The Industry of Laughter

 "Laughter is the best medicine," someone once said.

And our main feature today is all about the revolution of comedy in Kenya, as we approach the mid-year mark.

Yet we must start with the pioneers, pay homage to the folks who were at the vanguard of comedy. And to do that, we first have to rewind the clock by 15 years.

Ah, here we are! 1996.

At the balcony of the Kenya National Theatre, hearing the hoarse voice of the late Joni Nderitu followed by horse-brays of laughter.

“You think I’m just joking?” Joni says. “Buy me a beer. There’s nothing for free in this Kenya, not even kicheko.” And there is another round — of laughter, and beer.

Steve Muturi, before Mwalimu King’ang’i, before Nyambane, was the first comedian to take his act to radio. Sadly he couldn’t hold his off-mic act together —and was a little short-lived. But Steve is unforgettable.

A bushy bearded Kenyasian called Shabbir, with a Comedy Nite going on at the Carnivore, was the first on TV with a show.

And over at the British Council, George Muruli in the mid 1990s not only gave tea and biscuits to artistes, but also might have been quite unaware of the talent he was nurturing under a theatre-comedy crew called Fanya and the Family.

This is where the likes of KJ first formulated his comedy, before hooking up with KU peer Nyambane and Tonny Njuguna KU entertainment manager in later years to found Redykyulass.

Churchill, Chieph, Mshamba and Sherrif (Sangoro) actually did six pilot comedy episodes with KTN under a producer called Susan, in which our own Smitta was the chief scriptwriter, but which resources didn’t allow to see the light of day.

Now Mshamba is on Radio Maisha morning show, you can sample Smitta’s very bizarre sense of humour on today’s ‘Scene At,’ while we are all taking off our hats to the reigning King of Kenyan comedy – Churchill.

For a while Redykyulass made Kenyan comedy popular and edgy (by parodying even the presidency), earning the then mind-boggling sum of Sh200,000 per show as a comedy crew, Churchill has single-handedly turned laughter into an Sh5million a season industry — through the clever use of endorsements.

And he has nurtured talents like  Eric Omondi — whose career has oscillated, but now looks strong and settled. Like the real (Winston) Churchill said: “Success is the ability to float from failure to failer, without letting your enthusiasm flounder.”

CEO-Pulse Editor