We can thank God for comics
“Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone.”
THOSE are the opening words of the poem Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. How true those words are. It is quite ironic how accurate they are when we consider the lives of some of the famous comic personalities that gave us precious moments of laughter.
One of my favourites was Peter Sellers. He created the unforgettable character of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the Pink Panther series of movies which were directed by Blake Edwards.
He also regaled us with his portrayal of a bumbling Indian actor Hrundi V Bakshi in the hilarious Seventies’ comedy The Party. I have seen this classic over 20 times and still laugh uproariously each time.
However, Sellers’s real life was less funny. In fact it was downright sad. He was always in a black mood and dour in attitude.
Growing up with a dad like that was extremely taxing for his children.
Yet to the world he was the father that every kid would have loved to have, as they presumed that he would be a laugh-a-minute kind of dad.
In this case, sadly, life did not imitate art. A disturbed comic genius, very much like his peer Woody Allen.
Hopefully not all comedians are like that, especially our local ones. We have a plethora of funny men and women comics in this country and many are of international standard.
Johannesburg-born Trevor Noah is one of South Africa’s major success stories. At the relatively young age of 34, he has packed so much into his life and is laughing all the way to the banks.
The following are just my thoughts on some of our local comedians and it’s by no means an exhaustive list of comics in this country.
Afzal Khan has always been my favourite. A hugely talented man, he endeared himself to comedy lovers who could never get enough of his antics. The Dingalings certainly were groundbreakers in shock comedy. Using expletives during their shows as naturally as saying hello, the usually conservative Indian community eagerly lapped up this new phenomenon.
Sold-out shows testified to that. Each member was a gifted comic, but the one that became most people’s favourite is Henry Ramkissoon. Well, at least he was mine. Small in stature, but that mouth. Eish! Nothing small about it.
One of the legends of dance and comedy is Mervyn Pillay. I was fortunate to have grown up with him and our families were very close. After all these decades, Pillay is still doing sold-out shows. That is talented comedic longevity.
Neville Pillay is a born comic. He is now very involved with stand-up comedy and corporate events after a very successful radio career. Radio is poorer without this incredible funny man.
A guy who has made his mark on the comedy stages is he who is known by his stage persona of Karou Charou. Love him or hate him, he will be in your face for a long time to come. Those who know him will readily acknowledge that he is highly talented in his field.
These days the local comedy scene is overrun by numerous “Aunties and Huncles”, each one competing for a place in the comedy spotlight.
One of the most successful is Aunty Rumba, the alter ego of the uber-talented Jailoshini Naidoo. We go back as friends for well over 15 years and I’m glad to say that she has remained the downto-earth, humble soul that I initially met.
I was also fortunate to have worked in the media industry with two skilled funnymen. Masood Boomgaard honed his craft years ago and entertains us these days on stage as well as in numerous hilarious video clips. I am honoured that in his fledgling days as a comedian he always stopped at my desk and ran his new jokes past me to get my view.
The other former colleague is Carvin Goldstone. This gentle giant of a comic has the distinction of being funny without the use of swearwords. This Newlands East boykie has endeared himself to comedy fans with his hilarious takes on local issues.
Should I mention aspiring comedian Logie Naidoo? Okay, I just did.
All the above-mentioned comedy artists and others not mentioned work hard to make us laugh.
Thereby, we relieve everyday stress and tension. I would say being a comic is not just a job, but a calling.
It shows God has a sense of humour. After all he did create us all with the proverbial funny bone.
Coming back to the classic movie The Party, one of the most famous lines of the movie came when a Caucasian movie actor asked Peter Sellers’s character: “Who do you think you are?” The immediate reply was: “In India we don’t think who we are, we know who we are.”
So, who are we? Just ordinary people looking for a laugh or two. Fortunately, wherever in the country we are, there are laughs aplenty.
“Birdie Num Num” to you too!