Thursday, December 27, 2007

Kelly Osbourne Turning Japanese Final Episode



In the series finale, Kelly adventures are coming to an end and at last she is beginning to embrace Japanese extraordinary culture.

The show opens with Kelly taking a train out of Tokyo to work as a teacher for a day. Teaching English in a Japanese school is the most common job for young Brits on a gap year and Kelly is determined to see what she can offer the excited and expectant youngsters. In her first class she finds out what the children would like to be when they grow up. Most want to be office workers, but one bright spark bucks the trend by wanting to be a God.

In her next and slightly older class, Kelly enlists the help to make the English lesson come alive. She sings along karaoke style to the words of 'Never Ending Story', and gets the students to fill in the blank words of the chorus. Kelly is clearly moved by the eagerness and openness of her students and returns to Tokyo energised for her final challenges.

Next up, Kelly works in a Dog Hotel for a day, where pampered Tokyo pooches go through a full beauty salon routine. The dogs can get everything here from temperature controlled baths to full drying ovens. Despite losing a dog or two during walk, Kelly has a blast and proves a dog handling natural. She also reveals her deep love of animals and the special role of her own four legged friend in helping ground her after she came out of rehab early in 2006.

Kelly final challenge in Japan will ascertain whether she really has turned Japanese. She has secured unprecedented access to join a highly respected Geisha house in Kyoto. Kelly will train for a week to see if she can take part in a special tea ceremony with important paying clients.

Geisha is a highly revered, almost mystical art in Japan with roots deep in its history. Kelly throws herself into an intensive training regime of dancing, learning how to walk, how to use a fan and how to ritually prepare the tea.

Kelly's experience at the Geisha house is a rare glimpse into a secretive world that is usually only seen in the movies. Kelly learns that even holding her head the wrong way can be frowned upon. After a tough seven days, the moment of truth arrives. Kelly is fitted with a beautiful kimono which alone is worth £10,000 as well as a jet black Japanese wig. Add the white make up and Kelly's outer transformation is complete. However, will Kelly have achieved the inner transformation necessary to become a believable Geisha girl?

With her heart racing, Kelly steps up to entertain some high profile guests, one of whom has been frequenting the tea house for over 40 years. It is instantly clear that Kelly has a natural charm and willingness to engage that transcends any language difficulty. She performs an intricate dance and carries herself with exceptional style. She is judged a resounding success and leaves Kyoto to return home to the UK on a high.

Reflecting on her journey, Kelly says "This is one of the best things I've ever done. Although the path to understanding the country has been a rocky one at times, Kelly has found many aspects of Japan deeply stimulating and fascinating, and it has led her to a new understanding of her host country. In the end Kelly has, with hard graft and determination, gone a long way to truly turn Japanese.

No comments: