Princess Tenko, the beribboned, gothic-wardrobed Japanese magician who made her name in the United States, has recently been doing a lot of Japanese talk shows, mainly as a result of her reputation as Kim Jong Il's favorite magician.
On this week's "SMAP × SMAP" (Monday, Fuji TV, 10 p.m.), Tenko will be the guest in the SMAP Bistro, where the boy-band members whip up delectable dishes. Tenko is discriminating about the food she eats and reportedly has a personal chef in every major city of the world. In the Bistro, she requests a rich soup, and two pairs of SMAP members compete with each other to come up with a suitable concoction.
Later in the week, Tenko shows up again, but this time plying her normal trade as a magician. On the variety show "Bakusho Osupi Mondai" (Wednesday, Fuji TV, 7 p.m.), the hosts, comedy duo Bakusho Mondai and gay media pundits -- and twins -- Osugi & Piko, will welcome several famous Japanese magicians. In addition to Tenko, Maggie Shiro and the comedy-magic team Napoleons will appear. The highlight will be Tenko sawing Osugi in half.