CONTROVERSIAL and outspoken radio personality Gareth Cliff (pictured) returns to Comedy Central to host their latest show, Comedy Central Presents Divine Live at the Lyric.
After the mutual agreement that CliffCentral.com, the radio station that was televised on the TV channel, would cease airing, a lot of people speculated that there was bad blood between Cliff and the channel, which was refuted.
His involvement with this latest Comedy Central Live show thwarts those rumours and shows that the two parties do still get along well.
Cliff spoke about why he joined the third instalment of Comedy Central Presents, taking over where Deborah Patta left off just a few weeks ago.
“It’s an interesting concept, I love the subject matter and I think I could act as a link between all these terrific comedians,” said Cliff.
As the title Comedy Central Presents Divine Live at the Lyric suggests, this show will deal with all things religious. South Africa is notorious for having a strong selection of spiritual people, so for Cliff it is important to have conversations on a topic like this.
“We are quite conservative as a country, but then so is the world.
“This is one area in which we would do well to laugh a little more,” he said.
With him stating how conservative the country is on such matters, the question arose of whether a topic like this would work in a South African comedy scene.
Eugene Khoza is currently under a lot of scrutiny for making HIV jokes and that’s another sensitive topic in South Africa. That said, Cliff remained adamant that the Divine show will work.
“I think the world is changing. I’m looking forward to witnessing the reaction, but I don’t believe anything we’re planning to do will be particularly incendiary.”
Given that it is a religious show, we had to ask if there were any “Holy Cows” and Cliff vehemently said there were none, so there will be no topic that will be off limits.
As a radio and TV personality Cliff has the gift of the gab and he is occasionally quite effortlessly funny. Will he bring some of that comic expertise to Comedy Central Presents Divine Live at the Lyric just to “fit in”?
“Not at all. I know Griff, Casper and Deep Fried Man well and I can’t wait to shine the light on them and their talents,” he said .
Comedy Central Presents Divine Live at the Lyric will be shot on September 12 and 13.
It will be set in an African version of The Garden of Eden where Deep Fried Man plays Adam and Joy Motsoane is Eve. Other comics to look out for include Casper De Vries, Deep Fried Man, GRIFF, Yaaseen Barnes and Kagiso KG Mokgadi.
Tickets are on sale now at Computicket and the Lyric Theatre Box Office and they are priced from R205 (R195 for early bird, group bookings, pensioners and students).
• Comedy Central Presents Divine Live At the Lyric will air on November 3 at 9pm on Comedy Central (DStv Channel 122).
WIN!
Comedy Central and Tonight are giving away five double tickets to lucky winners.
To stand a chance to win, answer the following question: Who does Deep Fried Man play in the Divine show?
Send your responses to [email protected] by Wednesday.