is a Japanese television variety show that aired on Tokyo Broadcasting System around the mid-1980s. Starring Ken Shimura and Cha Kato, former members of the group The Drifters from Hachiji Dayo! Zen'in Shugo, the irreverent and satirical program would poke fun at contemporary society in Japan, and would feature comedy vignettes similar to those found on The Benny Hill Show or The Carol Burnett Show. Leslie Nielsen once made a special appearance on the show as well.
The duo also had a PC Engine video game, Kato-chan and Ken-chan, based on their antics, filled with toilet humor, and featuring them as playable characters. It was translated and censored for a Western TurboGrafx-16 release as J.J. & Jeff due to copyright issues and the toilet humor.
Home videos segment As the home camcorder became more popular in Japan, the show included a segment featuring viewer-submitted funny home videos (home movies), on which Ken and Kato would comment. In 1989, American producer Vin Di Bona initiated a partnership with Tokyo Broadcasting System to develop a similar program in the west; ultimately, this led to the successful America's Funniest Home Videos and other similar shows worldwide. Some videos seen in the first season of America's Funniest Home Videos originally aired on Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan, and the latter remains credited within all episodes of AFHV as the original inspiration for the former. ABC, which owns half of America's Funniest Home Videos, pays a royalty fee to the Tokyo Broadcasting System for the use of the format (even though Kato-chan and Ken-chan left the air in 1992). The British show You've Been Framed! (1990-2022) was similarly based on the same format.
International versions +International formats:Years airedTitleCountry1989–presentAmerica's Funniest Home Videos United States1990–2014Australia's Funniest Home Videos Australia1990–1995New Zealand's Funniest Home Videos New Zealand1990–2022You've Been Framed! United Kingdom1990–1998Vídeos De Primera Spain1990–1998,2005–2006Bitte Lächeln!/Bitte lachen! Germany1990–2008Video Gag France1990–1998Isto Só Video Portugal1990–2000Drôle de vidéo Canada1990–2004Videodinges Belgium1990คู่หู คู่ฮา (dubbed version) Thailand2014America's Funniest Videos Brazil Brazil2014America's Funniest Videos Latinonamerica Peru1990–2004De Leukste Thuis Netherlands1990–2013Paperissima - Errori in TV Italy1990, 1995, 1997, 1999,2001, 2005, 2007–2009,2011–presentPaperissima Sprint Italy1991–1997Låt Kameran Gå Sweden1991–2002Video Loco Chile1992–2019Сам себе режиссёр Russia1994–2009Śmiechu Warte Poland1995–2010Tak neváhej a toč! Czech Republic1999–presentNatočto! Czech Republic2004–2009Bitoy's Funniest Videos Philippines1998–2001Csíííz! Hungary2006–2008Vidióták Hungary1990–2000Det' ren kagemand Denmark1999–2006,2012–2016¡Ay caramba! Mexico1989–2021Video Cassetadas Brazil1995–1998Naurun paikka Finland1990-1992Spede's Funniest Home Videos Finland2007–2013Вусолапохвіст Ukraine1999–2003Smiechoty Slovakia2007-2008Snutter Norway2023–presentVideos de Graças Brazil
References
External links "Tokyo Broadcasting Co. information about show"