The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bright Okpocha

  • Basketmouth is Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year

    Nigerian comedian, Bright Okpocha, popularly known as Basketmouth has again emerged winner of the 2018 edition of the Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year organised by South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards (SCCA).

    He beat four other African comedians to clinch the coveted title in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday.

    Announcing the news on his Instagram account, he posted a picture where he held the award plaque and wrote: “Thank you @comicschoice @savannacider for this….I truly appreciate you guys, and to all my peeps that voted for me. You guys rock. #SavannaCCA #Back2Back”

    Basketmouth, who won the maiden edition of the Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year award in 2017, has once again been nominated in the same category this year.

    Before 2017, the annual South African Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards (SCCA) was strictly for South African comedians only. However, last year, it extended one of its categories to other parts of Africa, hence the category is called the Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year.

    Meanwhile Basketmouth would be hosting his signature show, ‘Lords of the Ribs’ comedy festival on September 29 and 30, 2018 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The foreign comedians slated to perform that night include Capone, JJ Williams, Kevin J,, Alfred Kaina, Salvador and Mpho Popps. And on the Nigerian corner, it will be likes of Buchi, Okey Bakassi, Igosave, Senator, Funnybone and Dan D Humorous that will thrill the audience.

  • Basketmouth loses mother

    Basketmouth loses mother

    Mother of Nigerian comedian, Bright Okpocha, popular known by the stage name, Basketmouth, is dead.

    This was disclosed on Monday night when the Comedian was expressing his grief over the demise of his ‘angel’ through his social media handle of Instagram, @basketmouth.

    He wrote: “Last night my angel left me, my first love stopped breathing and it’s the deepest pain I’ve ever felt.

    “I love you for every sacrifice you made to make me the man I am today, I’ve loved you through the tough times.

    “I’ve loved you through happier days and all I can say at this point is that I will love you forever. I will miss you, mummy.”

  • Basketmouth survives robbery attack

    Basketmouth survives robbery attack

    Bright Okpocha, known as Basketmouth, was according to his colleague Bovi, robbed at his residence early morning on September 7, 2016.

    As reported, no harm has been done to the comedian and his family.

    “Basketmouth was robbed this morning in his home in Lekki phase 1 between the hours of 2:00am and 4:00am. He and his family were held at gun point while the sad episode lasted. Nobody was hurt. Valuables were taken including the CCTV device. A report has been made at the police station. He can’t be reached at the moment but will be back on as soon as possible,” he posted.

    Basketmouth, a Nigerian comedian and actor, has organised stand-up comedy concerts like ‘Basketmouth Uncensored’ and others across the globe.

  • Use of Pidgin English on stage has limited our comedians – Basketmouth

    Use of Pidgin English on stage has limited our comedians – Basketmouth

    A comedian, Bright Okpocha, popularly known as Basketmouth, on Friday said that adoption of Pidgin English on stage by Nigerian comedians had limited their reach and popularity.

    Basketmouth told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that many comedians would have gotten international fame and recognition if they were entertaining in English.

    He said that Nigerian comedians also needed to step up their game in order to be globally competitive.

    “One of the problems we have right now in the industry and which makes it difficult to break out of our cultural background and society is the language barrier.

    “Ninety per cent of our Nigerian comedians entertain their audience in Pidgin English and which limits their reach.

    “You can only break even in Liberia, Ghana and Sierra-Leone, all English speaking West African countries, but can’t go beyond that in Francophone countries.

    “So, if you continue being lazy as a comedian and not striving to be universal with your materials, you are going nowhere.

    “Joke is a joke, as long as you don’t make it too cultural because nobody in America, with the right audience, knows about the Warri people or the Yoruba people or Hausa.

    “So create your jokes and even more universal which is the major problem we have right now.

    “This is the reason why South Africans can break into the Western world because of the fact that they deliver their jokes in English and their structure is better than ours.

    “In Nigeria, the entertainment is massive, but with no structure,” he said.

  • Basketmouth to perform at Canada comedy festival

    Basketmouth to perform at Canada comedy festival

    NIGERIAN comedian, Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, has become the first-ever Nigerian comedian to perform at the annual Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, Canada.

    Comedy Central and DStv will be flying Basketmouth and South African comics, John Vlismas and Mpho Popps, to Montreal, Canada this month to participate in the Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival slated for July 20 to 27.

    The comedian will make his festival debut at various clubs during the week, while South African comedian, John Vlismas, returns to Just for Laughs to perform in Talk of The Fest, one of the festival’s premiere club shows. Vlismas’s performance is being taped as part of the Just for Laughs: All Access television series and will air on Comedy Central later in the year.

    Evert van der Veer, Channel Director, Comedy Central, Africa, said African comedy had the potential to be one of the continent’s most powerful cultural exports.

    “We are very proud to have John, Mpho and Basketmouth representing Comedy Central in Canada.  We are delighted to facilitate their presence at Just for Laughs, one of the world’s most important international comedy events,” Evert stated.

    Expressing his delight, Basketmouth said: “I am extremely humbled by the opportunity and I intend to give it more than my best shot and the best of me. It is certainly a dream come true.”

  • Basketmouth still in the eye of storm over rape joke

    Basketmouth still in the eye of storm over rape joke

    RECENTLY, comedian and Glo ambassador, Bright Okpocha, alias Basketmouth, shared a joke on his Facebook page, which a lot of his fans frowned on.

    Though he has apologised to his fans, some women activists are insisting that he join in the ongoing campaign against rape in the country.

    According to them, it is necessary for Basketmouth to correct the wrong impression that his joke has made on Nigerian youths by leading a campaign against rape.

    The coordinator of the Walk Against Rape and Project Capable, Esther Ijiwere, says that despite Basketmouth’s apology, his post on the Facebook might has gone a long way in promoting the vice, especially date rape.

    Ijiwere tweeted: “It’s totally wrong for you (Basketmouth) to post a comment on your Facebook wall and make rape the highpoint of it! I am highly disappointed in you for sharing this kind of joke. How would you feel if your mother, sister, aunt or daughter had been raped? Would it be funny?

    “You are meant to be an advocate of good behavior and not the other way round! Women are your biggest fans; yet, you bring us down. You should use your platform to advocate women causes and join us in fighting rape rather than promoting it, please.”

    A sexuality education strategist, Praise Fowowe, also lent his voice to the call for Basketmouth to be involved in the campaign.

    Reacting to the development in a tweet to Basketmouth, Fowowe said, “Popularity and the ability to make jokes isn’t the same thing as role- modelling. I am glad you (Basketmouth) retracted the joke and apologised. However, you need to join the fight against the crime. Remember, many young people look up to you; hence, the need to be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.

    “No more jokes about cripple, imbeciles and albinos. We must stop this madness and force comedians to think up and make wholesome jokes. Well, since he has apologized, we will forgive him. But he needs to be more careful.”

    Also, a former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has joined other Nigerians in demanding that Basketmouth become an anti-rape campaigner.

    The former minister said she was shocked by the rape joke from the comedian. She, therefore, asked Basketmouth to make use of the sad episode as an occasion for good by becoming a visible anti-rape activist in the country.

    “That joke was grossly inappropriate and nothing justifies rape. I urge you to work with some groups to become a great anti-rape advocate. I do not know Basketmouth’s history on such jokes, but if this is a one-off for which he has apologised and will offer to advocate, we should heed.

    “We all make mistakes at one time or another and when it happens, the measures we take to minimise the damage it causes our community matters! Advocacy against the rising scourge of rape in Nigeria would definitely benefit from the voice of a very talented gentleman like Basketmouth.

    “Our entire entertainment industry, Nollywood, and music should decisively take a stand against rape and violence against women, every one of them.”

  • Basketmouth goofs

    Basketmouth goofs

    It was not a fun weekend for top rated comedian, Bright Okpocha, alias Basketmouth, as what started as a harmless joke has turned out to be a hot subject on the Internet.

    Basketmouth had posted a joke at the weekend on his Facebook about the dating styles of white girls and African girls.

    According to him, while a white girl’s date ends with sex on the third outing, a typical African girl’s date ends with rape on the ninth outing after heavy spending by the guy.

    Irked by the piece, social media enthusiasts besieged the comedian’s wall, requesting a retraction.

    Following the outburst of emotions by critics, the comedian issued what could best be described as an insulting apology: “Ok, guys, I’m sorry about the rape joke. I won’t crack such jokes again. I’ll just stick to jokes about men being able to marry underage girls in Nigeria,” he stated.

    Unfortunately, this further fuelled the outrage, causing angry fans to besiege the Twitter handle of Globacom, his paymaster, with complaints.

    Though it would appear that those for and against the joke were evenly split, it was Barbara Mhangami, a writer and blogger, who took Baskemouth to the cleaners.

    According to Mhangami, “rape is a sick, vile and criminal act and making light of this scourge that has everyone of us who has a vagina living with fear is cruel and hateful.

    “Would your joke be funny if your mother, your sister, your aunt or your daughter had been raped? If your daughter or your sister had come home with blood running down her legs because some brute had seen her, not as a human being with feelings and a physical body that hurts and bleeds, but as a vessel for his lust, his rage, his disrespect and his misogyny?” she asked.

    Overwhelmed by the furore that greeted his post, the comedian became rather remorseful, saying: “I would never in a thousand lifetimes encourage rape. I broadcasted (sic) a joke that many clearly misunderstood and have found offensive and I sincerely apologise. The intention, however, was to highlight an unfortunate trend and the ridiculously flawed comparison between money and the worth of a woman.”

    However, he has since pulled down the offensive post.