To make it as a comedian you need to be prepared for long hours of traveling, little sleep and even less food.
South African comedian Tshireletso Phasha, popularly known as TT Phasha, is a radio co-host on YFM’s midday show Krunch Time. In the evenings and on weekends, he performs at clubs and corporate events.
“Comedy cannot yet pay all my bills. I sometimes do gigs to get exposure but there is no landlord who accepts exposure as a payment method,” he says.
Phasha has been in the comedy industry for three years and has performed alongside some of the best comedians in the country, such as the Goliath and Goliath trio (Jason, Donovan and Nicholas), Sifiso Nene and Skhumbuzo ‘Skhumba’ Hlophe. He has also appeared on Comedy Central’s show for up-and-coming stand-up comedians, Savanna Newcomer Showcase. Yet, with all this exposure, he is still trying to make ends meet.
As an only child growing up in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, Phasha never realized comedy could be a full-time career.
“I’ve always thought I was a funny guy but I never thought it would be a full-time career. As soon as I found out that there are people making a living off it, I’ve wanted to become one more than anything else in the world,” he says.
TT Phasha (Photo supplied)
His comedy career started at Comikazi, an open mic competition at Parker’s Comedy and Jive, in Montecasino, Johannesburg, after a friend suggested he do so.
“I felt I was as good as some of the best comedians in the country and I just wanted to be counted as one of them,” he says.
It has not been easy for Phasha. He still struggles to book decent gigs and he also started to doubt his talent.
When he started as a comedian, Phasha was living in Mpumalanga, a province in northeastern South Africa.
“Getting to shows was a mission. I had to plan days in advance. Then getting stage time was a challenge because I didn’t know anybody.
“I moved to Johannesburg but I still don’t have a car… I still worry if my jokes are funny but now at least I get stage time,” he says.
The fear of not being funny enough is something that haunts him every day.
“If I’m not funny then it ruins everything, doesn’t it?”
He remembers one gig where the audience wasn’t laughing at his jokes.
“I was at a club and I noticed that everyone was just walking around and not paying attention to me. So, I started telling them that I don’t care if they’re laughing or not, because I’m getting paid either way. I told them that they better laugh otherwise they’re wasting their own money. They started laughing.”
Phasha’s biggest battle right now is with promoters.
“I think the biggest mistake I make in the industry is allowing promoters to pay me peanuts. It’s always a challenge knowing how much to charge people, since we provide a service. But it’s about knowing what you’re worth,” he says.
Earning meagre amounts has not changed his mind about being a comedian. He says believing in himself is his greatest achievement.
“You need to work to earn a name for yourself. I can’t charge much yet, because people don’t know me. It’s a great industry to be in. One of the toughest to crack, but the most fulfilling once you see all your dreams and ambitions come true. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would be doing it,” he says.
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One of South Africa’s most well-known comedians, Mongezi ‘Tol A$$ Mo’ Mahlangu, has faced similar problems. He says promoters tend to negotiate lesser fees for him.
“They tend to undervalue us. We always have to negotiate our own rates, unlike musicians. I wish they would take us as seriously as they take them, considering the intellectual process that goes into preparing our work,” says Mahlangu.
Mahlangu made his break in 2010 when he was featured on the reality television series Opening Guys, in which Kagiso Lediga mentored emerging comedians.
He has come a long way since then. He is mostly known for his appearances on numerous television series, including Mo Love on Vuzu, in which he starred with his wife, Mome. He also does stand-up internationally.
Mahlangu has achieved success in a short space of time. He can make R50,000 ($4,186) per one-man show, but most of his income comes from endorsements and television shows. He recently bought a house in Sandton, one of Johannesburg’s most affluent suburbs, proving that comedy can be lucrative.
Basketmouth (Photo by Motlabana Monnakgotla)
Bright Okpocha, better known by his stage name Basketmouth, is one of Africa’s best comedians but it was a hard slog to make a name for himself. The Nigerian, from Lagos, says he started with a one-man show which would earn him one naira per set. He now makes between $7,000 and $11,000 per month. In February last year, he became the first African to headline the Wembley Arena in London.
“Ever since I was 20 years old, I have never done a nine-to-five job. I don’t know what that feels like and I wish I did so I could appreciate what I do more,” he says.
Although Okpocha leaves his fans giggling, he is the one laughing all the way to the bank.
“I know that I just need to ensure that I get that one show for the month to ensure that my budget is met… I can proudly say that one gig sustains me for the month,” he says.
However, he is not always in the mood to crack jokes.
“Most people think that comedians are always happy and that we don’t live a normal life, but the truth of the matter is that we are like every other person out there. We also have ups and downs and mood swings like everyone. The pressure for us is too much because of the expectations that everyone has. I can’t meet up to the demands [that people have], so I do my very best to stay private as much as I can,” he says.
Another established comedian can be found in an unlikely place – the lecture halls of Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein. Hailing from Lesotho, Tshepo ‘Masapo’ Mpiti prefers to keep his act clean.
“I don’t use profanity and I avoid derogatory topics that may leave people offended,” says Mpiti.
Tshepo ‘Masapo’ Mpiti (Photo by Motlabana Monnakgotla)
His rate was $125 for a 15-minute gig at clubs. As a master of ceremonies he would charge between $500 and $1,000. After being nominated at last year’s Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards for the pan-African category, he is being booked for more gigs and is able to ask for more money.
He, however, says that Lesotho did not always see value in its comedians.
“My country did not have an accepting atmosphere towards comedy, mainly because there has never been anyone who really put it out there. Because I work in South Africa, I got to witness the magnitude in which comedy can be turned into a lucrative career. I pushed myself for seven years, then I started to get calls from restaurants and pubs for shows in my country. I even received a contract for six months to perform at one of the local malls,” says Mpiti.
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Mpiti spends a lot of time traveling between South Africa and Lesotho, which can be tiresome, but is grateful that most of the money he charges goes straight into his pocket. He also encourages emerging comedians to be firm when negotiating their rates.
“Payment for logistics, like transportation and accommodation, are not included… If, as a comedian, you still perform for food, alcohol and exposure then you might as well drive a taxi,” he says.
Who knows, there may be a taxi driver rumbling along the roads of Africa, waiting for their chance to crack a joke – and be paid for it.