Pablo Francisco is a really funny guy and his show Bits and Pieces will show you just how funny his jokes can be. You may have seen his show before, shot in the US, but you have to see this South African version. Coming out tomorrow on Comedy Central (Channel 122), Bits and Pieces is tailor-made for the South African audience.
Comedy Central also enjoyed working with him so much that the channel has declared November Pablo Francisco Month. The channel partnered with him when he was on the continent to see how he reacted to the scene here, from the absence of lions on the streets to the local audiences.
Francisco is so expressive you would have to be really angry about something not to crack a smile. He is all over the stage, running up and down so much that you will not get a chance to feel sleepy. In fact, you’ll have to stay wide awake so you can duck if he throws some-thing your way. Yes, he is that animated.
But don’t confuse this with your Martin Lawrence or Tracy Morgan style of outrageous comedy where the comic makes faces, in the hope of making people laugh.
Francisco (pictured) has funny material that will guarantee you’ll get the joke.
After speaking earlier in the month to another American comedian, Ruben Paul, when he was here to perform with David Kau, it became clear to me that there was a symbiotic relationship in comedy between the US and South Africa.
Hanging With Mr Cooper stars Mark Curry, Chris Rock and Jeff Dunham, all of whom have been in the country, while our own talent, including Kau, Trevor Noah and Loyiso Gola, have gone overseas to share their home-brewed material.
Noah has been the greatest success story as far as our exports go, as he is steadily making a name for himself in the US, while periodically returning home to tell jokes about his stay abroad.
As a South African audience, we are spoilt for choice as we have local and international comics coming to our stages to crack us up. In a climate where gloomy headlines flood our news sources, laughter is indeed the best medicine.
The beauty of Comedy Central being involved is that you do not have to physically attend the shows (though if you are able to, do!) because, as with Bits and Pieces, you can catch all the action from the comfort of your couch.
Since it is his month on the channel, Francisco will feature in different instances, but to catch Bits and Pieces tune in at 8.55pm tomorrow on Comedy Central (Channel 122).