Jive Funny Championship gives newcomers a platform
|Published
Yaaseen Barnes is the organiser of The Jive Funny Championship. Picture: Supplied
If you are looking to launch your career, gain exposure or just showcase your talent as a stand-up comedian The Jive Funny Championship is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Auditions take place April 29, followed by the heats every Wednesday culminating with the finals on May 27 at the Canal Walk auditorium.
Popular Cape comedian Yaaseen Barnes who won the competition eight years ago is the organiser of the event. According to Barnes the competition has been running for the past 12 years but under different names because it had different sponsors and producers. “Last year, Eddy Cassar, the director of the Funny Fest, asked me to come on board and run it as I've been running gigs throughout my career.”
The aim of the championship is to spot new talent and give opportunities to the next wave of comedians and for Cape Town audiences to see the rising stars. Barnes explained, “Many times people only see the comedians once they have a big name so now there is a chance to see the next wave of funny in our country.”
Barnes told the Weekend Argus winning the competition has been an amazing boost for his career. “To perform for 600 people every night at the Baxter for a whole month did wonders for my career. It polishes your performance, let's you connect with the other acts on the line-up and allows you to connect with corporate work and agencies which allowed me to work for years after the festival.”
He is of the opinion that there aren’t enough comedians in Mzansi. “Comedy is a great platform because you don't need a qualification. Not everyone can study, comedy can give you a career just your ability to connect with an audience. So the more platforms we create the more job opportunities and careers we can give.”
Nkosinathi Maki, who won last year’s competition, said the competition is competitive and nerve-racking. “I did not think that I was going to win because my competitors had more experience than me. But it turns out that my level of funny was not bad at all. You need to be very specific with your set - you need to evaluate your audience and know how they will experience the jokes you make. What works on one stage might not work on another.”
The prize for the competition was performing at the Jive Funny Festival. “We competed hard because in the comedy world the festival is a big deal. Not just anyone gets to perform there, even seasoned comics want to perform there. To be able to perform for almost 100 people, every night is a big step in your career.”
Maki said the competition has helped his career as he has secured more gigs.
His advised entrants to work hard and be consistent. “Keep it clean, keep it tight, don’t waste too much time and be consistent.”
The winner wins R5 000, a laptop and a performance slot at the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival.
Weekend Argus