The Most Disturbing Reality TV Show of All Time

[Applause] What else? Yeah, let's see. What else would you walk around naked with 17 million people watching, including your friends and family? Get locked away for 15 months and have zero contact with the outside world, and have to choose between starvation and eating dog food? Your answer is probably no.

The producers of the disturbing Japanese TV show, "Nasubi," knew this in 1998. A man named Nasubi, an aspiring comedian, was invited to participate in what he thought was a harmless TV program. But what he thought would be his big break soon turned into his worst nightmare. How did the authorities let what would eventually be seen as borderline torture happen? Why did the audience keep watching?

This is the story of the most deranged spectacle that has ever aired on television: the real-life Truman Show. Born in the Japanese city of Fukushima, Tamaki Hamatsu was the mild-mannered son of a policeman, a stay-at-home mom, and had an older sister. Due to the nature of his father's work, the family had to relocate frequently. In part due to this constant moving, the young Hamatsu never managed to connect with his peers.

As a kid, he was bullied quite a lot. With no solid friend group to turn to, the only way Hamatsu could connect was by embracing the jokes aimed at him. Most popular among these was "Nuubi" or "eggplant," a name that made fun of his long face. Instead of letting it bring him down, he chose to embrace it. By owning the name Nasubi, he developed a sort of alter ego.

In many ways, the Nuubi name primarily served as a way to protect him from bullies. He realized that if he could make people laugh, they were less likely to hurl abuse his way. With his newfound moniker of Nasubi, the young man from Fukushima began to develop a love for comedy, leading into the clumsy, clown-like style that made kids laugh. Interestingly, that slapstick sort of humor is reminiscent of Jim Carrey, who played Truman Burbank in 1998's "The Truman Show."

Ultimately, being a local entertainer wasn't going to cut it. If Nuubi intended to make a living against the approval of his family, he set his sights on the big city. He decided Tokyo was going to be the beginning of his career in comedy. While his parents weren't huge fans of the decision, they gave him their blessings on one condition. Talk about foreshadowing.

In Tokyo, we start to witness the influence of Nuubi's childhood take shape. During his early years, much of his behavior was anchored by a profound need for acceptance. He's what most would describe as a people pleaser. It's plausible that these experiences cultivated a strong sense of subservience, making him an easy target for the producers, as you'll see later on.

As a small-time comedian in the big city, Nuubi honed his craft at local comedy clubs. Most of his attempts at stardom were unsuccessful, yet he remained resilient. By chance, he managed to score a television audition that would change his life forever. It's important to highlight that this level of dedication can have its rewards, yet, as we'll eventually come to see with Nuubi's quest for recognition and acceptance, this might be the mother of all Monkey's Paw.

Before we continue, I want to take a moment to thank the sponsor of today's video, Better Help. The scariest thing about the story of Nuubi isn't what he went through during the show, but afterwards. Imagine how traumatizing it must have been for him when he realized that everyone he knows has been watching his every waking moment for the last 15 months.

You might not have gone through the same experience as Nuubi, but if you're struggling with embarrassing or traumatic moments in your life, I can't recommend therapy enough. There was a time when I really struggled with impostor syndrome, and spending time with my therapist allowed me to fully understand why I was feeling that way and how I could overcome it. I'm now in a much better place mentally and more confident in my abilities. Better Help's mission is to make therapy accessible and affordable to everyone. All you need to do is answer a few questions, and usually in as little as a couple of days, you'll be assigned to a professional.