We chat to comedian Skhumba Hlope, who won The Flying Solo Comic Award at the recently-held Savanna Comics Choice Awards.
By: Fundiswa Nkwanyana
1.I find that comedians make people laugh because they are depressed. They tell jokes so that they can feel better; depressed people like to see others laughing. We also make fun of our problems or share them in a comical manner. Comedians are crazy people who just want to tell jokes; getting paid is an additional benefit.
2. At the age of nine, I knew I could make people laugh. My friends were always laughing when they were around me. As I grew older, more people were laughing louder to my jokes; I knew then that I had a gift.
3. My jokes come from everyday life situations. I look around and see what people are doing, and I easily see humour in it. My jokes are about black people because that is who I am, and the people I am surrounded by.
4. The South African comedy scene is like Kwaito in 1994. Comedy is at the stage where Kwaito was in the times of Mdu Masilela, Arthur Mafokate and Bongo Maffin – a new comedy movement has been born. New and old comedians are working together to make people laugh.
5. As comedians, we do not want to be celebrities. I just want to tell jokes and go home. I have no intention of being a celebrity. I love that my hobby of telling jokes makes me money.
