I like a country where you can watch a comic poetry show on TV.

I was watching a sort-of variety contest TV show this morning, where audience members sent in short poems. These were of a form called "Senryuu" -- light comic poems which had to be 17 syllables in length. There were a few different themes -- workplace, family life, shopping. Each poem was shown along with a short minute-or two skit to set the stage, and bring out the comedy in the poem. Also there was a panel of seven judges and two MC's. Each judge could push either no buttons, one button, or two buttons, depending on how much they liked the poem. One MC had two buttons, and one MC had only one button, which she rarely ever pushed. Probably her vote was there as a bit of a tie-breaker, or to mark especially good entries. Also the judges bantered and joked around and talked about each poem.

The one which won the contest started with an old man on his death-bed. His family was gathered around him, crying and pleading "Don't die!!" The old man leans up to his son, whispers something in his ear, and then dies. The son is clearly dumbfounded, a mix of shock and horror on his face, as his mother pleads with him "what did he say? What did he say?!"

The poem was this:
遺言で　母さんの味噌汁味薄い。
His dying words: "Your mother's miso soup is watery."