Ken Watabe (渡部建), one half of the comedy duo Anjash, revealed on his YouTube channel that his past scandal has become an unlikely career asset, earning him steady work as a wedding reception speaker and manners instructor.
On the June 27, 2026 episode of his channel “Watabe no Sashi-nomi,” Watabe sat down with producer Hiroki Takahashi, known for TV Tokyo’s “Ie, Tsuiteitte Ii Desuka?” and ABEMA hits including “Sekai no Hate ni, Hiroyuki Oitekita” and “Renai Byoin.” Takahashi praised a wedding speech Watabe once delivered on the ABEMA program “Ai no Hyena,” calling it “hilarious.”
According to Watabe, that appearance sparked a wave of bookings, and he now receives offers to perform at wedding receptions as often as 50 times a month. His go-to line for newlyweds: “the most important thing in a marriage is not hiding things from each other.” When Takahashi asked whether the gig now pays more than his pre-scandal TV salary, Watabe quickly denied it, laughing that he charges only 50,000 yen (roughly $320) per appearance, which he says is exactly why the offers keep coming.
Takahashi remarked that “everything in life can be converted into money,” to which Watabe replied that he has built what he jokingly calls the “you’re one to talk business” (お前が言うなよビジネス). He pointed to his recurring appearances in TikTok dining-manners videos, where commenters routinely jab, “you’re the last person who should be lecturing on manners.” Despite the ribbing, Watabe said the videos draw large audiences. “There are things I can do precisely because of the position I’m in,” he said, prompting Takahashi to reply, “You’re amazing, Watabe-san.”
Viewers reacted warmly online, with comments including “I laughed at the ‘you’re one to talk’ business,” “For just 50,000 yen for a speech, I’d want to book Watabe-san for something myself,” and “Takahashi-san might be the only one who can fully make use of Watabe-san’s talent.”
Who is Ken Watabe?
Ken Watabe is a Japanese comedian and television personality best known as one half of the comedy duo Anjash. Before 2020, he was a fixture of Japanese variety television, celebrated for his cooking segments and food commentary. His career took a major hit in early 2020 following widely reported allegations of marital infidelity, which led to a lengthy hiatus from mainstream broadcasting. Since returning to public life in 2022, Watabe has rebuilt his career largely through YouTube, hosting the channel “Watabe no Sashi-nomi” (“Watabe’s One-on-One Drinks”), where he interviews guests over drinks, as well as through appearances on ABEMA programs and platforms like TikTok.
