Comedians Casper De Vries, Basketmouth and Kagiso Lediga have been snapped up by Comedy Central (DStv Channel 122) to host the next three editions of Comedy Central Presents…Live at Parker’s. Casper De Vries (@casperrasper) will be hosting the monthly stand-up comedy laugh-fest for the first time on 27 March, Nigerian comic Basketmouth helms the show on 24 April and Kagiso Lediga takes over the reins on 29 May.
Razor sharp satire is the trademark of comedian, writer, actor and humourist Casper De Vries. One of the best Afrikaans comedians, De Vries’ powerful stage presence, inventive humour and outspoken views combine into one comic tour de force that has held audiences transfixed from Pretoria to the London Palladium. Humanity, religion, the absurdity of human existence and the crazy world we live in all come – nothing is safe from De Vries’ piercing gaze. Not afraid to send up any subject under the sun, De Vries happily tramples over taboos, ensuring that no holy cow escapes his scrutiny.
Basketmouth (@Basket_Mouth), a.k.a. Bright Okpocha, is the first ever Nigerian to front Comedy Central Presents…Live at Parker’s. After numerous attempts to break into the music business as a drummer and rapper, Bright became a highly sought-after MC before evolving into a fully-fledged stand-up comedian. Now rumoured to be the richest comedian in Nigeria, Basketmouth has made waves at home and internationally with his free-flowing storytelling and enthusiastic comedic performances. In 2010, he became the first African comedian to host a comedy show – Lord of the Ribs – at the 02 Arena in London and in April 2013, he’ll be taking his current stand-up act, Basketmouth Uncensored on tour to Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam and Milan. These days, when he’s not touring, you can regularly find Basketmouth presiding over the comedic chaos at MTV Base’s late night TV show, The Big Friday Show (MTV Base, DStv Channel 322).
One of South Africa’s headlining comedy and screen acts, Kagiso Lediga (@KagisoLediga) doesn’t have much time to sit still these days. When he’s not performing at top comedy venues around the country, he’s putting on one of his other hats – as an actor, director and producer – or is polishing up the latest edition of Late Nite News with Loyiso Gola, the show he conceived with Gola. Following the success of the hit movie Bunny Chow – which he produced and starred as the lead actor – Lediga recently found himself in the headlines again thanks to his second feature film, Blitz Patrollie, which featured an all-star cast including David Kau, Joey Rasdien, Chris Forrest, David Kibuuka, Mel Miller, Tats Nkonzo, Tol A$$ Mo and Roni Modilmola.
Launched just over 12 months ago, Comedy Central (DStv Channel 122) has successfully lured the nation’s top comics into hosting its regular monthly stand-up gig, held the last Wednesday of every month. Among the many brilliant funnymen and women to grace the stage at Parker’s Comedy & Jive, Montecasino, Johannesburg have been Chris Forrest, Kurt Schoonraad, Tumi Morake, Al Prodgers, Joey Rasdien, Barry Hilton, Loyiso Gola, Tats Nkonzo and Stuart Taylor.
Tickets for Comedy Central Presents Casper De Vries Live at Parker’s are available at www.parkerscomedy.com, direct from Computicket, or at the door at Parker’s Comedy & Jive, Montecasino, priced R120.
