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‘How Julius Agwu, Basketmouth, AY, Yaw, Ali-Baba, Opa Williams made me’ – Funnybone

Anambra state is not supporting entertainers from the state’

Ever since it found its way into Lagos, Nigeria, through a carrier, Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian, many jokes have been coined out from the deadly Ebola disease. One of such was a skit released by one of Nigeria’s finest comedians, Stanley Chibunna Julian Ezeimo, famously known as Funnybone. The humour merchant insisted that his intention was to educate the masses on the deadly disease, Ebola.
In an exclusive interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly, held on Saturday, August 23, 2014, at Julius Agwu’s office in Surulere, Lagos, the Anambra born comedian spoke on how his boss, Julius, Basketmouth, AY, Ali-Baba, Yaw, and Opa Williams made him a rising comedian in Nigeria.

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Funnybone

I have seen your new skit on Ebola. It was nice, but aren’t you creating joke out of something deadly as Ebola?
At some point, I had to put it on my blackberry message (bbm pm) that if you send a broadcast (bc) and joke about Ebola, I’ll delete and I’ll insult you. That is because, I think Nigerians create jokes out of everything. But in this context, Ebola is deadly, it is highly contagious and I did not see anything funny in it.
It was Asurf that had the idea, but I said I’m a comedian and people might mistake it for a joke and he said No, you can also do it and pass the message across. In the clip, we are trying to educate the people on how to prevent and how to be safe from the deadly disease called Ebola. I did not want to attach any joke or comedy to it because I was passing a serious message.
(Cuts-in) But in a comical…
Yes, but not really comical. Of course you’ll laugh. You laugh and get the message. I passed a vital information across. That was what I had in mind to do before we shot the clip.
How was the acceptability?
It was waoh. On the first day we uploaded it online, we had over 1,000 views. We’ve been talking to so many local TV and cable TV including Hiptv and Soundcity but we are still talking in order to help air the clip at least for five minutes everyday to let people see and be informed because the bottomline is that most people in Nigeria don’t understand what Ebola is and how to protect themselves. The clip is still online for download.
Let’s talk about you featuring in Yaw’s sitcom, Yaw and Myn. How was your experience working with him?
First, I want to say a big thank you to Yaw. I want to thank him for giving me the chance and opportunity to be on TV. People like him are rare in the industry. I did not audition for the role. Yaw came to a show, he saw me perform, got my number, called me. I went to his office, and he said: “Funnybone, this is your script, you are going to play the role of my younger brother in my sitcom. Because you have what I need for the show, I think you’ll do well.”
From the first day we wrote it, we knew we had a synergy. So, there was no auditioning, I came on board, I did it right and ever since then it has been work, work, work!

Funnybone
Funnybone

What is the story behind the sitcom?
We’ve shot three seasons. It’s simply a family story that centres on Yaw, his younger brother (me), who is a rapper and does not know what is wrong out of life. My sister, Cheta, is Lilian Esoro, who is a graduate and doesn’t want to work with anybody. In all, we put our burden on him (Yaw) because we see him as a celebrity and he is on radio and we would live and depend on him.
Everything is around Yaw, me, the brother and my sister but it is something you will love to watch. It is fun, every episode will make you laugh.
With your romance with acting, are you considering moving into full time acting?
No, but I love acting. In fact, there is a movie I have the script now, hopefully, it will be shot before the end of the year. The producer saw me when we were shooting Yaw’s clip and he said this guy, I think I have something you can fit into, so we are working on that.
But going into Nollywood full time, I cannot say because I love comedy, I love what I’m doing and sit com/streetcom is what I think I can do best because it offers me the time to do it and still do my comedy. So, for now, it is sitcom/streetcom. If I get a movie that suits my person and my character, of course I’ll do it. As long as it makes me better, I’ll do it.
What about your personal sitcom? Have you done any?
Yes. I did one with Seyi Law, a popular Black Jesus skit. I think it is the most beautiful skit from Nigeria, anywhere in the world. It is called Black Jesus skit where Seyi Law acted Jesus and I acted as the director and I was flogging him and telling him not to cry because he was Jesus.
That skit went viral even in the UK and US. It went viral and there is more still coming. After Ebola, I have done another skit set for release soon. So, I think every three months, I’ll do a skit, so that my fans can see other side of me. And of course, I read Theatre Art at UNIJOS. So acting, is there, the skill is there, it can only get better.
There is a speculation that you featured more on Julius Agwu’s show?
(Cuts-in) It is not a speculation, it is a fact. Julius mentored me into comedy. If not for Julius, I would not have gone to school because when he met me like 10 to 12 years ago, he said to me, “Young man, you need to go to school. It will add value to your craft.” It was after that, I wrote JAMB and I went to the university. And all through school, he gave me the support I needed.
When I also came to Lagos, he gave me the push I needed. That’s why I am always associating with anything Julius. Anything he is doing, I’m there. If I am not on the show, I’ll be part of the planning committee. His business is my business. So, we are one big family.
But how often do you feature in shows organised by other comedians?
Very well. For the past two to three years, I have been on AY Live. I have worked with Basketmouth, I have worked with Yaw. I’ve performed in every big comedy show in Nigeria, even outside Nigeria. It did not limit my goals as a comedian.
Julius told me comedy will pay, if only I get a degree. And of course, not forgetting Opa Williams. He gave me my first major experience as a comedian on stage. It was Night of a Thousand Laugh. I was 15 then, I was the youngest comedian to have performed on that show.
Let me break it down, the first tour I did was through Basketmouth. AY Live 2012 was wow and fun, that was one of the best outing s of my life. I got a lot of contacts from that show and those people are part of who I am today. Comedy pays if you’re funny. For every good show you do, a client is already waiting to give you his card.

Funnybone
Funnybone

Was there a time you weren’t funny on stage? When you were booed off stage?
Yes. It was in school. I was in my second year. It was bad ooo, that day I cried. The popular NTA newscaster, Eugenia Abu, was launching her book A blink of an eye that day in Jos, I was called to perform. And as I was performing, I did a joke about the former president, Obasanjo. The next thing I heard was, “Get off my stage! How dare you insult my president, how dare you say a joke about my president!” and I dropped the mic and left the stage. I was embarrassed that day. But the bottomline is, as a comedian, I have a license to address any issue from my own point of view.
I am a social communicator. It is my right. I felt bad. But two years later, I met the same woman. She came for a show I was the emcee, and I said to her, “Madam, this is the same boy you chased away years ago in Jos.” And she apologised and acknowledged the fact that I have improved.
What do you do when your audience don’t see your jokes funny?
For me, it’s simple psychology, I read my audience before I go on stage. I sit down and settle. I know what to say and what not to say. I know who is in the hall. I know who I will hit and it will arouse laughter. I look at what they are wearing, how they are watching, I just observe the hall.
Comedy is pyschology, so, I don’t think it’s about me and what I do. It’s about how well I understand my audience. You cannot be dull and be a comedian. You must be knowledgeable. You must be sharp, intelligent and you must understand the audience first. Once you know them, anything you say sounds funny.
There is a rumour that your state government is supporting your next project. How true is it?
It is not true, my brother. In fact, I have not heard nor seen any entertainer, be it actor, singer or comedian that has been encouraged or supported by my state, Anambra, not to talk of me. It’s sad because our counterparts from other states get the needed support from their state governments.
The state is richly blessed with immense talents ranging from Flavour, PSquare, Pete Edochie and co, but I repeat, no support and it’s sad.

– RASHEED ABUBAKAR

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