Comedian hits home-run on being privileged

TATS NKONZO IS PRIVILEGED, featuring Tats Nkonzo, at the Masonic Hall (back) until Saturday.

THOUGHT-PROVOKING funnyman Tats Nkonzo has had comedy lovers in stitches with his show, A South African Comedy Story: Tats Nkonzo is Privileged.

Mdantsane-born Nkonzo, whose real name is Mthawelanga, kept the diversely packed hall entertained as he tackled the dynamics of life in South Africa.

“What we have tonight is a typical South African crowd,” he observed during Sunday evening’s show.

“We’re all together but everyone is pocketed in small groups.

“Mixing is hard because the truth is it gets awkward,” he said, sharing his own experiences.

Nkonzo had the crowd in tears as he told the audience how while at the beach one day he saw a bag topple over and spill its contents onto the sand, with no one tending to it.

He did not dare intervene because of his fear of being misjudged.

“We have a long way to go because we’re either confirming stereotypes or breaking them,” he pointed out.

His epiphany, he said, came when he realised that regardless of race, he too was in fact privileged.

“I was having lunch in an upmarket restaurant in Cape Town one day when a homeless man came up to me to ask me for food.

“I had food in front of me, he could see it, I could see it, but I still said I have no food to offer him. That’s when I realised Tats Nkonzo is privileged.”

After that experience, Nkonzo said he decided to interact more with those who had less than him, in his effort to be a better human being.

“It’s difficult to get out of what you’re used to and mix with other groups. No one will tell you this but privilege affords you a great life.

“My material is not easy to listen to if you are closed-minded because of the issues it tackles,” he said.

“I am happy that audiences have opened themselves up to the title and opened themselves up to what the show could possibly be about.”

Closing off the night he said: “Integration is difficult and we don’t know how to beat these issues because we don’t talk about them.”

Robyn Derwin, from Johannesburg, loved the topic.

“People don’t want to talk about these issues because they’re controversial so I enjoyed hearing someone tell it like it is,” she said.

Simamkele Kona, from Port Elizabeth, said: “Tats is amazing. I used to see him on TV but didn’t know him well.

“Tonight he was mind-blowing. Everyone should give him a chance.”