Trevor Noah wins top awards
SATURDAY night saw more laughs than usual because most of the comedians in the country had gathered under one roof to award each other for keeping the nation in stitches.
The Teatro at Montecasino was home to the annual Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards at the weekend, where the chosen few were awarded the coveted Waldo statuettes.
The event was a comedy show in itself, and director and comedian Alan Committie made sure it was full of satire, music, sketches and stand-up comedy by all the winners.
The big winner of the night, Trevor Noah, was honoured in absentia. He won the Comic of the Year Award, and the new Flying Solo Award, which recognises “a brilliant one man/woman show”.
Noah made an appearance in the form of a video sketch by puppet masters and satirists, ZA-News.
He will become the new host of US hit The Daily Show starting from September 28, following the departure of Jon Stewart.
The excited audience went wild at the announcement that the first “non-English” award was won by Mashabela Galane, a trailblazer in the vernacular comedy world, and when Chris Steenkamp took home the Comics’ Pen Award, which recognised comics for their “wonderful writing”.
The award show, which is in its fifth year, had entertainers such as Marc Lottering, Tamara Dey and Tracey-Lee Olivier keeping the audience entertained.
New comic, Yaaseen Barnes, walked away with the Waldo for winning the new- comer category, and Schalk Bezuidenhout came out on top as the intermediate comic of the year.
In a heart-warming moment, comedian Ndumiso Lindi handed Joe Mafela, of ’ Sgudi ’Snyasi fame, his lifetime achiever award.
Mafela, who acts on Generations – The Legacy, spoke of his love for his craft as he recalled stories from decades ago.
The only category for which the public was allowed to vote on was the Audience Choice Award, and they overwhelmingly chose Khanyisa Bunu as the winner.
The Best Friend of Comedy Award was given to Goliath and Goliath, “for their contribution to local comedy in a non-performance role”.