I love posting short videos on Instagram as well as longer format videos on YouTube and IGTV. It's usually just things I think off the top of my head and hopes people find it funny and relatable to a situation they may have experienced. Something I learned pretty early is that not every joke is a hit and that's okay.
1. How and when did you choose comedy as a career?
I started making videos for my friends during high school in Zimbabwe and fell in love with making people laugh and exploring different ways to connect with my fellow peers through the art of laughter and comedy.
But it wasn't until university in South Africa, whilst studying a bunch of sciences that I hated and in a complete state of depression, where I realized that I'd rather spend the rest of my life doing what makes me happy, drives me to stay alive and gives me a sense of purpose, rather than just continuing an unhealthy life of despair.
2. What type of content do you enjoy producing the most and is the most challenging?
I love posting short videos on Instagram as well as longer format videos on YouTube and IGTV. It's usually just things I think off the top of my head and hopes people find it funny and relatable to a situation they may have experienced. Something I learned pretty early is that not every joke is a hit and that's okay.
My most difficult content to produce is also the one that I want to improve on more for future endeavors, and that's social satire. There's a razor-thin line that you can tread these days when it comes to satirizing "taboo" relevant issues of today but when you get it right you not only bring light to the issue but bring it into a conversation which I believe brings about change.
3. Do you prefer digital as a medium or do you enjoy doing live gigs more and why?
I prefer digital media, it allows me to connect with more people from different parts of the world, which is really cool. My experience on stage so far has been mainly in small bars and scattered events due to university commitments so platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook have allowed me to stay relevant enough to keep my dream alive haha.
4. People, who are interested in taking up stand-up comedy as a profession, do they need a funny bone or they can develop one?
Not really. Humor is universal yet very subjective. There isn't one person who doesn't laugh, but we laugh at different things. If you feel like you want to try to make people laugh with your own brand of humor, you can do that you'll eventually fall into your niche, you don't necessarily need to be the funniest person on the earth, you just have to be the funniest you can be. It's all about confidence and individuality, that's what will set you apart.
5. How stable is being a stand-up comedian as a profession in India? And what is the future of this profession?
As a career, it's not the most stable, especially when you aren't Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah, or Dave Chappelle haha. You're not always getting paid work so it's certainly a profession of passion, don't do it if you're not going to enjoy it, otherwise, it's going to be pretty jarring.
The beginnings of the career are pretty hard because it's all about establishment and kind of marketing yourself in any way that you can, mostly through social media and getting as much time on the mic as you can possibly get, but when all that is past its just pure bliss and energy that if you're good at it, will become lucrative.
I am moving to the United States soon in order to maximize the odds of that happening since they are the biggest consumers and creators of that type of media, so hopefully, we build from there. Comedians have been around for millennia and they will always be putting smiles on the faces of our society for millennia to come.
6. What impact do you want to make in this world?
Personally, I want to make a positive impact on the world, there's not much I can do, but I can make you smile, which sometimes could change the course of someone's day, month, or even year! I've been blessed by God to be able to have this comedic personality so best as well share it, and if I can reach a point where I can influence the world to change, then I would have reached my ultimate goal.
There's a lot of injustice around the world from racism, homophobia, and gender-based violence to police brutality, economic structures, xenophobia, and such things. I want to be able to open up people's minds to these injustices through comedy and humor, and the connection people can build through positive experiences together whilst these issues are being raised. Hopefully, that leads to better solutions on how to fix them. That would be awesome.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
I don't read many books. But I would have to say the Noughts and Crosses series by Malorie Blackman is the first set of books I think of when I hear the word "favorite".
Fadziso Chikonyora - Comedian
Interviewed By: Navya Garg
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