InventorSpot

Remember Kenny Blankenship? You know, Vic Romano's girl-chasing, hard-partying sidekick on Spike TV's overdubbed laugh-fest MXC? Today, "Kenny" is the governor of a Japanese province... let the most extreme marketing campaign begin!

Hideo Higashikokubaru, now 50, was a popular TV comedian most noted for starring alongside "Beat" Takeshi Kitano on Takeshi's Castle. The 1980s-vintage show featured dozens of competitors being "painfully eliminated" in a series of - well, I could go on but you've likely already seen MXC, the hilariously overdubbed version of Takeshi's Castle featuring Vic Romano, Kenny Blankenship, Captain Tenielle and Guy Le Douche.

Higashikokubaru, who was a hoot in both the original and the overdubbed versions, eventually parlayed his popularity into political success - from chicks & beer to checks & balances, as it were. Yes, our beloved "Kenny Blankenship" is now the governor of Japan's Miyazaki prefecture!

Evidently Higashikokubaru is doing a bang-up job as governor, which makes him a target for Japan's legion of marketers. One example of the products that are appearing on store shelves is the tissue box pictured below. One simply tugs each tissue free from Higashikokubaru's nostrils as required. In Japan, this is considered funny. Here too, come to think of it.

Though I didn't have pricing and ordering info at press time, it's likely some of the sites that scout out interesting Japanese snacks & gadgets, like Rinkya Stores, will stock up on the tissue box once word gets out the leering MXC co-host is featured, face up.

And, although Higashikokubaru doesn't officially sanction or endorse these kinds of products, I'm sure his alter-ego would recommend the tissue box - for those extreme nasal eliminations. (thanks to Shane at A Typical Life and SuperGaijin for the lead image)