Comics’ awards no joking matter

Two of South Africa’s top comedians are going head to head – but the battle is not taking place on stage.

Durban-based Carvin H Goldstone has accused John Vlismas of funny business and is calling for the suspension and full audit of the annual Comics’ Choice Awards.

He said Vlismas and his company‚ Whacked‚ had brought the awards into question with the nomination in the Flying Solo category of a comedian who had not had a solo show in the past year.

“The artist, Alfred Adriaan‚ is managed by‚ and had this same solo show produced by‚ John Vlismas’s company‚ Whacked,” Goldstone said.

Vlismas, he said, was also an owner of the Comics’ Choice Awards.

He said it was not a case of sour grapes‚ as he had been nominated in three categories.

However, he had a right to question why Adriaan was nominated for a solo show that opened on June 27 when the call for entries closed on May 3.

Goldstone said voting for the awards ended on July 4‚ a week after the debut of Adriaan’s show – which only played in Johannesburg.

“Adriaan’s name came up a second time as he was also nominated as South African Comic of the Year‚ the highest accolade in the Comics Choice Awards,” he said.

“Quite an achievement for an act who had just debuted his very first solo show only a week earlier‚ but still entirely possible.

“But this set off alarm bells across the comedy industry.”

Goldstone said he learnt that there was no recognised independent auditor.

So he was calling for the awards to be suspended and for an investigation or audit of the whole process.

He said he had chosen to raise the matter on Facebook as he wanted the comedy industry to see the responses.

Vlismas said Adriaan’s show had not been launched at the time of registration but was open while voting took place.

“There are no criteria in our terms and conditions that state when a show should have launched or run,” he said.

An independent audit has been commissioned to investigate Goldstone’s complaint. –