Scented candles and fruity vodka await funnyman Hart
A STOCKED bar, a 60-inch flatscreen TV, scented candles, and a full-length mirror are some of the things US comedian Kevin Hart wants in his dressing room during his three-day tour of South Africa.
A tall order from the diminutive celebrity. But for locals to get the best of Hart during his What Now? tour, all this will have to be available in the “clean, well-lit” dressing room, which also should be capable of being locked.
According to Hart’s list of needs, published by website Smoking Gun, the “purchaser shall provide an adequate quantity of assorted vitamin water, 16 Red Bulls, 20 bottled water, hot water and cups for tea, green tea, honey and lemon wedges”.
The rider reads: “The full bar set-up should include eight 750ml bottles of Ciroc Vodka — two peach, two coconut, two amaretto and two pineapple, two 750ml bottles of Patron Silver tequila, two bottles of Belaire Rose champagne, two of D’Usse Cognac, cranberry juice, extra pineapple.”
For eats, the 36-year-old demands that six people should be catered for with 40 baked wholegrain chicken wings with blue cheese dressing, pasta alfredo and assorted wraps with cheese steak, turkey and cheese. There should also be fruit platters with pineapples, grapes, strawberries, kiwi fruit and watermelon, and he wants cookies for four people.
Roddy Quin, owner of Real Concerts, the company behind Hart’s visit, said the rider was “pretty reasonable and we have everything he needs. There were a few items on the list that were not available in South Africa. We liaised with his manager and he was able to send us a substitute list of the beverages.”
Hart’s tour started last night at GrandWest Casino in Cape Town with three US opening acts. He is set to perform in Durban tomorrow and in Johannesburg on Wednesday night.
Apart from his needs on the stage set, security was a major highlight on Hart’s rider and included a requirement of about 134 guards who “need to have a uniform and a four- to six-inch glow stick”.
The rider reads: “Before you book anyone to work, understand that each guard should be age-appropriate — understand the assignment required walking up and down stairs for approximately two hours, this must be conveyed to potential employees.”
Fans who want to take snaps of Hart should just forget it as they stand the chance of being “rejected”.
This means they will be asked to leave if they are spotted by roamers filming or texting during the show or even just taking a picture of Hart.
Quin said the strict policy on cellphones, which will be posted all over at the venues, was “due to copyright, as his worldwide requirements state that we can’t have any footage or even images being used anywhere unless supplied by his management.
“If you can see or hear Kevin Hart, then you shouldn’t have your cellphone. We don’t want anyone booted out of the show,” he said.
Before you book anyone, understand that each guard should be age-appropriate