The nominees for the eighth annual Comics’ Choice Awards were announced at the Goliath Comedy Club in Gauteng on Wednesday.
This year, Celeste Ntuli and Skhumba Hlophe are tied for the most nominated comedian, each with four nominations to their names. Ntuli is nominated in the Native Tongue, Flying Solo and the Gamechanger categories as well as in the new category, the Comedy G Award. Hlophe - who was the most nominated comedian last year - has also been nominated in the Native Tongue, Flying Solo and the Gamechanger as well as in the Savanna Comic of the Year category.
This pair of funny people are closely followed by Loyiso Gola and Carvin H Goldstone, who each have three nominations. The Comics Pen category, which is proudly sponsored by the Independent Media Group, has some names that have won this particular award before in the mix.
The nominees in this category are Kagiso Lediga, Christopher Steenkamp, Thenjiwe Moseley, Lazola Gola and Dalin Oliver.
Every year, there is a special Waldo - the statuettes that these comedians win - for the Lifetime Achiever. This year, the honour goes to Pieter Dirk Uys. On this award, the organisers of the Comics’ Choice Awards said: “The prestigious Lifetime Achiever Recipient Award is given to an act with 25 years or more experience in comedy. This act is voted as not having only dedicated their lives to comedy and stage performance, but having made an invaluable contribution to the industry.”
With just two months left before the actual awards ceremony takes place in Gauteng, it will be interesting to see who takes home what Waldo this year.
The Comics’ Choice Awards take place at Gold Reef City’s The Lyric Theatre on September 8. Visit comicschoice.com for more info
See full list of nominees below.
COMEDY G AWARD* (new award launched this year)
David Kau
Marc Lottering
Loyiso Gola
Alan Committie
Celeste Ntuli
SAVANNA NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Bongani Dube
Lindy Johnson
Tsitsi Chiumya
Gilli Apter
Nonto Rubushe
NEXT LEVEL AWARD
Eric Jansen
Phil de Lange
Thabiso Mhlongo
Chik Aljoy
Ebenhaezer Dibakwane
THE SAVANNA PAN AFRICAN COMIC OF THE YEAR
Basketmouth (Nigeria)
Carl Joshua Ncube (Zimbabwe)
Kansiime Anne Entertainer (Uganda)
Salvado (Uganda)
Charles Manase (Botswana)
THE NATIVE TONGUE AWARD
Skhumba Hlophe
Thapelo King Flat
Celeste Ntuli
Mashabela Galane
Siya Seya
THE FLYING SOLO AWARD
Carvin Goldstone
Celeste Ntuli
Loyiso Gola
Alfred Adriaan
Skhumba Hlophe
THE COMICS’ PEN AWARD
Kagiso Lediga
Christopher Steenkamp
Thenjiwe Moseley
Lazola Gola
Dalin Oliver
BEST FRIEND OF COMEDY AWARD
On Fire Comedy
Goliath Comedy Club
Gino Fernandez
#ER Comedy What What
#BlacksOnly - David Kau
THE GAMECHANGER AWARD
Carvin Goldstone
Skhumba Hlophe
Loyiso Gola
Celeste Ntuli
Kagiso Lediga
THE SAVANNA COMIC OF THE YEAR AWARD
Carvin Goldstone
Mpho Modikoane
Skhumba Hlophe
Alfred Adriaan
Robby Collins
THE CHATZ CONNECT AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD
Abuti Lolo
Summary
Teboho Theoha
Pele-Pele Mchunu
Kwanda Radebe
THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT
Pieter Dirk Uys