Botswana Comedy's Own Chaplin
Botswana has proved to be filled with raw talent in the comedy industry. The country has seen so many talented comedians who have been celebrated even internationally emerging from all corners of the country. What seems to be inspirational with these comedians and viners is that each and every one of them has their own angle of comic genius that makes them unique and different from all the others. Everyone has their thing which draws us to them and love them each differently. In this edition we have yet another unique and renounced comedian, Xolo Black. The young Selebi-Phikwe born who grew up in Mochudi has been doing some sensational work in the industry, coming up with the Charlie Chaplin inspired kind of comedy with some other inspiration from the Mr Bean.
The comedian ventured into a career of comedy in 2018 when he started at the same time as another one of the country’s comic giants, William Last KRM and they were both doing collaborations. The two met at Poetic Records. With a record stand of five years along the industry, Xolo has worked with many other known comedians in the industry in his journey of building a profound comedy career. Besides William Last KRM, he also got to work with some comedians like Maatla Ephriam Basha, Troy April, Pompi and many others. Xolo said that he has always been a comedian from his school days although he mostly performed as a dancer. He would perform to fellow students and entertain them through dancing and eventually became the comedian he is today.
The comedian who is also an actor, social media influencer and brand ambassador has grown to a place that he never thought of as he had a challenging start off to his journey. He came up to the industry without any background of being an actor as he was never part of the school drama clubs. He also had some challenges of course with the equipment to do his job in comedy. As a Viner, he needed to be shooting videos and a camera was the big necessity and a challenge for him as well because he only had a low quality camera.
Being in the industry for only five years without much background in acting and film however has not limited the comedian to become the best he can be. He is now a producer and scriptwriter who has made potential productions that can be notable in the country’s film industry. Of recent, he has produced a new production that is called “Matholwane”.
The promising production is a drama series that he produced looking at the current Corona virus situation and how much life it has cost hence the film, Matholwane being a name commonly given to sacrificed children. The story line is about a family consisting of a father, mother and a child, and due to the hardships of the current situation the father goes on to sacrifice the child for enrichment. The whole production is also set on the Covid-19 times where there are protocols followed for the Covid-19.
The production unlike most of his works as a comedian, was not a comedy but a drama series. He says that he submitted the production to the local big online Tv, Upic TV but was unfortunately unsuccessful with the transaction as they were told they failed submission. When asked why it was not successful he said that they were told that their submission had expired when they submitted it. He further went on to say whatever the reason could have been as to why they could not successfully submit it, he was rather not demoralised on getting it to television. He is currently working to have the production submitted to the national television, BTV or other media. He also said that he was working with comedy icon Joel Keitumile, whom he says is his mentor. Xolo has done a lot of work that is actually similar to that of Keitumile as the famous Ntsoro.
‘Matholwane’ is currently Xolo’s biggest project that he had to make of all his products and remains his best project with 13 episodes. He has another project that he submitted with BTV called ‘Bokgeleke’. The project which is a sitcom was submitted to the station around January this year and got a confirmation on its press validity. Apart from these two he also has more projects he is working on as well that are at the writing stage. When he went on further to talk about the ‘Matholwane’ project and its message, and what he wants people to get from the drama was that since we are living in the tough times as to the ones in the Covid-19 era, it is important that people do not take or make decisions that are not right in the moral sense and ethical ways. We shouldn’t make horrible decisions like the father who had to sacrifice his child.
The project did not have much assistance and sponsorship in its production, but there were some individuals in the community who helped him with things like transport. Nonetheless, he used his own cameras. One other person who helped him through is also Joel Keitumile who offered some agent assistance for the project. He also worked with some other small productions in Mochudi including Dj Citi Slicker who helped him with sound production.
When talking about his ambitions as a comedian, he said that he dreams to go all the way out there in the industry to international levels and have major projects that would be internationally aclaimed. He says it is his dream to work with big people in the industry like Rowan Atkinson. As his comedy gets inspiration from him and that of Chaplin, he would like to work with them or get to just meet them. He further said it is the kind of comedy he believes will one day be feeding him and grow him.
Even though he has been able to brand himself through the industry, it is has proved to be a tough industry to make a career from. According to the comedian, the industry of Botswana is yet a growing one and it is a tough one, especially if one is not patient enough to get through it. He said that one needs to be patient and well preserved to get to make it through the industry of Botswana. The covid-19 as well has made things even more difficult for an artist in the country. Even though there also can be a challenge of feuds among artists and entertainers it is very rare as they are usually supportive of each other. Xolo is personally preserved and always tries to stay away from unnecessary fights and quarrels as he wants to have focus and build himself.
Speaking on the support from the government side, he said government does not really have much of an impact in trying to transform and help grow the industry like one would expect. He said they are slow towards helping the especially growing comedy industry that has proved to have so much potential of making the industry a beneficial economic sector as well.
The comedian also elaborated his disappointments towards the decision that went on to be made to rather have an outsider, Steve Harvey given an opportunity that could have been given to the locally capable personnel in the country.
He concluded by saying that he is currently working on a project that he wouldn’t yet disclose, that will be aired to the television along with ‘Matholwane’. Xolo also said he was grateful for the support he gets especially on social media where he has a follow ship of more than a hundred thousand on his Facebook page, Xolo Black. He encouraged young and upcoming comedians to have patience in the industry and always have faith in whatever they do.
Duncan Sebeso 
Celebrity World 
Miranda