Shinsuke Shimada

{{short description|Japanese comedian and television presenter}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Shinsuke Shimada

| birth_name = Kimihiko Hasegawa

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|3|24}}

| birth_place = Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Japanese

| years_active = 1974-2011

| other_names =

| known_for =

| occupation = Comedian, television presenter

}}

{{Nihongo|Shinsuke Shimada|島田紳助|Shimada Shinsuke}} is a Japanese comedian and television presenter. He first became popular as part of a manzai duo formed with his on-stage partner Matsumoto Ryusuke. The duo was active between 1976 and 1985.

In 1991 he directed the film Kaze, Slow Down.

Shimada played an important role for keeping the popularity for contemporary manzai alive - for many years he was the driving force behind the popular manzai competition M-1 Grand Prix.{{Cite web |title=M-1 Grand Prix Official Website |url=https://www.m-1gp.com/ |access-date=2019-05-10 |website=M-1グランプリ 公式サイト}}

On August 23, 2011, Shinsuke Shimada announced his retirement after admitting to extensive ties to the yakuza, Japan's organized crime.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/aug/25/shinsuke-shimada-resigns-yakuza-links |title= Japanese TV host Shinsuke Shimada resigns over yakuza links |author=McCurry, Justin |date=2011-08-25|accessdate= 2011-09-20|work =The Guardian}} The yakuza's dominance in the entertainment industry was a subject that has long been a taboo.[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/08/ties-yakuza-are-no-laughing-matter/338657/ "Ties to the Yakuza Are No Laughing Matter"], 26 August 2011, Jake Adelstein, The Atlantic Wire