8 - Obama is Beautiful World

The fad is king, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Japan, home of everything wonderful and bonkers. All it requires is to be catchy, pointless and above all disposable. You could start a fad today! Everyone's doing it, I swear.

TV personalities (I hesitate to call them comedians, even though they insist) vie for the limelight with inane catchphrases, constant exposure and, gloriously, think nothing of whoring themselves out to advertise everything from widescreen TVs to frozen cocktail sausages (now with 25% more stomach lining!). Blink and you'll miss 'em though - these guys have a faster life cycle than mayflies.

Pop bands are not above following suit either, nor are they safe from the fickle appetite of the public at large. You may be getting paid to sing the jingle to that new citrus fresh haemorrhoid cream, but as soon as a prettier, younger teen pops along, you're outta here! Take a peek at Morning Musume, a million-selling revolving door of unbearably chipper girls, the line-up changing annually at the producer's behest.

Japan loves something new to obsess about, and obsess they do, remarkably free of the cynicism and irony we buffer our lives with out west. Just last month it was bananas. Bananas you say? Yep, you couldn't buy a banana for love nor money because everyone was on the banana diet. The rule? Bananas, and only bananas mind, for breakfast every day. As many as you want! Just shove 'em in, go on!



Perhaps one of the most wonderfully bizarre, and tenuous, obsessions of late has arrived on the back of near-global Obamania. A sleepy fishing village in Fukui prefecture has delighted itself in finding that it shares its name with the then Democratic candidate and now 44th president of the United States. Seizing the chance to make a few yen, townsfolk have sent Barack Obama copious well-wishes and gifts during his campaign, as well as launching their own line of fan merchandise.

Punters can merrily chomp on an Obama Hamburger or sweet bean cake, perhaps whilst wearing their "I love Obama" t-shirt. The election, understandably a big event for them, was marked by a giant party complete with hula dancers (to, y'know, reference his Hawaiian heritage) and energetic but bemusing cries of "yes be can!" Had I been there I would have been tempted to suggest they shout "yes bacon!" but I'm not that mean. Nevertheless, these shameless self-promoters clearly know they're on to a good thing and are even preparing to erect a commemorative statue to the first African-American to make it to the White House. I'm sure that if Obama actually makes the trip out to see them one day he'll have wonderfully odd time.

I leave you with this little gem that follows in the wake of Obama's surge of popularity (you can decide for yourself whether I mean the man or the town, I'm not so sure any more). Simply titled, "Obama is Beautiful World", it's clearly a very moving tribute to marginalised races and their fight for recognition in the modern world. If you're still humming it tomorrow and cursing me for it, I'll consider my job done.