Chronicle Editor
Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter
Funnyman Hidden “Uncle Zex Mdawini” Sibanda is surprised by his maiden National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) winning exploits.
Uncle Zex was awarded the Outstanding Comedian gong at the recently held Namas in Harare.
He toppled Theophilus Gabriel Chigumira and Kudzai Chengedza to win the prestigious Nama.
The comedian said he was surprised as he did not see it coming.
“I was surprised. I had actually targeted the next edition because I had not yet gone professional. I mean, the content that got me the award was never recorded in a studio, but on a phone, a simple phone for that matter.
“So, I wanted to go professional first, but surprise surprise, boom, there I am nominated and in that debut nomination, I win it. I feel proud and challenged too. Winning challenges one to do better next time than to perform below par,” he said.
As is the case with comedy, not everybody finds it funny. Some sections who have not laughed at Uncle Zex’s jokes said he did not win on merit but rather, it was a Zimbabwean version of the South African “Black Economic Empowerment” and an “affirmative selection”.
Uncle Zex did not take that lying down and responded to his critics saying: “They don’t deserve to have been born! Simple.”
This is not the first time that the Old Pumula resident jokester has been subjected to vile scrutiny. Last month, while performing his skits on lodgers/tenants during his usual stand-up comedy on a Zupco bus, he irked some passengers who then assaulted him, accusing him of performing a viral joke that they claimed led to their landlords raising their rentals.
He suffered a swollen upper lip, a testament that comedy is not always funny but amidst all that, he has risen above “hate”. – @eMKlass_49
Online Reporter