Commercialism in Sumo

[jac@powerup.com.au (Greg Lund)]

Doreen Simmons' comments on this matter were, as usual interesting.  I was
living in Tokyo when Takamiyama was doing TV commercials for a bed
manufacturer dressed in nightshirt and long cap with pom pom, etc., and
didn't realise his case wasn't a one-off.

„Nope. One rule for all. In Takamiyama's day, everybody was doing it.
„Finally the Kyokai decided it was undignified and sometimes time-consuming;
„raised their salaries and told them to cut out the extramural money-making
„activities. Apart from the out-and-out commercials, this came as quite a
„blow to a rather good singer who was about to put out a pop record; and
„rikishi and oyakata who were artists or potters in their spare time also
„found themselves under a ban.

I wonder if the would-be pop singer  was MIHOGASEKI Oyakata, but probably
not, as I understand he has something like 200-odd recordings to his credit
already.

Greg Lund