Last week we talked about the 9-year old drumming prodigy Yoyoka Kaneai and her original appearance on ellentube.
She was invited on the show for a second time (first for Japanese citizen) to find out what happened in that most amusing original encounter.
Please recall that Yoyoka-Prodigy gave Ellen a beautiful name composed of two ideograms 絵蓮 which is read “Eren (Ellen in Japanese) and translates to Lotus-Flower-Picture.
Let’s look at the next meaningful interaction between Lotus-Flower and Yoyoka-Prodigy
Lotus-Flower asks Yoyoka-Prodigy, “Did you have fun last time you were here?“
This is when then Lotus-Flower asks Yoyoka-Prodigy, “What I didn’t ask you last time when did you ‘learn’ to play the drums, how old were you and why did you start?”.
Using the word ‘learn’ again is the particular point where they got stuck last time. This is because Yoyoka has no concept of what it means to ‘learn’, as she is a prodigy. Indeed the drums came to her naturally, and she doesn’t understand what ‘learning’ a musical instrument actually means.
Yoyoka-Prodigy then replies, “I started play the drums when I was two, but I’ve never ‘learned’ them, however, that is when I started to feel the drums.
She continues, “I can also read music but it’s a pain, so I have never actually ‘learned’ the drums.
Lotus-Flower continues to ask Yoyoka-Prodigy, “so who do you like as drummers, who’s your favorite?”
Yoyoka-Prodigy says, “there’s tons of drummers that I like but my favourites, if we’re talking rock music, is Dave Grohl.
Absolutely relieved, Lotus-Flower then says, “I heard it, Dave Grohl”.
They continue to discuss the merits of why Yoyoka-Prodigy loves Dave Grohl as one of her favourite drummers.
“He quite handsome and has a particularly awesome heavy rock groove!”, is what Yokoka says.
The next delightful part is when Yoyoka-Prodigy brings a Kendama to Ellen and ‘teaches’ how to do it.
Thanks to the gracious nature of this most powerful talkshow host, Lotus-Flower gives it the old college try.
You can see how difficult it is to do this particular child’s game, if you haven’t practiced. And the Japanese are truly delighted when one take the Kendama challenge, as is evidence in the joyful faces of the Japanese in the audience.
Lotus-Flower then goes into explained what happened last time, and the so very interesting interaction that occurred on her show the first time Yoyoka-Prodigy appeared.
Lotus-Flower says to Yoyoka-Prodigy “The last time you were here, see what happens is, we interview ahead of time and ask questions of what things you like, and then I pretend like I don’t know and I ask you questions out here.
Yoyka with blank look.
Lotus-Flower continues, “We’ll explain all this later. This is what happened the last time she was here.”
This is the dialog from the amusing clip in Part 1:
Lotus-Flower: What kind of instrument do you want “learn” how to play next?
Interpreter: She wants to know how to play the guitar and the bass.
Lotus-Flower: That’s not what I was hoping she would say.
Interpreter: Not that…
Lotus-Flower: Ask her some other instruments…
Interpreter: Any thing else???
Yoyoka-Prodigy: (stroking chin pensively) Nope!
Lotus-Flower: That’s it? Would she like a xylophone?
Yoyoka-Prodigy: Do I have to learn it?
Interpreter: She doesn’t want to learn it.
Lotus-Flower: Did she want to look at one?
Lotus-Flower: Bring it out!
Yoyoka-Prodigy: Expresses a shakojirei (polite and diplomatic), by going “Yeahhh” and waving her arms.
Back to part 2:
Lotus-Flower continues, “so we thought you wanted to learn the xylophone.”
There’s that word ‘learn’ again, which continues to be the amusing language gap between Lotus-Flower and Yoyoka-Prodigy.
The translator explains in Japanese to Yoyoka-Prodigy that Lotus-Flower thought that she wanted a xylophone.
The puzzlement on Yoyoka-Prodigy face is exceptionally amusing.
Upon seeing this non-reaction Lotus-Flower says “No?”
The translator asks Yoyoka-Prodigy, “Didn’t you want to have a xylophone?”
You can see that she is still confused about why we are still talking about the xylophone. And as she hesitates when the translator asked her “didn’t you want to have a xylophone?“ She hesitantly answers and stumbles a little bit saying “yeah, I guess I wanted it.”
The relieved Lotus-Flower say, “Oh good, so have you used it, have you ‘learned’?”
There’s that word ‘learn’ again…
The translator asks, “So are you using it?”.
To where Yoyoka-Prodigy replies, “Yes, I use it every day.”
The always humorous Lotus-Flower replies, “Oh that’s wonderful because I was going to take it back”
We then go to the stage where Yoyoka rocks it out!
After the performance of “The Pretender“, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame greets Yoyoka-Prodigy with a video message, which must have been a big thrill for this young prodigy.
At the end, the most very powerful host, gives Yoyoka-Prodigy and her family VIP passes to go to Universal Studios. Thank you very much Ellen!
Personally, I have very deep respect for Ellen DeGeneres, who came out as a lesbian in 1997, probably knowing full well this would have a negative effect on her career, which it did. Nevertheless, Ellen overcame all obstacles to become one of most influential forces for the good of humanity, without a doubt.
See Yoyoka-Prodogy return to the Ellen show.
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