Glutton king dishes out nuggets of wisdom

March 05, 2001

If you love to binge at eat-all-you-want buffets, you could be the winner to the next Food Frenzy.

(Click on pictures for larger image)

Here are some quick ways to make a quick buck and be a millionaire overnight:

1.	Dream about it (Oops, ok, that doesn't count)
2.	Buy the Lottery
3.	Take part in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire game show; or
4.	Simply…eat.

But, here's a catch - you can't just eat like you normally do for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper.

According to Japanese idol Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (one of the SMAP's pop band member), you must 'have an appetite like the universe'.

In short, you must be able to eat A LOT.

Standing at the height of 1.7m and weighing a modest mass of 55kg, the scrawny 26-year-old certainly doesn't look the type who is capable of bingeing or standing any chance of putting on extra chunks of fatty deposits around his waistline. However, this unlikely Food Frenzy character is the exact opposite of what you would expect.

And so the story goes: Kusanagi takes part in a rigged underground "Eat-All-You-Can" Competition with a hidden agenda.

The cool dude begins by masticating his food with the perfect poise. Then, he goes on to swallow and digest his chow with complete nonchalance. He does this repeatedly as he consumes bowls after bowls of rice slowly, and steadily until he reaches the 16th bowl. (Oh wow, are we bowled over yet or what?)

Finally, he raises his hand to signify a halt to his undertaking.

Just in cast you have imagined that Kusanagi must be turning green puking his intestines out and struggling to retain consciousness from all that gorging, let me beseech you to throw that thought out of your mind. That description was meant for his counterpart contestant.

Meanwhile, the bony man gets up from his seat casually, bends over and goes on to tell the awed viewers that - 16 bowls of rice is but 'chicken feed' (read: an easy task which falls well within the realm of one's capacity) - simply because, he has an appetite like the universe.

Sounds remotely like a typical slapstick Stephen Chow flick, if you ask me.

Apart from the hilarity and mirth, Food Frenzy really spins a tale about the struggles of orphans and their interesting life stories.

In the first episode, we find out that the male lead has been using his prize money to fund the orphanage he once lived under an anonymous identity.

On top of that, co-star Fukada Kyoko (who plays Kusanagi's love interest in this touching and heart-warming drama) also joins hands with her beau to help open up the mind and troubled heart of an introverted orphan who arrives at the Home.

How far can the couple assist the withdrawn child? How would they deal with a snobbish brat who comes to the Home in the upcoming episode? And how much longer can the actor hold on to his rein with his limitless appetite in the unscrupulous world of dirty politics and betrayal?

Find out in the next episode of Food Frenzy, Thursdays, 10:30pm.

Channel 8's Food Frenzy site:

Fan Sites:
Fudaka Kyoko
This site offers features and provides various pictures and links of the sweet-looking Japanese star. Quite a cool and sleek to check out, I would say.

Kusanagi Tsuyoshi
This site offers a brief profile write-up and provides a picture gallery that's sheer eye-candy for the fans of Smap member.

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