Comedy Central’s Roast of Khanyi Mbau
JOHANNESBURG - The Comedy Central Roast of Khanyi Mbau, recorded last month at the Teatro at Montecasino in Fourways in Johannesburg, aired on Comedy Central (DStv 122) yesterday night, at 9pm. The uncensored and uncut version will be released on Showmax on August 15.
The panellists giving Khanyi Mbau and each other a roasting were controversial podcaster Sol Phenduka, actor Sello Maake Ka Ncube, Hip-Hop artists Nadia Nakai, comedian John Vlismas, actor Celeste Ntuli, radio presenter Selby SelBeyonce Mkhize, broadcaster Tbo Touch, rapper YoungstaCPT and investigative journalist Devi Sankaree Govender, with Mpho Popps Modikoane as the roastmaster.
As to why Paramount Africa decided to bring back the Comedy Central Roast Africa for another edition in 2022, Dillon Khan, Video President of Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, VIS and Creative Service Africa at Paramount Africa, tells Channel24 that after the COVID-19 pandemic ‘Mzansi needed to laugh’.
“We know that the roast is such a popular format, and it was great timing to do the roast to make everybody laugh again.” On how Paramount Africa views so-called ‘cancel culture’, Khan said, “I think that what the roast is, is an acceptable format in so far as being able to poke fun; being able to make jokes.
“I think the format and context is so, so important. I think people understand the context of the roast is really about roasting the ones you love. It’s never done from a mean place. It’s never done with vitriol. It’s always done with a view of celebrating people but in a fun and jovial way. I think that we want to push boundaries with the roast. That’s what the format is, and that’s why people take part in it and put themselves forward they go in fully eyes-open as to what the roast is. It’s not a brand-new format. People know what it is, and they put themselves forward to do it in the spirit of knowing that it’s about celebrating rather than coming from a mean place of pulling someone down.”