Ken Tanaka, White Man Adopted by Japanese Parents

Who the hell is Ken Tanaka? Well, according to his YouTube videos, he's a white man who was adopted by Japanese parents when he was a kid. Now he's a balding, two-hand-waving, adult man determined to seek out his parents through a series of YouTube videos. Apparently, his parents' names are Jonathan and Linda Smith—we know that because, well, he says it repeatedly in the song.

(via Japan Probe)

Comments

[Dragonfang18]

I dont mean any offense when I say this, but I think its best if he just appreciated being with his japanese parents... They took the time to raise him with love... to me those are his true parents...
And if he is this old, I doubt his parents know what youtube is... My parents are in their sixties and they dont know anything about the computer... I'm having a hard time teaching them to get online...

[Ebisu-beer]

Tanaka-san, check out this Japanese show called "逢わせ屋 Awaseya”a missing person search show, they go out finding someone you looking for. しかし、このブログ面白いね。がんばってね。

[jay]

This is an elaborate joke. The guy is doing kind of an Andy Kaufman thing, except Andy Kaufman was funny. This is poorly done and mildly offensive.

In an earlier video, he claims to have been adopted during the Japanese economic boom in the 1970's, when it was fashionable for Japanese to adopt white babies -- "much like Madonna and Angelina Jolie adopt kids from Africa today." Also, his Japanese pronunciation is off, and his English is affected -- clearly imitating stereotypical "Engrish" speakers.

[Pixoshiru]

Definitely agree, he's pretending to be what he says he is. I on't see the point of this, except maybe a weird will to be both ridiculous AND irritating.
Tanaka, Smith...'could have chosen less "John Doe" names...

[Elen Iochin]

I think it's a joke. He's not "pretending" He's playing a character. I love the way he imitate English accent speaking japanese and the contrary. And I think he is very funny and so do my japanese friends. I don't understand what is ridiculous or irrating!?