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Rocky Aoki

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Restaurateur

The Resume

    (October 9, 1938-July 10, 2008)
    Born in Tokyo, Japan
    Birth name was Hiroaki Aoki
    Founded the Benihana restaurant chain (1964)
    Father of model Devon Aoki

Why he might be annoying:

    He was part of Japan's Olympic wrestling team but was unable to compete because he was over the weight limit (1960).
    He said he adopted Jheri curls so white people could tell him apart from other Asians.
    He founded a porn magazine, Genesis, with the gimmick of two centerfolds for the price of one.
    He woke up from a powerboat accident to discover his wife on one side of his hospital bed and his mistress on the other side (1979).
    He resigned as chairman of Behihana and paid a $500,000 fine after being charged with insider trading (1998).
    He sued four of his children over control of Benihana, calling them 'disloyal and incompetent.' (2006)

Why he might not be annoying:

    He earned the $10,000 to open the first Benihana by driving an ice cream truck in Harlem.
    He was the first person to cross the Pacific in a hot-air balloon (1981).
    In three powerboat racing accidents, he broke a total of 21 bones and had to have his gallbladder and spleen removed.
    He won a national backgammon championship.
    He founded the Rocky Aoki Foundation to support artists in Japan and the US.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 9 Votes: 22.22% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 20 Votes: 65.00% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 70 Votes: 41.43% Annoying