Oriental Pearl meets up with Sora the Troll on YouTube, from Naka Meguro in Tokyo!

As I mentioned, I watch both on this 21st century version of television.

I think I have this time-stamped right, and that it’s not “members only”! (You can be a member for like JPY 290 a month ($1.93 US)). Never mind the price of coffee. For less than the price of three US postage stamps a month, you can join!

The skit goes on for about an hour.

The show is so funny. The set up goes to the online spat Chris Broad, the big expat YouTuber who got to meet King Charles III of the United Kingdom, is having with Asian language polyglot Alyssa Studebaker, whose handle is Oriental Pearl.

IIRC—because this started around the end of Extension Tax Season—Alyssa pointed out the Tokyo graffiti problem, which is worse than what’s going on in Narita Town. Chris had something to say about it that I am told sounded like a real knock. Alyssa let him have it, in a stylish way, but one that was fairly point blank: Chris comes off as threatened by Alyssa’s successes as a YouTuber who came to the Japan expat scene much later than Chris (2019 vs 2013, maybe)?

“Later” is all relative. This is a fast-moving platform.

When I think back to the pre-internet television era, there were the celebrity roasts. There were the rivalries between the classic comedians. There was the gossip about performers who played on television like chums or buddies, or relatives-but really couldn’t stand each other.

I’ve mentioned that President Trump, now in his second term, is excellent at putting on the TV show for the masses. (Good thing hardly anyone on BlueSky reads me!)

The YouTube skit or stream really came to “be” something with the 2020 Pandemic lockdowns. Certain talented people used their skills-and got a little bit of luck to boot-to catapult themselves to a following that really rivals a local celebrity in a state or region. I am thinking of someone like Sally Starr in Philadelphia.

These celebrities basically all work for YouTube. There is no Screen Actors Guild. They all kind-of rise and fall based on the algorithm.

Controversy boosts ratings. But sometimes, and quite often, controversy is actually there. Because if you’re watching Alyssa’s videos and connected ads, you aren’t watching Chris’. (Or you can just watch Sora, and probably end up seeing both!)

For the lonely scribe tax preparer, if you see me commenting or appearing on social media, that means I am taking a break. At those moments, you don’t want me involved in tax return work until I recharge. It’s a “secret” to my success. Walk away from the pile. I learned it almost thirty years ago during monthly close in corporate accounting.