Eating is supposed to be an intimate thing, only kids are supposed to eat outside and that's why you get looks for just chomping on fast food burgers while walking around.

You basically watched the Japanese equivalent of daytime TV with the variety comedy and talk shows, they aped a lot of that from BBC programming and 1970's American TV when the variety show exploded. Most popular TV is just dramas and schlocky romance just like everywhere else. The acting is real bad tho
Basically it's a lot more "don't air this shyt outside" or if you do, be drunk or don't just be a couple people. Also if you didn't chop it with some salarymen at the izakaya after work let out you missed one hell of a party. Them dudes know how to fukking
drink.