Ricchaadotv on Comedy, Music and Expat Life in Japan

Viral creator @Ricchaadotv sits down with GaijinPot to talk about his alter-egos, couch surfing in Tokyo and making it in Japan.

For five years, Richard Thomich built a massive internet following by cracking hyper-specific jokes about life in Japan—all without actually living there. Working out of his bedroom in the UK under the handle ricchaadotv, he relied on green screens, viral skits and a fluent command of Japanese to build a loyal fanbase. Today, however, the green screen is gone.

On GaijinPot’s Behind The Feed, Richard sat down to discuss what happened when he finally packed his bags for Tokyo—trading viral internet skits for stand-up comedy, couch surfing and a relentless hustle to make it as a full-time creator.

Breaking Free and Finding Japan

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A post shared by Richard Tomić 🥭 (@ricchaadotv)

Before performing stand-up in Tokyo, Richard lived a vastly different life. Raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, he spent his childhood going door-to-door preaching—an environment he credits with both instilling discipline and giving him a high tolerance for rejection, though it heavily restricted his artistic outlets.

It wasn’t until he moved to Japan and eventually left the organization that he truly felt free to pursue his passions.

“Japan wasn’t just the land of anime and vending machines for me—it was actually the place where I found myself and who I was.”

That path wasn’t easy. Moving back to Tokyo earlier this year meant emptying his savings, couch-surfing with friends, and essentially rebuilding his life from scratch while grinding on the local open-mic stand-up circuit.

Comedy, Music, and the Art of the Character

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ricchaadotv standup

](http://cdn.gaijinpot.com/app/uploads/sites/4/2026/07/ricchaadotv-standup.jpg)Richard performing standup comedy.

Fans love him for his fluent Japanese and sharp observational humor. But comedy is only half of Richard’s creative world. Behind the scenes, he is a dedicated music producer. He crafts alternative, genre-bending R&B that blends wildly different influences. You can hear shades of Childish Gambino, Michael Jackson, and even heavy metal bands like Bring Me the Horizon.

On stage, his stand-up tells a unique story. He blends his UK roots with his past as a “door-to-door Bible slinger.” Reenactments and exaggerated characters are his sweet spot. This approach lets him turn personal awkwardness into comedy that connects with audiences from Tokyo to Nagoya.

Playing Catch-Up to Creative Greatness

Despite being a self-described introvert in real life, Richard’s ambitions are anything but small. From writing his own semi-autobiographical show to producing music for major studio artists, he views every setback—including the early days of unpaid comedy gigs and financial strain—as just part of the origin story.

“I feel like I’m playing catch-up,” Richard shares, looking toward a future filled with tours, album releases, and stadium shows. “I know I can do it all, and I just want to see how far I can go with my craft.”

Check out the full interview on GaijinPot’s YouTube channel to see Richard break down his characters, drop some music production secrets, and perform live stand-up in Tokyo!

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