Embodied Skill to Activate Communication in TV Shows

Abstract

How can we make communication active? Although we participate in and contribute to various conversations everyday, we are not necessarily self-aware of what skills we employ to activate conversations. A good example of experts who are very good at activating conversations is comedians. They quickly grasp what kind of roles they are supposed to play in any changing circumstances in a TV variety show and behave so that the whole atmosphere is enjoyable. In this paper, focusing on Mr. Kendo Kobayashi, a popular Japanese comedian, we examine skills to activate and direct conversations toward an enjoyable atmosphere.