Hlope leads SA’s funniest man nominations

FOR THE second year in a row, Skhumba Hlophe is the most nominated comedian at the Comics’ Choice Awards.

Hlophe has four nominations – in the non-English comic award, flying solo award, breakthrough award and the Savanna comic of the year.

The comedians who are up for Waldos in the 7th annual Comics’ Choice Awards were announced in Joburg yesterday. Some of the categories were a pleasant surprise. Like the comics’ pen award. This category especially highlights the writers who may be on stage or behind the scenes. The Comics’ Choice Awards site explains: “As of 2015, this award was officially opened up to nonregistered comics. This was done to encourage writers/ cartoonists to become more involved in writing material for registered comedians, as well as to enter their TV, stage, printed and film work. “A registered comic, or a professional writer who qualifies in terms of the rules, may enter this category for any work written or drawn that has been sold in the course of the past 12 months.”

Celeste Ntuli follows Hlope with three nominations – which include the coveted Savanna comic of the year.

Last year, Tumi Morake was deservedly crowned the Comic of The Year. This year, the nominees are Ntuli, Hlophe, Loyiso Gola, Carvin H Goldstone and Kagiso KG Mokgadi.

Loyiso Gola and Goldstone are also nominated three times this year.

The lifetime achiever recipient is Cyril Green, who has been an actor, a talk show host, a philanthropist and an author. He rose to prominence in the 1970s as a part of Biltong and Potroast alongside the first Comics’ Choice Awards lifetime achievement honouree, Mel Miller. Here is a full list of the nominees:

Savanna newcomer of the year: Thabiso Mhlongo, Tsitsi Chiumya, Bongani Dube, Eric Jansen, Thabo Kgaphola

Intermediate award: Ebenhaezer Dibakwane, Virgil Prins, Glen Biderman-Pam, Noko Moswete, Mo Mothebe

Non-English comic award: Collen Chepi, Skhumba Hlophe, Celeste Ntuli, Mashabela Galane, Thapelo King Flat Mametja

Flying solo award: Skhumba Hlophe, Carvin H Goldstone, Celeste Ntuli, Loyiso Gola, Mashabela Galane

Comics pen award: Mojak Lehoko, Trevor Noah, Muzi Dlamini, Lazola Gola, Karabo Lediga

The Nando’s best friend of comedy: Goliath & Goliath, David Kau – Blacks Only, Carvin H Goldstone, On Fire Comedy, Armchair – Gino Fernandez

Savanna pan-African comic of the year: Patrick Idringi, Bright Okpocha, Carl Joshua Ncube, Tshepo Mpiti, Fernando Filipe

Breakthrough award: Skhumba Hlophe, Alfred Adriaan, Loyiso Gola, Robby Collins, Tumi Morake

Savanna comic of the year: Skhumba Hlophe, Loyiso Gola, Carvin H Goldstone, Celeste Ntuli, Kagiso KG Mokgadi

Lifetime achiever recipient: Cyril Green

The Comics’ Choice Awards will take place at The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City on September 9. Tickets cost R295 and are available at Computicket.