Japanese comedian running, sailing around globe to attract Olympics By TIM UNRUH, Salina Journal NEW CAMBRIA -- Kanpei Hazama's garb Wednesday morning as he jogged along the highway included a gray wig and a Tokyo 2016 Olympic hat. The comedian -- "just as famous in Japan as Saturday Night Live cast members in New York," according to his entourage -- is running through Kansas this week on a more than 22,000-mile run and sail around the globe, called the "Earth Marathon." The journey began Dec. 17 in Osaka, Japan, and will end somewhere in Japan during 2011. He stopped a few miles east of New Cambria on Wednesday morning to perform and tell a few jokes in Japanese. Hazama, 59, doesn't want money, but some attention would be nice as he runs about 35 miles a day for five days in a row, resting every sixth day. Chosen as Japan's special ambassador for Tokyo's bid to host the 2016 Olympic games, Hazama seeks to reach Copenhagen, Denmark, by Oct. 2. The International Olympic Committee will announce the host city on that date. Hazama's U.S. route goes through Chicago, which also is competing to host the OIympics in seven years. "This is my dream. I like to stand out," Hazama said through an interpreter. His traveling party includes men with cameras capturing video to post on YouTube and for a special television show to be broadcast when he returns home. "He has interest in being on the Oprah show in Chicago," said Mugi Morijiri, from Los Angeles, who is traveling with Hazama and managing publicity. Hazama is accompanied by a lead car, a car trailing and a bicyclist pedaling near him. The U.S. portion of the journey began March 13 at Long Beach, Calif. Since that time, Hazama has gone through 12 pairs of New Balance shoes, which retail for more than $100 a pair. The shoe company is sponsoring the global run, along with Toyota and others. Hazama has traveled to large U.S. cities before, among them New York, Los Angeles and Miami, "but never to small cities like Salina," Hazama said, where "the people are so friendly. Sometimes we hear ... of America as a scary place. It's nothing like that." Many Japanese American fans have come to cheer Hazama, and some have provided him food and drinks. "These fans know he likes beer," Morijiri said. "We don't buy beer." The trip through the States has required some adjustments, Hazama said. He still prefers the "more healthy" Japanese food. "American food makes me fart," Hazama said, and depending on wind directions, it's sometimes not pleasant for his followers. n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.