to his girlfriend of 11 years "Kumi-san" on the television variety Monitoring.
Media
TV
(キャンパスナイト･フジ) -- Fuji Television/CX (4/10/2009-) * (スクール革命!) -- Nippon Television (4/5/2009-) * (メレンゲの気持ち) -- Nippon Television (4/25/2009-) *Every three weeks * (ぜんぶウソ) -- Nippon Television (10/3/2009-) * (森田一義アワー笑っていいとも！) -- Fuji Television (10/9/2009-) *Every Monday * * *Wednesday's Downtown
Radio
(オードリーのシャンプーおじさん) -- Nippon Cultural Broadcasting (4/7/2009-) *Every Tuesday *All Night Nippon (オールナイトニッポン) -- Nippon Broadcasting System (10/10/2009-) *Every Sunday from 1:00 am
Internet TV
[url=https://web. archive. +more
Living people
Japanese comedians
People from Tokorozawa, Saitama
Nihon University alumni
Japanese bodybuilders
Latest activity
