| Cocorico | ||
|
Japanese name:
|
ココリコ | |
|---|---|---|
| Kokoriko | ||
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Formed:
|
1992 | |
|
Company:
|
Yoshimoto Kōgyō | |
| Shōzō Endō | ||
|
Boke:
|
Naoki Tanaka | |
Cocorico (ココリコ Kokoriko), also romanized as Coq au Rico, is a Japanese comedy duo (kombi) consisting of Shōzō Endō (遠藤 章造 Endō Shōzō) and Naoki Tanaka (田中 直樹 Tanaka Naoki). They are best known for making up the cast of the popular and long-running variety show, Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!.
It is unclear whether Cocorico or Coq au Rico is the official romanization when referring to the kombi. While "cocorico" is the correct French spelling, their namesake spells it "coq au rico." The former is the romanization most often used in the English-speaking fandom.
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Both born in 1971 and raised in Toyonaka, Osaka, they formed in 1992 at Yoshimoto Kōgyō when Endō quit his mundane job as a salaryman and invited his childhood friend Tanaka to join him as a duo. They named themselves after a cafe in Osaka called "Coq au Rico," a variant spelling of the French onomatopoeia for the crowing sound a rooster makes. Their name at first was "Cocorico Bombers," until they were advised to shorten it.
Cocorico's subtle humor went unappreciated by most comedians, until it caught the attention of Hitoshi Matsumoto of the comedy duo Downtown. In 1997, they became regular members of the show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!, where they made their big break.