Posted on the January 13th, 2012 under Events by Mum-z
Gatecrasher Summer Music Festival and Paul Van Dyk Turn up the Heat in South Africa! Gatecrasher Summer Music Festival brought to you by Soundscape hits South Africa in February 2012 for a spectacular outdoor international electronic music event at D’Aria Wine Estate in Durbanville Hills, Cape Town. Gatecrasher is an international clubbing brand made famous for its dance music events in the UK. The Gatecrasher Summer Music Festival takes place on the 4th and 5th of February 2012, featuring Paul Van Dyk and many other artists. Revelers can expect a weekend of extravagant, exciting and exhilarating entertainment. In the world of electronic dance music, names don’t come any bigger than Germany’s Paul Van Dyk.
The maestro behind classic anthems like “For an Angel”, “Words”, “Another Way”, “Beautiful Place” and “Forbidden Fruit” is set to rock the festival along with over 50 supporting national DJs and live acts. Dean Fuel, Headroom, Haezer, Niskerone, Broken Toy, Jason47, Digital Divas, Grimehouse and Marvin and many others will be keeping the party going all weekend. The Gatecrasher Summer Music Festival is devoted to celebration, while also creating an alternate dance reality space for partygoers. The sizzling weekend will consist of jet-skis, paragliding; paintball, safe and secure camping, live saxophonist, percussionists and many other forms of entertainment. Key features include a meet and greet with Paul Van Dyk, three arenas including the massive Gatecrasher main arena, multiple VIP zones and a VIP Village. Cocktail and martini bars, swimming, quad biking, food market, massive turbo sound, lighting shows, aerialists, world-class sound and lighting production, chic décor and many other highlights add to the weekend’s celebrations.
I remember the first time that I performed for my first big crowd. As I was nervously trying not to crap my pants backstage, the hum of the audience gradually grew into a buzz and then into what could be mistaken for an angry mob, but in actual fact was an excited and anxious audience ready to get their one hundred and fifty rands worth of laughs. My palms weren’t so sweaty, but my for some reason I had sweat between my bum cheeks. (I think that may have been caused by my nervous pacing up and down, trying to remember my set) Backstage I was surrounded by real heavy weight comedians; David Kau, Chris Forrest, Tumi Morake, Joey Rasdien and other miscellaneous celebrities taking advantage of their power to be anywhere they wanted to be. It reeked of ego and success backstage, so I needed to pace around in the corridor so that I didn’t get intimidated by the aroma.
I cannot forget how amazing it felt to finally walk onto the stage at Centre Court, Emperors Palace that night. The audience was 4000 strong. All I could see ways a sea of bodies from the front of the stage to the back of the hall. I entered the stage with my comedy alter-ego, a character I have not yet given a name yet to and would like to evolve some more. I had them from “Hello”. I floated through my set like a seasoned yet slightly nervous comedian (and forgot to mention a few gags I had planned on saying, but it’s in those moments that an artist can see space for improvement).
After the whole show, I remember people shouting “Hey comedian, good job” and “hey, the funny man” and although I enjoyed those brief pockets of adoration, at the back of my mind I was still thinking “So this is what it feels like to be a comedian… maybe one day I will earn the title”. Since that day people had been calling me a comedian (and although I know I had not fully earned the title, I still enjoyed the feeling that it gave people as their faces would light up at the idea of you possibly making them laugh) It was addictive. I felt like a crack addict and like any drug addict, my addiction slowly became my downfall. The more I would call myself a comedian, the more people would expect me to make them laugh and ultimately the pressure to make people laugh would be so stressful that all I would want to do is hide away from the title of comedian.
Any real comedian, however, would have the ability to make someone laugh on command. It comes with the territory, but the reason that they would be able to handle any “hey-make-me-laugh-right-now” situation is because of their dedication to writing material on a daily basis, their experience in reading a crowd, their wealth of jokes stacked up in their comedy-cerebral-cortex, their mastering of comic timing, the love for wanting to make any and everyone laugh and a little dose of stroking their already inflated egos (and I don’t mean that in a bad way, because you need to have confidence and balls to make it big in an industry filled with so many haters)
After a while i figured I can’t hide away from this label of comedian that I know I do not deserve. I figured the only options available to me is to hide from the title or to try to embrace the title and the only way to embrace the title comedian is to invest as much time and effort into comedy as you would any other job. I started to watch more local comedy, I started to run comedy venues, I started to write some new material, I started hanging around other future “would be” comedians, feeding of their energy. The creative process of becoming a comedian is very exhilarating but can sometimes overshadow an entertainers ability to be able to make their art-form commercially viable. There are so many comedians who love the process more than the actual money side of things, which is all good and fair until that “comedian” faces the hardships that life my throw at you like marriage, children, crime, car payments, rent, medical aid, investments, car accidents etc…
I am not one of those “I-don’t-care-where-my-next-meal-comes-from” comedians, so I have always done comedy on the side and focused more energy on my day job in online media, but now 4 years down the line, I feel as if I am maybe 12 months away from graduating into a fully fledged comedian. The last few months have been a real roller coaster ride for me. This is the first month where my earnings from my comedy / entertainment side of things outweighed the income that get from my basic salary and commission from my online media sales.
Something very strange happens to you when you realise that you can actually make a living from something that you love so much. All of a sudden everything looks brighter, the grass is greener, that dude with the very bad breath doesn’t phase you any more… something happens inside of you that you can’t explain because you know very soon you will have to make the decision. Do I stay with my day job, do I focus on my biggest passion and dream or do I do both. This brings up the debate of Jack of all trades vs. Master of one. I have not made any rash or major changes as of yet. I think for now I will enjoy the fact that if needs be, I could survive on comedy alone (but one must not forget that we are in season for corporate bookings etc… so I must not think that I will be making the same dollar during off season)
All I can say is that right now I actually feel like a comedian. I am running regular comedy evenings at Zula Bar every Monday, I booked myself and two other comics a corporate comedy gig, I am the lead in the Castle Lite Yeti advert, I wrote a very cool no-holds-barred article for GQ magazine online, I just performed comedy at the 2011 SA Blogs Awards and I do the Trevor Noah voice for the ZA News Trevor Noah puppet. I feel good right now, the question is, can I keep this up… ‘course I can!
Posted on the December 15th, 2011 under Videos by Mum-z
In this video you will see Trevor Noah’s ZA News puppet and Marc Lottering in person. Check this video out. Those of you in the know will know that I (Mum-z) do the voice for Trevor Noah in this video. Check it out:
Posted on the December 9th, 2011 under Videos by Mum-z
Check out this advert that I featured in for Castle Lite. This was the first commercial I ever shot as lead for an alcohol brand. It was so much fun shooting and I think the overall concept is great. Welldone to every one involved:
I only feature in the end of the second advert but loved the concept and it was great working with Carl:
Posted on the December 7th, 2011 under Jokes by Mum-z
I have cancelled my armed response, torn out my alarm system, and de-registered from the neighborhood watch… I have the ‘vierkleur’ raised in my yard, a bluebulls flag draped in the window, a ‘God loves the AWB’ sticker on my car, and my sound system playing ‘De la ray’ cranked up full… The local police, the department of home affairs, and the scorpions are all watching my house 24/7, I have never felt safer.
I think that it’s time for me to straighten something out with everyone. A lot of people like throwing around the word comedian like is a frizz-bee but in actual fact, so many people who call themselves comedians are not actually comedians (including myself… there, I said it). According to Wikipedia (and by the way, if you haven’t made a donation to Wikepedia yet, you should. They are doing great work for our benefit) the definition of a comedian is: “A comedian (sometimes comedienne, see below) or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comic.”
I like to think that a comedian is someone whose primary income comes from performing comedic services which include (and not limited to); comedy writing, comedy consulting, voice work, stand-up comedy, running comedy gigs, corporate comedy performances, comedy bookings, script writing, TV commercials, comedic plays… Although I have been involved in all of the above mentioned “comedic services” my main income does not come from comedy. In fact, although I may fall under both the Wiki-definition and have performed all of the above comedic services, I would still consider myself to be an entertainer / entepreneur.
I think that the term “comedian” should be earned. Over the past 4 years I have grown a very strong respect for the comedy industry and also realised that in some ways I had taken the industry for granted (Like most South Africans). I think I fell in love with the idea of being on a stage, getting all that attention, hopefully shagging a few groupies, making millions, becoming the CEO of some other cellphone network, buying a house in Malibu, touring the world, living in hotels and planes, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Katt Williams and Donald Trump… the good life. The reality is that the “good life” takes a lot of hard work.
If yuo think about any office job, you will realise that people go into the office and work for 8 hours a day. If you apply that to comedy, then any individual who considers themselves a comedian should be doing 8 hours of work a day. This could include anything from writing, doing auditions, pitching for clients, meeting with an agent (Maybe GETTING AN AGENT), polishing material, watching comedy DVDs, research… anything that will better their craft. The sad reality is that almost 60% of people who call themselves comedians do not do the above activies for 8 hours a day. (You can probably tell that I just sucked that figure out of my ass… but it is an estimate I made up taking into consideration the “comedians” I know that have day jobs and those without).
I think that someone earns the title comedian through years of dedication and hard work. I do understand that some people are slightly more talented than others and could have a higher capacity to churn out good material in less time than 8 hours a day (or even 30 minutes a day). The reality is that even someone who is a so called “young, up and coming comedian” who has performed to over 25000 people live, performed all over South Africa for the past 4 years in festivals, on TV, corporate gigs and club gigs, I still do not think that I have quite earned the title of comedian.
I need to get writing again, I need to be churning out a new set a week. I need to be going to workshops with other comics, I need to find myself some sponsors, I need to re-invest in talent to such a point that I am earning enough money to cover my rent, petrol, food, entertainment and sundry monthly expenses purely on comedy money. I’m not saying that I will only be a comedian once my comedy earnings have earned my a place in Camps Bay and a Z4 (like Marc Lottering), I’m saying, the day that my comedy earnings replace my salary and commission, I am still an account executive who entertains people in his spare time.
We all need to wake the fuck up and start calling spades, spades! Do not live in a disillussioned world thinking that you can be protected by the word “comedian”. Earn the word, live the word, love the word… but more importantly, respect the word. One day I will be a comedian and the world will be better for it…
Posted on the December 5th, 2011 under Events by Mum-z
As you should know by now, Mumz The Word runs regular comedy evenings at Zula Bar every Monday called “Comedy on Long” (as in the BEST comedy on Long Street). Below you will see all the line-ups for December:
The poster above should say 19th December and not the 17th.
For the best comedy in Cape Town and on Long Street, make sure you go through to Zula Bar, every Monday for “Comedy on Long”. Comedy start at 9pm sharp, bookings can be made through: jen@zulabar.co.za. Zula Bar (98 Long Street, Cape Town)
Mumz The Word has another give away for all you comedy loving, supporters of South African comedy. We will be giving away double tickets to Nik Rabinowitz new one man show “STAND and DELIVER” for the night of the 14th December 2011. Nik Rabinowitz is definitely one of the top comedians in South Africa (in my opinion he is definitely in the top 5 SA comedians at the momemt). I have had the pleasure of having him perform at Comedy on Long a few weeks back. Comedy on Long is regular Monday night comedy every week at Zula Bar. The comedy starts at 9pm and entrance if R50 (R25 for students).
TO WIN TICKETS, all you have to do is answer the question at the bottom of this post. Below is the info for Nik Rabinowitz’ show:
STAND and DELIVER; Starring Nik Rabinowitz; Special guest appearance by Tats Nkonzo; Directed by Brent Palmer; 6th Dec 2011 – 7th Jan 2012 Baxter Concert Hall
Nik Rabinowitz emerges from politically infested waters to bring Cape Town’s Baxter theatre his brave new solo show, Stand and Deliver, directed by Brent Palmer.
One of only two Jewish boys to have been born in a stable, Nik Rabinowitz always wanted to be an accountant. It was a breakthrough performance reciting a speech at Shmuli Wiseglass’s barmitzvah that really cemented Nik’s future. This was enough to put his dreams of accountancy aside and pursue a life in stand--up comedy. Luckily for us, he chose the road less travelled. Luckily for him, his wife is a doctor.
In Stand and Deliver, Nik, a Xhosa-speaking Jew, explores the reasons that have led coloured people to believe that he is Coloured, why Afrikaners have settled in Israel, and how a grown man can end up saying things like, ‘daddy make hot for sossy’.
While the poster might make it seem that the show is about Nik surfing in his underpants, we assure you it really isn’t. In fact, it has nothing to do with surfing and Nik almost never goes out in just his underpants.
Warming up for Nik is a hot new talent, Tats Nkonzo. Tats sings really funny songs, with his guitar, in a beautiful voice. This will confuse you. You’ll cry, you’ll laugh, you’ll love every minute.
Stand and Deliver runs at the Baxter Concert Hall from 6 December until 7th January 2012. The previews from 6 to 9 and on 13 December start at 8:15pm and at 8:45pm on 10 December. Thereafter shows run Tuesdays to Fridays at 8:15pm and on Saturdays at 8:45pm (except 24 December) and there is a special New Year’s Eve performance at 10:00pm. Tickets cost from R100-R140 and R190 for New Year’s Eve with discounts available, all via Computicket or 08619158000. Please note the age restriction is PG 14.
WIN WIN WIN
To win tickets to this fantastic show, please answer the following question; “On what day every week and venue is Comedy on Long hosted at?” Write your answer as a comment below. The competition closes on the 10th December 2011, so get as many of your friends to enter. A winner will be srawn on the 10th December 2011 and informed that day.
Johannesburg, 1 December 2011; One of the most eagerly awaited theatrical releases of 2012, Leon Schuster’s Mad Buddies, has completed filming across Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal. Mad Buddies is the latest comedy caper from the legendary South African filmmaker and fans can now view the first hilarious trailer as well as see a teaser poster for the film on www.facebook.com/MadBuddiesMovie.
The film kicks off when sworn enemies, Boetie (Schuster) and Beast, played by Kenneth Nkosi (Jerusalema, Tsotsi, White Wedding), are forced to embark on a road trip as unwitting subjects of a new TV reality show, devised by a gorgeous TV Producer, Kelsey, played by Tanit Phoenix (Spud, Straight Outta Benoni). On camera, with the whole of South Africa in on the joke, the pair comes unstuck at every stage of this hilarious journey until they discover that they have been conned and join forces to exact revenge.
Says Schuster, who is responsible for 4 of the top 10 grossing films of all time in South Africa, ‘I am very excited to share this trailer with fans! I can’t wait to hear how people will start reacting to Mad Buddies, a film that offers something different from what I have done in the past.’
Mad Buddies also stars long-time Schuster collaborator Alfred Ntombela as Mr Mda, the Minister of Tourism, is Directed by Gray Hofmeyr and Produced by Helena Spring. Released nationwide on 22 June 2012, distribution rights for the film have been acquired by The Walt Disney Company South Africa – although the film will not be distributed under the Disney banner.
Welcome to Mumz The Word (and no, this is not a real Facebook page). Let this site be your comedy playground. I will post articles of interest to the comedy industry and articles that are just generally funny. I would also like to encourage you guys to send through jokes that tickled you or made you hurl with unadulterated laughter.
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Welcome to Mumz The Word (and no, this is not a real Facebook page). Let this site be your comedy playground. I will post articles of interest to the comedy industry and articles that are just generally funny. I would also like to encourage you guys to send through jokes that tickled you or made you hurl with unadulterated laughter.
