Comic cracks the big time with his roast
A DURBAN comedian has hit the big time and will soon be off to the Big Apple.
Richelieu Beaunoir is heading to New York after winning the Comedy Central Roast Battle recently.
Of his win, the Joburgbased Newlands East lad said yesterday: “I’m excited about winning Roast. It’s crazy to win. I wanted it badly. At every stage of the Comedy Central Roast Battle show, I was thinking of my fans who believe in me. I just got better and better as the battle progressed,” he said.
“Also, I did not doubt myself. You have to believe in yourself, otherwise there’s no point in doing what you do,” said the king of cool, dressed in a baseball cap, T-shirt, denims and takkies. His trendy spectacles topped off the look. His win came on the back of giving veteran “rude and boisterous” comedian John Vlismas, one of the judges, a roasting.
“The idea was to offend Vlismas, and no one is better at that than him.”
The win is not the only thing that has him on cloud nine. He is a father of a newborn – two-week-old Azaiah. “I’m excited to be a father. It’s my first child and thankfully, it’s a boy,” he jokes.
Funnyman Carvin H Goldstone, another local lad, gave him a break in stand-up comedy after a mutual friend facilitated their working relationship.
Like Goldstone, Beaunoir, in trying to gain mass appeal and said he planned to steer clear of swearing.
“From next year, I’ll stop being ‘sweary’. I want to have mass appeal and if you swear, you offend people. Plus I’m a father now,” he said.
His style has been described as “subtle” and “uncompromising”. “Now my plan is to be likeable. I want to attract new fans.”
The affable Beaunoir has his wife, Tyrelle, then his girl- friend, to thank for his rise in the comedy scene. He followed her to Joburg where she aimed to “broaden her horizons”. Within a month he had met comedians David Kibuka, Trevor Noah, Kagiso Lediga and Loyisa Gola.
Beaunoir credits his father for his funny disposition. His dad kept an ample stock of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and other comedians’ material in their house and later bought him a joke book.
Things are still up in the air as far as the upcoming trip is concerned.
“The organisers have not confirmed the actual date of my departure to New York. Neither have they said if I’ll be going as a guest or a performer.”
Beaunoir does not know yet if he will get a stab at performing a set or being on the Roast.
“The key thing is to observe, and do my act based on what I see there.
“All comedians’ material comes from looking at the ordinary from everyday life and turning those things into the funny.
“If I get an opportunity to perform in New York, I’ll do a gag and bounce,” he chirpped confidently.