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Musawenkosi Moyo
UNCLE Zex Mdawini, real name Hidden Tshuma, has continued to take the comedy scene by storm with his engaging performances and relatable humorous punchlines.
Growing up, Uncle Zex Mdawini always had the seeds to grow into a comedian with his ability to make people laugh, starting from a young age.
“From my primary school days, I was always making my peers laugh, although at the time it never crossed my mind that I could make it into an actual profession,” he said.
It was not until 2005 that the comedian made the decision to retire from his professional life as a human resources manager to fully commit to comedy.
“I decided to retire from my job and focus on sharpening my comedy skills, which were later promoted by the rise of social media with people recording me and posting videos on social media which went viral. This development gave me the motivation to further my profession as a comedian,” said Uncle Zex.
His jokes tackle sensitive topics like tribalism and everyday social problems like the Bulawayo water crisis, among others.
“Some of the topics I discuss are sensitive, such as tribalism, which is not a simple issue to address. When dealing with such topics, I rely on thorough research to understand where to draw the line and avoid offending anyone,” he said.
The comedian accredits his audiences to be his biggest influence when writing and performing his jokes.
“My biggest influencers are the audiences who laugh at my jokes. Quite a number of people have tried to correct me not to laugh at my own jokes, but I enjoy laughing with my audience and those moments of humour inspire me so much. I also watch other comedians too, but my inspiration is the people who laugh with me,” he said.
He has won numerous awards, including Best Male Comedian at the Pumula Royal Arts Awards (PRACA) in 2021. However, he considers his greatest achievement to be winning the National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) for Best Outstanding Stand-Up Comedian.
He also said that the biggest challenge he has faced and continues to face as a comedian is getting people in the country, particularly in Matabeleland, to appreciate comedy.
“Matabeleland is not a popular place for comedy, as the audience does not have enough knowledge about the art form. This makes it difficult to fill venues. It is my dream to one day see our audiences appreciate comedy as much as they do in other places like America. I believe that comedy can be used as a means to discuss sensitive subjects, as it is intended for amusement and not judgment. No topic is taboo,” said Uncle Zex Mdawini.
Relating to his experiences as a comedian and the stigma he faced from people for speaking in a different language, the comedian urged aspiring comedians to be bold and authentic in their content creation.
“If you believe your content is worthy, say it and be proud of it without thinking what others might think or say. At the beginning, I was attacked by many for incorporating Shona into my comedy. Despite all the backlash I stood my ground and did not limit myself, and that is what has made me different from others and has made my brand a success,” he said.
The comedian who has nearly 85 000 followers on Facebook called out other comedians for trying to hinder his success by claiming that “he is not a comedian.”
“Being political in the industry will only hinder your breakthrough, we are growing while most don’t even have 5 000 followers on social media. You could do better if you stop the competition and join the moving train,” he stated.
Looking into the future, the comedian said that he was working on a project with ZBC TV titled ‘Imfihlo’ which he said fans can expect soon.
Online Reporter