人それぞれ感心したり感動したりするポイントが違うように、人によって「笑いのツボ」も異なると思う。私が凄く面白いと思った会話や出来事でも、一緒にいた人たちがポカンとつまらなそうにしているようなことはしばしばある。難しい意見をぶつけ合ってお互いを高め合うような関係は素晴らしいと思う。でも何てことはない平凡な日常の中で起こる些細な面白さを、一緒に拾い合えるような友人を持てたならとても幸せだ。

　世の中つくづく不思議だなと思うことは、例えばすごく勉強ができるからと言って、仲間内の人気者になれるわけではない。むしろ外見もあまりパッとしなくて、勉強もそうでもなく、運動が特別できるわけでもないような、総合点をつければギリギリ合格くらいなんだけれども、何故かみんなから愛されるキャラクターの人がいる。それは本人がそうなりたいからと言って、目指してなれるようなものではなく、天性なのか親のしつけ方が良かったのか分からないが、自然とそうなってしまうもののようだ。
　大人に世界でも同じようなことが言えて、いくらいい大学を出ていい会社へ入って出世したとしても、その人が幸せだとは限らない。むしろそういった環境的なところはそこそこでも、何だかいつも笑って幸せそうに暮らしている人がいる。私はそれで充分なような気がする。それ以上、何を求めるというのか。

　愛されキャラの人たちのそばには、私の経験上、いつも「笑い」があったような気がする。笑いやすい和やかな雰囲気があった。笑顔があるところには自然と人が集まるし、集まらなくても眺めているだけでホンワカした気持ちになれるのではないか。愛されキャラの人たちに笑いのセンスがあったと言っているのではない。優れた話術でいつも周りの人たちを笑わせていたということではなく、そこには何だか安心して自分を出せる雰囲気があった。安心すると人は笑うのかなと思う。そういう楽しそうな空気に人が引き寄せられるのかもしれない。

　私は映画や海外ドラマばかりで、普段ほとんどテレビ番組を観ないが、大好きな松本人志さんの番組だけは録画して観ている。彼が創るお笑いの質には賛否両論あろうとは思うが、私はこの歳になっても彼の虜になってしまったままだ。
　どこまでも「彼が面白いと思うもの」を追求していこうとする姿勢は凄いと思う。もうお金も充分稼いだだろうし、休んでも良さそうなものだが（休んでもらっては私が困るが）、松本さんは一向に止まろうとしない。彼の番組を観れば、必ず楽しい気持ちにさせてくれる。全体に笑えるという期待が私をさらに彼へと駆り立てる。たくさん嫌なことは世の中にあるけれど、松本さんは癒しを与え続けてくれると信じている。最近は彼が自分で全部やるのではなく、お笑い芸人に限らず、優秀な人たちと一緒に番組を作っている様子が窺える。どこまでもアイデアがある人だと思う。
　私がこんなことを言うのはおこがましいが、松本さんのお笑いセンスが私にはツボなのだ。松本さんと一緒の時代に生きられて本当に幸せだと思っている。

　残念ながらオレは、人気者ではなかったね～

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Well-liked character

　Just as everyone is impressed or moved at different points, everyone has a different “point” for laughter. Often, conversations or events that I find very funny are met with a blank stare from the people I am with. I think it’s wonderful to have a relationship where we can share difficult opinions and improve each other. However, I would be very happy if I could have a friend with whom I could pick up on the little interesting things that happen in ordinary, everyday life.

　What I find really strange about the world is that just because you are very good at studying, for example, does not mean that you will be popular among your peers. There are people who are not so good looking, not so good in studies, and not so good in sports, who just barely pass the test if you give them an overall score, but for some reason, they are loved by everyone. It is not something that they want to become, but something that they naturally become, whether by nature or by the way their parents trained them.
　The same is true in the adult world. Even if a person graduates from a good university and joins a good company, it does not necessarily mean that he or she is happy. In fact, there are people who are not so good in those environmental aspects, but they are always smiling and seem to be happy. I feel that is enough for me. What more can I ask for?

　In my experience, people who are well-loved characters always seem to have “laughter” by their side. There was a friendly atmosphere where it was easy to laugh. People naturally gather where there are smiling faces, and even if they don’t gather, just looking at them makes you feel relaxed. I am not saying that people who are well-loved characters had a sense of humor. I am not saying that they always made the people around them laugh with their excellent storytelling skills, but that there was an atmosphere in which they could express themselves with some sense of ease. I think people laugh when they feel at ease. Maybe people are drawn to that kind of joyful atmosphere.

　I rarely watch TV programs, only movies and foreign dramas, but I record and watch my favorite TV program, Hitoshi Matsumoto’s. The quality of the comedy he creates is very high. I know there are pros and cons to the quality of the comedy he creates, but even at my age, I am still captivated by him.
　I think it’s great that he is always trying to pursue “what he thinks is funny”. He has made enough money already, and it would seem that he should take a break (although I would be annoyed if he did), but Mr. Matsumoto never seems to stop. Whenever I watch one of his programs, he always makes me feel happy. The expectation of a good laugh throughout drives me to him even more. There are many things in the world that I don’t like, but I believe that Matsumoto-san continues to heal me. Lately I can see him working with talented people, not just comedians, to create his programs, rather than doing it all himself. I think he is a man with ideas everywhere.
　I know it’s not right of me to say this, but Mr. Matsumoto’s sense of comedy is just the way I like it. I feel very lucky to have lived in the same era as Matsumoto-san.

　Unfortunately, I was not a popular person.