Tokyo Olympics: Organizer Fires Opening Ceremony's Director Over Old Holocaust Skit

After having a decades-old comedy skit referencing the Holocaust, the director for the Tokyo Olympics' opening ceremony has been fired by organizers Thursday.

The emergence of footage of the Olympics opening ceremony director, Kentaro Kobayashi, from the 1990s which he appeared making jokes about the Holocaust was the latest blow for the pandemic-delayed Games. The video was found online on the eve of Friday's ceremony.

According to France24, Japan's Olympic chief Seiko Hashimoto stated that the video ridiculed "painful facts of history." Hashimoto added that the video came to light that during a past performance, the opening ceremony director used language that mocked a tragic fact of history.

Moreover, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic chief added that the organizing committee has decided to relieve Kobayashi of his post.

Meanwhile, in the skit, Kobayashi alongside his comedy partner, can be seen pretending to be a pair playing as famous children's TV entertainers. While they were brainstorming for an activity which involved paper, Kobayashi referred to some paper doll cutouts as "the ones from that time you said 'let's play the Holocaust.'" Kobayashi's words sparked laughter from the audience, Times of India reported.

Also, the Japanese comedians then joked about how a television producer was angered by the suggestion of a Holocaust activity.

The emergence of the sketch sparked shock for some citizens of Japan. An online viewer wrote online that it was certain that they would face criticisms for what they have done.

However, other individuals online questioned the reaction to the over two decades old sketch.

On the other hand, Olympics opening ceremony director, Kentaro Kobayashi released a statement, apologizing. Kobayashi stated that it was a video that was released in 1998 to introduce young comedians. The director admitted that he wrote the skit and it contained lines that were extremely inappropriate.

Kobayashi then said that it was from a time when he was not able to get laughs the way he wanted that's why he ended up grabbing the attention of the audience in a shallow-minded way.

The Japanese director, Kobayashi, who is a well-known figure in theatre in Japan, is the latest member of the opening ceremony team to depart the group in disgrace.

More Olympics Dismissals

The dismissal of Olympics opening ceremony director Kentaro Kobayashi was the latest in a string of scandals to hit the Games, BBC reported.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which was postponed last year because of the threat of COVID-19 pandemic, has constantly threatened to derail the event. Aside from the global health crisis causing delays and changes, the Games also has seen three men forced to step down since the start of 2021.

Earlier this week, the composer quit the team following an outcry over old interviews in which he was described as someone who abused disabled schoolmates.

In March, the creative chief for Olympics Hiroshi Sasaki quit after suggesting that the plus-size comedian Naomi Watanabe could appear as an "Olympig." He later apologized for his comment.

In February, the head of the organising committee, Yoshiro Mori was forced to step down after he made inappropriate remarks about women. Mori was quoted saying that women talked too much and that meetings with many female board directors would delay the meeting as it would take a lot of time.

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Written by Jess Smith

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