Humor Amarillo: What Contestants Really Won (Besides Memorable Hospital Visits)

A question that we asked ourselves in the 90s: but these people, apart from slaps and visits to the hospital, what do they earn?

It was the favorite show of at least two very different generations: Japanese contestants hitting each other while tripping, stepping on the wrong places, getting hit in the face with balls, or getting bruises by crashing into a closed door. ‘Humor Amarillo’ started on Telecinco, moved to Vía Digital, gained new fans on Cuatro, and now, on Amazon Prime Video, with a more puritanical name, we still have the same question we had in the 90s: besides slaps and hospital visits, what do these people actually win?

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Between Thompsons Gazelles and Chinos Cudeiros

We have to go back to 1986 when “Beat” Takeshi Kitano was one of the most famous comedians in the country (before dedicating himself to making hyper-violent films). It was then that, with his immense fame, TBS decided to create a show tailored to his style, as frustrating and entertaining as possible: ‘Takeshi’s Castle.’

In Spain, we didn’t get to see the original format of the show, as it was edited to only show the most impressive tests and hits without having to go through the trouble of learning the rules. In reality, it couldn’t be simpler: around 142 contestants (approximately, depending on the episode) had to storm Takeshi Kitano’s castle, overcoming various challenges. Those who succeeded continued on, running through the woods towards the next adventure. Those who failed were left behind.

Upon reaching the final stage, the contestants who made it there had to face Kitano in a one-on-one battle using armed carts with pistols. The final challenge was a showdown where they had to defeat the comedian and director on his own turf, but to be honest, it was quite boring to watch on screen.

Now, let’s talk about the prize. What was it? Well, it was one million yen, which, adjusted for inflation, is around 8000 euros. Was it worth having bruises all over your body for a month? That’s for each contestant to decide. Out of 133 episodes, only 8 contestants managed to win, so it’s safe to say that Tokyo television didn’t splurge on rewarding them. And now, you know what’s next. With a one-in-seventeen chance of winning 8000 euros… Let’s get to it!

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