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Tamori's Real Name: Kazuyoshi Morita
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Tamori (タモリ) 本名: Kazuyoshi Morita (森田一義)
Answer: Tamori's real name is Kazuyoshi Morita (森田一義). His stage name flips the syllables of his surname, Morita.
Kazuyoshi Morita was born on August 22, 1945, in Fukuoka. His stage name タモリ comes from reversing the syllables of his surname: Mo-ri-ta becomes Ta-mo-ri, an old style of jazz-musician slang.
He was discovered in the 1970s by jazz pianist Yōsuke Yamashita and comic manga artist Fujio Akatsuka, known for absurd skits and fake-language routines. He became one of Japan's "Big Three" TV comedians with Beat Takeshi and Akashiya Sanma.
He hosted the live daytime show Waratte Iitomo! (笑っていいとも!) on Fuji TV from 1982 to 2014, more than 8,000 episodes, and the music show Music Station. He is also known for his trademark sunglasses and love of geography in the show Bura Tamori.
FAQ
Where does the name Tamori come from? It reverses the syllables of his surname, Morita.
How long did Tamori host Waratte Iitomo!? From 1982 to 2014.