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One-on-one with Carl Ncube

Life & Style
One of the funniest men to have ever walked on this earth, acclaimed English comic actor, Charlie Chaplin once said: I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician. In Zimbabwe there are many comedians and among them is […]

One of the funniest men to have ever walked on this earth, acclaimed English comic actor, Charlie Chaplin once said: I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.

In Zimbabwe there are many comedians and among them is one tenacious young man who is slowly becoming the Charlie Chaplin of our times, and that is stand-up comedian Carl Ncube, who is less than three years old in the game, but already has people talking and excited about his shows.

Stand-up comedy has been described as an event where the comedian usually recites a fast-paced succession of humorous stories, short jokes called bits, and one-liners, which constitute what is typically called a monologue, routine or ac, and it is also performed by professional comedians outside of traditional entertainment venues, such as in country clubs, at corporate events and conferences, as charity fundraising events even in temples and churches.

NewsDay reporter Tinashe Sibanda recently caught up with the funny man. Below are excepts of the conversation.

ND: When and how did you start stand-up comedy? CN: It was in 2010 when a friend asked me to crack a joke at an event. I prepared three jokes and everything just spiralled to where we are today. I have, however, always been a joker from closely watching my father who was an MC at weddings and I used to admire his delivery, and I hoped to take up stand-up comedy when I was older, realising that humour could also be genetic.

ND: Describe yourself in a few words. CN: An extremely chatty person who loves to create things I see ideas everywhere for any kind of problem.

ND: What is stand-up comedy in your own view and do you think Zimbabweans appreciate it? CN: It is getting paid to make people laugh using a microphone, on an occasional bar stool. Zimbabweans love stand-up comedy, but there just isnt enough of it around. Certain things just dont exist to enable comedy to grow such as product endorsement and sponsorship of comedy events. There arent many or any comedy venues and most venues that would be ideal for stand-up comedy shows have since been converted to churches.

ND: What are the risks in stand-up comedy? CN: Everything is a risk from not remembering your material, a new joke that doesnt work; an old joke that falls flat; you not being in the right frame of mind and hecklers. However, if a joke makes you laugh, perhaps it will make someone else laugh. So thats usually the first indication that I have written something funny.

ND: What were your best and worst moments as a comedian? CN: After getting an unbelievable response from the Lagos audience on my last trip to Nigeria, I then went to performed in Abuja and people there hardly laughed. I struggled through that performance and wished Air Zimbabwe would fly me home . . . then I realised Air Zimbabwe wasnt flying at all so I continued. I went on to absolutely kill it with a great performance in Nairobi a few days later.

ND: Who inspires you? CN: My dad, Charles Ncube. Game changers in Africa like Trevor Noah, Dave Levinsohn whose mind as a comedian I just love and other comics that I think are awesome, as well like Michael Mcintyre, Lee Evans, Kevin Hart, Dave Chapelle and Jake Whitehall.

ND: Which other big names have you performed with? CN: Basketmouth (Nigeria), Klint the Drunk (Nigeria), Loyiso Gola (South Africa), David Kibuuka (SA), Eric Ormondi (Kenya), Salvador Idringi (Uganda) and Daliso Chaponda (Malawi), among others.

ND: What other plans do you have concerning your career? CN: I plan on moving to New York to see how the comedy industry works over there, so I can sharpen, enhance and grow. I am also in a season of learning, so I can figure out how to improve in what I do. I know there is more I just need to figure out how to get it out there. There are also TV productions, DVDs and bigger shows coming up and of course continuing with the slowest world tour ever which has so far gone to 16 cities out of the targeted 37.