Upclose & personal with Kedibone
KEDIBONE might be seen as a girl's name, but Kedibone Mulaudzi is no sissy.
This comedian can bring any man to his knees - he's that funny.
Having performed for presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, there is no doubt that Kedibone is one of the few top South African comedians that delivers (unlike most politicians).
Kedibone's material ranges from tidbits about childhood and daily life to current affairs, a dose of political humour and subjects that folk are scared to talk about.
Kedi shows up a bit late. He moans woefully that he had to walk from Sandton to Pretoria and back to Doppio Zero in Rosebank.
I think he's serious - and he laughs loudly.
"Can you believe Julius (Malema) convinced me and thousands to walk that distance?
"I'm rather thirsty now," he says with a smirk on his face.
He's dressed casually in a raggedy cap and takkies - signs of his laid-back lifestyle. He oozes happiness and contentment.
Coming into this world was not a happy occasion though.
"I was born during the turmoil of the 1976 riots in Soweto. Yoh, the stories I'm told! My mom in her pregnant state had to hide under tables because the police would raid people's homes for no reason."
That's why he was named Kedibone, meaning "I've witnessed something".
"I got teased a lot because of my name but this name helped me to have relationships with girls... they'd tell their parents they were with Kedi and it was never a problem. They thought their girls were with a girl, meanwhile...," he laughs uncontrollably.
He says he was always the class clown and had quite a following, but back home he was "that other kid".
"I'm the black sheep, you know. My siblings are police officers, teachers and nurses. My mom says I don't have a real job. She's still trying to get me a job at the factory where my uncle works."
Kedi isn't all about the funny side of life though. He has a caring, serious side too.
He wants to be known as a person who helped change the world "so people don't have to march to Pretoria".
"I tried making a difference at school. I organised a political rally, a strike against the bad education we had.
"I was expelled for my antics. When I returned I organised creative workshops and drama skits for my fellow students. We have to enrich ourselves."
As a young boy with six siblings there wasn't always money, so Kedi became quite the entrepreneur, selling sweets at school to pay for school trips and clothes.
"When I was eight I managed to grow a herd of 88 goats and sold them. I was very independent. I'd like to think I still am.
"Halala... but my mom still doesn't think I'm doing well, even though I'm building a house for her. Maybe she thinks the money comes from crime."
He cracks up again.
On a more serious note, he thanks his parents for teaching him to be a responsible person.
"Being a comedian I love knowing I can make people laugh. I also use my skills to help others make a living. And to think I wanted to become an accountant!
"My mom was so angry when I dropped out of varsity cos she used her savings to pay for school."
Kedi also worked for an ad agency, but says he was making others rich with his one liners and ungrateful clients were never happy.
"The advertising world is like Afghanistan..."
Is this guy ever serious?
THIS AND THAT
- Born in Soweto in 1976 and raised in Limpopo.
- Drawing is his other passion.
- Loves autobiographies and is currently reading Chris Hani's.
- Has travelled the world, his next destination is outer space.
- Has two kids aged six and six months. His youngest is called Botlhale (Knowledge) after his mom Mabotlhale (Queen of Knowledge).
- Already has his dream car - a khaki green Jeep. "Cos I'm a boy from the bush."
- Is a Christian and delivers "gospel comedy" to the masses. "No cussing, just good, clean laughs about church practices. But not blasphemous."
- Plans to marry his partner, up-n-coming jazz singer Nani.
- Wants to buy 10 farms and sponsor agriculture students. "Helping people make a living makes me happy."
- After quitting the advertising game, he took his comedy to the stage, thanks to Joe Parker who gave him his first gig. "After performing for 300 people at Carnival City and joking about how blacks are always getting screwed - like in a game of pool where the white ball is always dominant - I saw this was easy peasy. "
- Had a vision that comedy could be the next big thing, opened a comedy club at Horror Café and groomed many of today's great SA comics through his Nubreed Comedy School.
- Started the Soweto Comedy festival grooming youngsters. He plans to take them all over the world next year.
- Has also started a social investment programme in Limpopo and helped set up a crèche. "If we work together we can achieve so much more."
- Wants to make South Africans realise they should be proud of their culture through his one man show Black History next year.
- Catch him at The Mzansi Fela Comedy Festival on December 1 at the State Theatre.
