I remember seeing one episode where they questioned whether Hamada was still a Tsukkomi. They said that over the years he became more and more of a Boke. They didn’t know if it was something on purpose, or because of age, as he got older and more senile. Or who knows, when they are in a “group”, they all end up going Boke, for the entertainment of the public. I’ve seen many Tsukkomi’s be “funnier” than their Boke’s partners… So I believe that these terms no longer apply to groups of comedians. The two can be Tsukkomi’s, or Boke’s.

I always thought it was a “poop on a stick”. From what I remember, it’s part of Japanese culture. But I think I must be getting confused with the Spy Batsu Game. They also get nicknames.