Muramoto Daisuke is Finally Off to the US! A Short Exit Interview

After years of studying English, trips back and forth to the US, and a long wait for a work visa, Muramoto Daisuke finally took off last month, moving to New York to try his hand at making it as a stand-up comedian in the US. After a final show in Daikanyama in front of his most loyal fans, Muramoto took off the next day and took the final step in making his dream of doing stand-up in the US a reality. As covered on this site previously, Muramoto has been working for years towards this goal, studying English on his own and at schools in the US, performing in English at open mic nights in New York, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, all in an effort to be able to perform stand-up comedy in the US and beyond. Before he left I was able to get him to answer a few short questions. Here is his exit interview in the original Japanese and translated into English.

---

Question 1: It has taken you a long time to finally get your visa and be able to go to the US to try being a comedian. How do you feel right now with you finally being able to go to the US?

長い時間がかかり、ようやくビザを取得し、アメリカに行ってコメディアンになることができるようになりました。 ようやくアメリカに行くことができて、今はどんな気持ちですか？

Daisuke: I feel a combination of anxiety and excitement at being able to come to this new world.

新しい世界に来ることができて不安と興奮の合わさった気持ち

Question 2: In the last few years, you have been touring around the country performing solo. How have your activities these last few years prepared you for this challenge?

ここ数年はソロで全国ツアーを行っていますね。 ここ数年間の活動は、今回の挑戦に向けてどのように準備されましたか?

Daisuke: Walking around Japan, I experienced firsthand the thoughts of the Ainu people, Koreans living in Okinawa, and people of other ethnic groups. While touring, I thought about how America is a place of many different races, and I was thinking about how I could incorporate these differences into my own act and create comedy.

日本を歩いてアイヌの人たち、沖縄在日コリアン、日本の中における民族の人たちの考えを聞き、それを肌で感じてきた。アメリカはたくさんの人種が混ざってて、違いをいかに自分の中に落とし込みコメディにできるか、を考えていた。

Question 3: Even for a native speaker of English, to succeed as a comedian in the United States is quite difficult. How will you define this attempt as a success?
英語を母国語とする人であっても、アメリカでコメディアンとして成功するのは非常に困難です。 この試みを成功とどのように定義しますか?

Daisuke: Success in terms of money and fame is a temporary result. More than that, I’d be happy if I could come up with a very cool routine, even if it’s just once.

お金や知名度などの成功というのは一時の結果なので、それよりも一回でもいいからすごく自分のかっこいいと思えるネタが作れたらうれしい

Question 4: What are you dreading?

どんなことを恐れていますか。

Daisuke: I’m afraid of giving up on this challenge.

挑戦を諦めることを恐れている。

Question 5: What do you think you’ll be able to do in the United States that you were not able to do in Japan?

日本ではできなかったが、アメリカではできると思うことは何でしょうか。

Daisuke: It would be great if I could make some good comedian friends.

いいコメディアンの仲間ができるといいなー。

Good luck, Daisuke!