Patrick Harlan

Patrick Harlan

Patrick Harlan at Expo 2005
Born (1970-11-14) November 14, 1970
Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A.
Occupation Comedian, TV personality, voice actor
Years active 1996–present

Patrick Harlan (born November 14, 1970 in Colorado, United States) is an American comedian, member of the comedy duo Pakkun Makkun in Japan. He is often referred to by his stage name Pakkun.

Harlan grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado and a graduated from Harvard University with a degree in the Comparative Study of Religion. He first came to Japan on a tour with the Harvard Glee Club in 1993. He lived in Fukui and taught at an English conversation school. He studied Japanese on his own and passed the highest level of the Japanese Proficiency Test after 2 years in the country.[1] He moved to Tokyo in 1996 to pursue an acting career.

In 1997, Harlan joined with Makoto Yoshida to form the comic duo Pakkun Makkun, with Harlan as the boke (funny guy) and Yoshida as the tsukkomi (straight guy). They were the first international pair on the Japanese comedy scene in decades. They quickly made a name for themselves, winning the Tokyo FM King of Comedy Tournament and making it to the finals of NHK's Shinjin Engei Taisho both in 1999. They were also finalists on NHK's Bakusho Onair Battle in 2000. Pakkun Makkun became regular faces on Japanese television with a daily corner on the popular afternoon show Just on TBS for five and a half years. Pakkun Makkun took their Manzai style to Las Vegas in 2004 and Los Angeles in 2007, performing both times in English with their straightman and funny guy roles reversed. In addition to comedy, Harlan works as an actor, DJ, narrator, commentator and TV show host. As a solo performer Patrick became well known as the host of NHK's Eigo de Shabera Night, and later the secondary host or "Friday Partner" of Nihon Television's Omoikkiri Ii Terebi with Mino Monta. From 2010 to 2014, Harlan was the main MC of 7Sta Bratch and 7Sta Live on TV Tokyo. In the 2010s Harlan began commenting on news and current events and in 2015 became the moderator of "GAIKOKUJIN KISHAHA MITA / Through Foreign Journalists' Eyes" a weekly current affairs discussion program on BS-TBS television.

Television

Voice work

Published works

References

  1. ↑ Eigo Town interview with Pakkun Makkun: http://www.eigotown.com/culture/interview/pm/interview_p2.shtml
  2. ↑ https://www.nhk.or.jp/dwc/cuisine/
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