Featured Image Credit: Hulu
Topics: TV and Film
Lucy Devine
People still can't believe that a reality show - dubbed the 'real life Truman Show' - was ever allowed to air.
If you think some of the reality shows these days are savage, think again.
Susunu! Denpa Shonen (translated as 'Do Not Proceed! Crazy Youth') aired from 1998 to 2002 on the Nippon TV Network.
It featured a Japanese man - comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu - who was left naked in a room for almost 15 months as millions of viewers watched his every move.
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Ever since it aired back in the late nineties, people have been referring to it as the 'real life Truman Show' - a film that sees Jim Carrey's character unknowingly star in a massive reality TV show where he was captured on camera.
The reality show began with Hamatsu being kidnapped, stripped down and thrusted into a small apartment with just a small bathroom and kitchen - although there was no food.
The idea was to see how long he could last, but many people can't believe it was even allowed to air.
As part of the game, Hamatsu had access to magazines which featured different sweepstakes.
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He was challenged to use these sweepstakes to raise ¥1 million (approximately $6,500) to win food for himself, which is what he survived on.
However, this often came in the form of dog food and dried rice.
Meanwhile, he waited 10 months before 'winning' toilet roll.
Years on, Hamatsu explained that while the door to the apartment wasn't locked, if he wanted to leave, he would have had to have left naked.
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He also explained that he had felt honoured to have been chosen to take part - although this eventually turned to anger.
"Tsuchiya was a very famous producer," he said. "I felt honored to have gotten picked. He, to me, was like a person in the sky.
"I had admiration for him. But that changed. He became evil. My respect eventually turned to anger.
"I did not want to be naked. I told him that a million times. But he insisted. I did it. Then I told him that I did not what to be broadcasted."
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The show has recently been explored in a movie, which aired on Hulu back in 2023.
After watching the movie, people were horrified over what Hamatsu had endured.
Taking to X, one viewer wrote: "Watched The Contestant and can’t believe something this deceptive and cruel was allowed. He was completely humiliated for trash reality TV."
"I’m horrified by all of this… this isn’t fun or funny," added another.