Comedian and Isibaya actress, Celeste Ntuli gives insight on her BET Experience and her world of comedy.
By: Boitumelo Mmakou
1. How exactly did you get into comedy?
It was 2005 and I had just watched Richard Pryor and The Kings Of Comedy with Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac and I fell in love and wanted to do what they do. Weeks passed and I saw a poster of a show featuring guys I went to tertiary with. I looked them up and it turned out they looking for me to start doing comedy shows with them.
2. Describe your first time on stage?
It was crazy because I didn’t know what to expect it was my first time ever doing comedy and it was in church, where I was given a list of things not to say. I felt restricted but got on stage and I talked about my life and living in the rural areas and people laughed and loved it and that was it.
3. In most cases comedy runs in the family, anyone in your family have the funny bone?
Yes, my siblings believe I have my dads humour and my two late aunts from my mother’s side were also hilarious. So when I’m on stage I feel like I am channeling my dad and aunts.
4. Comedy is a lucrative career, but one needs to put the time in to make it perfect. How do you do it? What helps you get into it and where do you source topics?
I don’t know how I do it and I’m still figuring it out. I am driven by the passion for what I do and the love of great music.
5. What is the most challenging thing about being a comedian (never-mind being female in a male dominant industry)?
The most challenging thing is to work on staying fresh and relevant.
6. What have you loved about being in the industry?
That I have a voice and can be heard as a person within comedy.
7. Do you think the saying is true…Is comedy still a man’s world?
I would say yes.
8. What can we expect from you at the BET event?
Great funny and fun material.
9. What’s next for you in acting and comedy? Any new roles or comedy shows apart from BET?
You can expect my countrywide comedy tour and a possible movie.
