Ken Watabe of the comedy duo "Unjash" appeared on the variety show "I Tried Selling All My Assets," which aired on ABEMA on May 28th. He spoke about his life and financial situation during the self-isolation period.
When asked about his income during the period he was suspending his activities, Watanabe confessed that "I was receiving royalties in the tens or hundreds of yen from streaming videos and DVDs that I had released in the past," and that "it was about 200 yen in six months."
He further added, "People (in the public) tend to think, 'It's okay because your wife is the one earning the money,'" addressing the common perception that he relies on his wife, actress Nozomi Sasaki's income. He then stated, "I don't want to rely on my wife's income; if I did, it would be the end. I've decided that I will provide for my family."
He also reflected on the turmoil, saying, "I had no choice but to cover it with my savings," and added, "You hear rumors that celebrities have to pay the penalty fees out of their own pockets, right?" and "It's like they take away all your assets," referring to the penalty fees himself. When asked by MC Takashi Yoshimura of "Heisei Nobushikobushi," "Did your savings decrease by about 90%?", he revealed, "Not quite 90%, but it's almost all gone."
