Laugh our beloved country

“Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone.”

Those are the opening words of the poem Solitude by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. How true those words are. It is quite ironic as to exactly how accurate they are when we consider the lives of some of the famous comic personalities that gave us precious moments of laughter.

One of my favourites was Peter Sellers. He created the unforgettable character of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the Pink Panther series of movies which were directed by Blake Edwards. He also regaled us with his portrayal of a bumbling Indian actor Hrundi V Bakshi in the hilarious Seventies’ comedy The Party.

I have seen this classic over 20 times and still laugh uproariously each time. However, Sellers’ real life was less funny. In fact, it was downright sad. He was always in a black mood and dour in attitude. Growing up with a dad like that was extremely taxing for his children. So much so that three of them collaborated and wrote a book about their difficult childhood. The book, of which I have a treasured copy, has a very clever title: “P.S. I Love You”Yet to the world he was the father that every kid would have loved to have, as they presumed that he would be a laugh-a-minute kind of dad.

In this case, sadly, life did not imitate art. A disturbed comic genius, very much like his peer Woody Allen. Hopefully not all comedians are like that, especially our local ones. We have a plethora of funny men and women comics in this country and many are of international standard. Johannesburg-born Trevor Noah is one of SA’s major success stories. At the relatively young age of 34, he has packed so much into his life and is laughing all the way to the banks. This guy is hugely talented and has natural ability.

The following are just my thoughts on some of our local comedians and is by no means an exhaustive list of comics in this country.

Afzal Khan has always been my favourite. A hugely talented man, he endeared himself to comedy lovers who could never get enough of his antics. His passing on was a great loss to our country. I had been in his company several times and he is naturally a pleasant and very funny man who enjoys laughing The Dingalings certainly were ground breakers in shock comedy. Using expletives during their shows as naturally as saying hello, the usually conservative Indian community eagerly lapped up this new phenomenon. Sold out shows testified to that.

Each member was a gifted comic, but the one that became most people’s favourite is Henry Ramkissoon. Well, at least he was mine. Small in stature, but that mouth. Eish! Nothing small about it. By day, he is a senior teacher as are some others of the team.

One of our legends of dance and comedy is Mervyn Pillay. I was fortunate to have grown up with him and our families were very close. All these decades and Pillay is still doing sold-out shows. That is talented comedic longevity. You go, Merv the Swerve!

Neville Pillay was a born comic who sadly passed on too early. He was very involved with stand-up comedy and corporate events after a very successful radio career. Radio and our country are poorer without this incredible funny man. A comedic giant cut off in his prime by severe illness. These days the local comedy scene is overrun by numerous “Hunties and Huncles”, each one competing for a place in the comedy spotlight. One of the most successful is Aunty Rumba, the alter ego of the uber-talented Jailoshini Naidoo.

We go back as friends for well over 15 years and I am glad to say that she has remained the down-to-earth, humble soul that I initially met. We met up in July last year at a social function and it was a beautiful experience. Theshen Naicker is a busy comic personality. He has just released his movie and his Aunty Sheila stage persona is popular. I was also fortunate to have worked in the media industry with two skilled funnymen.

Masood Boomgaard honed his craft years ago and entertains us these days on stage as well as in numerous hilarious video clips. The other former colleague is Carvin Goldstone. This gentle giant of a comic has the distinction of being funny without the use of swear words. This Newlands-East boykie has endeared himself to comedy fans with his hilarious takes on local issues. Highly talented, I can watch him for hours.

Should I mention aspiring comedian Logie Naidoo? Okay, I just did. All the above-mentioned comedy artists and others not mentioned, work hard to make us laugh. Thereby we relieve everyday stress and tension. I would say being a comic is not just a job, but a calling. It shows God has a sense of humour. After all he did create us with the proverbial funny bone. (not called the humerus, fortunately)In this discussion I would be remiss if I did not mention the phenomenon called Dala U Crew or DUC as they are popularly called.

The brainchild of digital creator Sanjeev Singh, they started off posting hilarious clips on social media. They, at all times, have a competent team of actors who tickle our funny bone . You get to know these characters as they inveigle themselves into your consciousness. Brilliant marketing. While they make you laugh, they skilfully also advertise a company or business. A real innovative concept of marketing. The production is always top quality and engaging. I notice that they often change the team members, but they are basically introducing new talent and these rise to the challenge.

My ultimate favourite team member is Lavana. Cute as a button, she is also petite and super talented. The delightful Tanya is also amazing. Beautiful, funny and endearing, she makes me smile. That Aunty from Tongaat (Chantal Naidu) is a nice addition to the team. Dalton is an amiable foil for the laughs. The new guy Kevin is talented. Excruciatingly funny, he is well chosen as he can pass off as an older brother, cousin, uncle or anyone you choose.

Coming back to the classic movie The Party, one of the most famous lines of the movie came when a Caucasian movie actor asked Peter Sellers’ character: “Who do you think you are?"

The immediate reply was: "In India we don't think who we are, we know who we are."

So, who are we? Just ordinary people looking for a laugh or two. Fortunately, wherever in the country we are, there are laughs aplenty. The great thing about us South Africans is that we can laugh at ourselves.“Birdie Num Num” to you too.

Ravi Govender is a former POST sub-editor and Lotus FM radio presenter. He is a published author, a freelance editor and film producer in training. He can be contacted at: [email protected]

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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