In a day, I do laugh for about five hours ’
has issued its annual Top Earning Comedians list and, as usual, women comedians were nowhere to be seen on the list of the world’s top 10 comics.
With just over R300-million in earnings, US comic Jerry Seinfeld tops the list. Does this mean women are simply not as funny as their male counterparts?
Not according to Celeste Ntuli, the South African comedian and one of the few women making strides in a male-dominated industry.
“Women in general are still stuck on how to define themselves because there’s so much that ’ s been said about ‘ you can’t do this, you can’t do that’. I have a joke about the reason why us black girls aren’t sexually liberated, for example. It’s because we are taught that
In case you missed that, it is basically Zulu for what singer Beyoncé calls “if you want it, put a ring on it”.
Ntuli ’ s career began in Durban in 2005 where she was given the opportunity to tell jokes at a church event.
“I don’t know why the show was at a church. All I knew was I had to go on stage, crack jokes and someone was paying me to do it.”
“ (I was a struggling call centre agent). Getting paid R500 to tell jokes? Are you serious?” she adds.
That once-off spot given to her by a college friend who simply told her to do it because she’s funny, would take Ntuli on a new path she had never anticipated.
Although she knew that she wanted to be in the arts, she wasn’t betting on her knack for inspiring random laughter to one day pay the bills. Today she easily switches between her native Zulu and English to deliver comedy in packed venues.
“Even at home when there’s awkward situations, they know Celeste will be the one to break the ice. My father was too strict, so I guess at school I felt free and I was happy in that
Eight years later, Ntuli is still part of this thriving brand.
“When he mentioned how much he would pay me, I was blown away,” Ntuli laughs.
And so began a career in an industry where Ntuli remains one of only a few women comedians who have managed to make a mark.
Even at she is the only female. S’ne Mkhize, the other woman she found at the
back when she started, is no longer as active.
Tumi Morake is perhaps the only other black woman comedian who commands as much authority as any other comic, male or female. But this will hopefully change in future because, according to Ntuli, women are naturally funny people. “We are so funny. You get to a party and you’ll find that women are gossiping, gossiping and then there’s lots of laughter whereas men are talking about rims and politics. Boring! Women’s conversations are fun. That means we have a funny bone but, to get to the point; there’s no difference in gender when it comes to art.”
Ntuli will be the host of the
show at Gold Reef City’s Lyric Theatre, in Joburg tonight and tomorrow night.
Tickets are available at Com
puticket. – moment. I find myself in a joyful place because I laugh a lot. I think in a day, I do laugh for about five hours, I promise you.”
Following that church gig Ntuli received a call from Monwabisi Grootboom, the convener of