Until his performance at last Saturday’s 1018 Laughs event, not many lovers of stand-up comedy had taken DKB as a “serious” comedian. But the loud and sustained applause that greeted him at the Accra International Conference Centre was enough testimony that he had arrived and could rub shoulders with the big boys of the genre.
An elated DKB, real name, Derrick Kobina Bonney who spoke to Showbiz on Tuesday couldn’t hide his pride after what he claimed was a “revengeful motivation” from his critics whose disregard for him spurred him on to put up the good performance.
He said that even though he had confidence in himself, some of the messages he received and read online prior to the show were rather discouraging to his person.
He said he was however poised not to disappoint the “many eyes” that were on him and he looked forward to nothing short of a good show.
“Since Saturday, I have been receiving congratulatory messages. I never knew Ghanaians were that much interested in comedy. I knew Ghanaians loved comedy but the calibre and sort of people who have sent messages to congratulate me is evidence that many Ghanaians appreciate what we are doing.
“I won’t hide the fact that I was initially nervous when I came on stage but I overcame that feeling and told myself I had to make Ghanaians proud of their own comedians and that was a personal assignment I had to undertake on the night” , he said.
Despite the fact that DKB has been applauded for the great show he put up, some critics have also expressed concern about his emphasis on his rather “unpolished jokes” on the night. But DKB didn’t take it lightly when the question was put to him.
“I don’t know what was vulgar or unpolished about my jokes on the night. I have read all those opinions and think it is rather unfair to me. I was only reflecting on the typical character and behaviour of the various tribes in Ghana. What I said about the people of the Ga tribe is what they are known for. I am a Ga myself so I knew what I was talking about.
“When we talk like this, we make it seem like I didn’t put up a great show because some of these Nigerian comedians crack jokes on sex and more but we think it is okay. Perhaps, the messages in some of my jokes were not well interpreted,” he said.
Last Saturday night was not DKB’s first appearance on the platform of the 1000 Laughs series. He was on the bill in 2010 but he was not given that much recognition compared to last Saturday’s performance because he was new in the game at the time.
For now, if there is anything DKB it would want Ghanaians to do for comedians, is that they stop the “negative campaign” against them and support them.
He said that often, the media had been the worst culprit of the “crime” of telling negative stories about Ghanaian comedians when many of them have not even had the opportunity to watch any of their acts.
He threw the challenge to such critics to come and witness the new breed of comedians being groomed in the comedy fraternity at the Comedy Bar which is held at the Silver Lounge of the Accra Mall at the end of every month.
“I am not saying that they should sing our praises. That is not it at all. My only problem is that they should also not criticise us so harshly when they don’t have evidence to back their criticism.”
DKB, the current host of Boys Boys on Viasat 1 who represented Ghana in the Big Brother Africa Star Game in 2012 and also on the M-net Comedy Club in Uganda said his performance last Saturday was not just a flash in the pan.
He said he had mastered the act of stand-up comedy since 2005 and just needed the right platform to “reveal” his worth in that field.
He admitted that the 1000 series platform was a huge one and he couldn’t have messed up when given such a great opportunity.
Source: Graphic Online