Patrick Harlan
Encyclopedia
Patrick Harlan is a gaijin tarento, member of the comedy duo Pakkun Makkun, and one of the hosts of the late-night English television show Eigo de Shabera Night
in Japan
. Though not the first or only foreigner to do Manzai
, a popular and traditional style of two-person stand up comedy, Harlan is the best known and most successful foreign practitioner or Manzaishi. He is often referred to by his stage name Pakkun.
A native of Colorado Springs
, Colorado
and a graduate of Harvard University
with a degree in comparative religion, Harlan first came to Japan on a tour with the Harvard Glee Club
in 1993. He moved to Fukui
that fall to teach English and study Japanese
. Having passed the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
in 1995, he moved to Tokyo
in 1996 to pursue an acting career.
In 1997, Harlan joined with Makoto Yoshida to form the comic duo Pakkun Makkun, with Harlan as the boke (funny guy) and Yoshida as the tsukkomi (straight guy). At the time, they were the first international pair on the Japanese comedy scene in decades. They quickly made a name for themselves, winning the Tokyo FM
King of Comedy Tournament and making it to the finals of NHK
's Shinjin Engei Taisho both in 1999. They were also finalists on NHK's Bakusho Onair Battle in 2000. Also in 2000, Harlan used his voice for the character of Ark Thompson in Resident Evil Survivor.
Pakkun Makkun became regular faces on Japanese television with a daily corner on the popular afternoon show Just on TBS
for five and a half years. Their straightforward presentation of daily events and Patrick's informative and often humorous remarks became their trademark style.
After Just went off the air in 2004, Patrick became better known as the host of NHK's Eigo de Shabera Night. From October 2007 he has also been the subhost or "Friday Partner" of Nihon Television's "Omoikkiri Ii Terebi". He also acts as the main host of the show when the show's host, Mino Monta, is on vacation.
Eigo de Shabera Night
is a Japanese talk show by NHK. The show began in 2003 and ended in 2009, however is ongoing as a special program. Contrary to the title, Japanese is the main language used in the show, although the Japanese hosts use English when interviewing British and American celebrities, such as Noel...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Though not the first or only foreigner to do Manzai
Manzai
is a traditional style of stand-up comedy in Japanese culture, which usually involves two performers —a straight man and a funny man —trading jokes at great speed...
, a popular and traditional style of two-person stand up comedy, Harlan is the best known and most successful foreign practitioner or Manzaishi. He is often referred to by his stage name Pakkun.
A native of Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and a graduate of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
with a degree in comparative religion, Harlan first came to Japan on a tour with the Harvard Glee Club
Harvard Glee Club
The Harvard Glee Club is a 60-voice, all-male choral ensemble at Harvard University. Founded in 1858 in the tradition of English and American glee clubs, it is the oldest collegiate chorus in the US. The Glee Club is part of the Holden Choruses of Harvard University, which also include the...
in 1993. He moved to Fukui
Fukui, Fukui
is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...
that fall to teach English and study Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. Having passed the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
Japanese Language Proficiency Test
The , or JLPT, is a standardized criterion-referenced test to evaluate and certify Japanese language proficiency for non-native speakers.The JLPT was expanded to five levels in 2010, with passing Level N5 denoting simple language abilities, and Level N1 denoting advanced language abilities...
in 1995, he moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1996 to pursue an acting career.
In 1997, Harlan joined with Makoto Yoshida to form the comic duo Pakkun Makkun, with Harlan as the boke (funny guy) and Yoshida as the tsukkomi (straight guy). At the time, they were the first international pair on the Japanese comedy scene in decades. They quickly made a name for themselves, winning the Tokyo FM
Tokyo FM
Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co., Ltd. is a radio station in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flagship station of the Japan FM Network .-Program:*Countdown Station** DHC Countdown jp** cosmo Pops Best 10...
King of Comedy Tournament and making it to the finals of NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's Shinjin Engei Taisho both in 1999. They were also finalists on NHK's Bakusho Onair Battle in 2000. Also in 2000, Harlan used his voice for the character of Ark Thompson in Resident Evil Survivor.
Pakkun Makkun became regular faces on Japanese television with a daily corner on the popular afternoon show Just on TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
for five and a half years. Their straightforward presentation of daily events and Patrick's informative and often humorous remarks became their trademark style.
After Just went off the air in 2004, Patrick became better known as the host of NHK's Eigo de Shabera Night. From October 2007 he has also been the subhost or "Friday Partner" of Nihon Television's "Omoikkiri Ii Terebi". He also acts as the main host of the show when the show's host, Mino Monta, is on vacation.
Published works
- 爆笑問題・パックンの英語原論 (Bakusho Mondai and Pack'n Tackle English (full edition)), Gentosha, 2001
- 爆笑問題・パックンのニュースで英語を学ぶ本 (Bakusho Mondai and Pakkun Learn English from the News), Gentosha, 2002
- パックンマックンの笑われる英語 笑わせる英語 (Pakkun Makkun's English to Get Laughed At, English to Get A Laugh), Seishun Shuppan, 2002
- 小卒レベルのおれがラスベガスで英語で漫才ができた理由 (How I, With Grade School Level English, Came to Perform MANZAI in English in Las Vegas), Gentosha, 2004
- Pakkun's English Dictionary, Gakushu Kenkyusha, 2004
- 爆笑問題・パックンの読むだけで英語がわかる本 (Bakusho Mondai and Pakkun Tackle English (revised)), Gentosha, 2005
- パックンマックンの「使いこなせ! カタカナ語」ビジネス編 仕事で役立つ頻出300語マスター (Pakkun Makkun's Useful Katakana English for Business), Shogakukan, 2006
- パックンの英語絵本「トゥースフェアリーの大冒険」 (The Tooth Fairy's Big Adventure (picture book. text and illustration by Patrick Harlan)), Shogakukan, 2006
- パックンの中吊り英作文 (Pakkun's Headline English), CNN Publishing, 2006