It is said that it takes a brave person to accept the challenge of being roasted at one of Africa’s great comedy festivals, but Minnie Dlamini has proved she can do it all after being announced as part of Laugh Africa Comedy Festival this year.
Dlamini has been named as one of the highlights of this year’s festival, which will take place on April 5 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
The Roast of Minnie Dlamini will have a star-studded cast and will be taped live on April 5, with an exclusive airing on Showmax on April 26.
The media personality expressed her excitement ahead of the eagerly-awaited event, pointing out that she would get an opportunity to dispel misconceptions about herself.
“I ended off the year with my show, Curated, on Mzansi Magic, embracing humour about myself and societal happenings. The roast is about having fun and not taking myself too seriously. I may also get an opportunity to dispel many of the rumours about me. The roast is fundamentally a celebration of my career, and there’s nothing I love more than a good laugh.”
Speaking about people she would love to have on stage, she mentioned Nina Hasty, Tumi Morake, Celeste Ntuli and Skhumba.
“I think Nina Hasty is hilarious; Skhumba would rip me to shreds; Tumi Morake, I think, is someone who I have worked with; she would really be great. But out of the comedians, let's keep the comedians aside because we know that they can deliver a good roast. I’d be interested in seeing someone who you don’t expect.”
The Laugh Africa Comedy Festival, which is a rebrand of the Joburg International Comedy Festival, will feature over 50 comedians across three genres — English, Vernacular, and Afrikaans — and be headlined by the internationally acclaimed comedian Eddie Griffin.
The list of comedians includes local favourites such as Eugene Khoza, Conrad Koch and Chester Missing, Jam Jam The Comedian, Tumi Morake, Celest Ntuli and Mel Jones, among many others.
Laugh Africa, which also announced Savanna, one of the popular alcohol brands, as its partner, is committed to delivering a roast that not only entertains but also honours the essence of what it means to be roasted — a celebration wrapped in humour and affection.
It was clarified that the comedy festival has been planned for some time, with the goal of bringing something unique to the comedy festival scene.
The festival’s organisers have promised an unforgettable experience, complete with a picture booth, a social media stage, a comedy line-up and big acts.
The Star
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za