or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
February 16, 2005
All Mankind Is One
Humans differ enormously across this large planet. Yet one thing unites us all: shameless lying.
For an enjoyable example, read this New York Times article about efforts to reduce sex trafficking in Japan:
After years of denying it had a problem with trafficking in humans, Japan is now putting the finishing touches on a law that would make the practice illegal in this country and help foreigners forced into the sex industry here.
The story points out that Japan grants huge numbers of "entertainer visas" each year. 80,000 currently go to Filipinos alone. Many women apparently also come from Colombia and Thailand.
Now, here's the shameless lying:
...Joji Imai, president of the Association of Japanese Promoters Recruiting Foreign Entertainers, said cases of prostitution were isolated. "Many of the customers who like to patronize clubs with foreign entertainers are interested in learning foreign languages or discovering foreign cultures," Mr. Imai said. "They enjoy different cultures, such as Filipinos' cheerfulness."
Uh... you bet!
Now, like most lies, this is partly true. I'm sure the customers in question enjoy learning about foreign cultures. That's just not all they enjoy learning about.
So, as a favor to Mr. Imai, I've made a more complete list. These customers enjoy learning about:
• Filipinas' cheerfulness. Also, their vaginas.
• Thai women's Theravada-inflected Buddhism. Also, their vaginas.
• Colombian women's views on the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Also, their vaginas.
LOL.. quite funny... but you missed a few .. umm other interests. It's a big weird world and these imported entertainers are unlikely to be able to refuse just about any request.
Don't be fooled. These entertainers don't apply for a visa and buy a ticket... they are forced or induced to go and then they enter indentured servitude once they arrive.
We used to have a word for that.
Jonathan,
I've noted that your bl*g has become 250% funnier in recent weeks. Is this a result of conscious effort on your part, or is it just glandular?
Posted by: saurabh at February 16, 2005 06:21 PMMost of these women come here after being recruited with promises of jobs as singers, dancers, waitresses etc and are then forced to pay back their airfare while the boss holds onto their passport for security on the loan. What it amounts to is indentured servitude. When the 'hostessing' doesn't pay off the loan that keeps growning with the company store prices for room and board, the women are forced into prostitution, often through threats against their families back in their home countries.
Posted by: rev.paperboy at February 16, 2005 08:30 PM
