Johannesburg - As the comedy scene grows, with comedians like Trevor Noah making it big in the US, you can’t ignore charismatic up-and-coming youngsters like Mpho Popps Modikoane (known as Mpho Popps) who are making waves on the home front.
If you watch a lot of local TV, you may have seen Mpho Popps telling off-the-cuff jokes on Laugh Out Loud
That was a few years back, but in recent times he has been appearing in MiWay commercials with skits so funny you would be forgiven for forgetting what he was advertising.
He has performed in David Kau’s popular creation, Blacks Only, and has presented his own shows, making him one of the most sought after young comedians.
Mpho Popps is now cutting his teeth as an actor: he has a role in Vuzu Amp’s (DStv Channel 114) latest drama series aYeYe, which premieres tomorrow at 9pm. That he has no acting experience, yet impressed the casting directors at the prestigious Bomb Shelter, shows just how talented he is.
He has been cast alongside seasoned actors like Thapelo Mokoena and Bonginkosi “Zola” Dlamini.
While comedians like Kau and Loyiso Gola have cemented their place in our living rooms and our hearts, an avalanche of hungry comic young bloods is destined to take over the comedy scene – and Popps is no doubt one of them.
How would you describe your first memory?
I was living in Vosloorus and I was 4 or 5.
We were building houses in the backyard out of mud and my brothers used to play a silly game. They would secretly fart in a tin, close it and then innocently hand it over to me and ask me to smell it. It was awful.
Everyone who succeeds in the end has faced hurdles. When did your breakthrough come?
I got kicked out of the house by my mother as I was a bit of a problem child. I went to stay with my grandmother in her back room. That was the most depressing time of my life. I was studying at university, but had no money and was living with my granny. That brought me down.
To cope, I started writing funny skits on the covers of my varsity books to lift my mood. I showed them to friends and they would ask me to do it on stage, but I would decline as I am shy.
When I finally told my sister that I wanted to try it out, she took me to a show with Trevor Noah, David Kibuuka and other comics. It was the first I had been to – I had a fun time and convinced myself I could do it.
I then tried out So You Think You Are Funny and the rest is history. I have been at it for five years.
What is the one thing people may not know about you?
I come from a funny family. Everyone is funny, from my gran to all my cousins.
To be honest, I am the least funniest of them. I just happen to be the one who pursued it and took to the stage.
What is the best advice you have received from a fellow comedian?
After not winning So You Think You Are Funny, Chris Forrest came through to me and said: “I hope you are not upset about losing the cash prize, because you are going to make it overnight.” And it was true – soon after the show, gigs flooded my way.
What can go wrong when a comic is on stage?
A lot of things.
I did a gig for the Department of Trade and Industry and a woman fell through the stage and the ambulance had to collect her.
The organiser asked me to carry on with the show and I did while, she was still under the stage. A lot can go wrong, but the show must go on.
Who is your favourite comic?
There is way too many to choose from. I relate a lot to Eddie Griffin as he is funny and it stems from his family. I also like Eddie Murphy who, like Trevor Noah, can do all sorts of clients.
How many hours do you put in in a day?
I work hard. I usually have to do something like 12-hour shoots and four hours on stage in a day. Yet when I look at people like Kevin Hart I realise I need to do more.
In your view, in what kind of state is comedy in South Africa today?
It’s growing. There has been an increase, with new comics every year. The audiences are also growing, which is quite remarkable.
Do you have crazy fan experiences?
All the time. The one that comes to mind is when I was with my partner in Sandton and this woman walked behind us for a while, then in front of us and then circled us before approaching me to ask if I was Mpho Popps. I confirmed I was and she gave me a warm hug. She went away and returned after a few minutes for another hug, with tears in her eyes. I just complied.
Those close to me know I love these moments even more than the fans do.
The Sunday Independent