Tol Ass Mo’s three city comedy showcase, ‘Tsek Sun, It’s Personal’, kicks off tonight at Melrose before heading out to Pretoria and then Cape Town. According to the star, the one man show is solely based on his life experiences and therefore is relatable.
“Comedy is about yourself, about your life experiences and the ability to talk the truth about certain things that some people are embarrassed to say openly. My content is so relatable because I know people will understand what it is like to be raised by a single mother or to live in a home that houses lots of people,” said the You Got Got television presenter.
“I feel like now that I am older and more mature, I can speak my truth. At first I was so scared about what my uncle would say if I spoke about him and the stuff he put me through when I was younger, or to speak about my aunt's and how we lived together at my gran’s place. These are all real life experiences that people can attest to and say yes those things did happened,” he added.
And for him to put his life story out like that, Mo, real name Mongezi Mahlangu, said it is therapeutic. “I want people to relate to me while I also get it off my chest, man,” he said laughing. “Stand up is therapeutic. That is a space where people can laugh about their pain, their imperfections and their mistakes.
“We live in a society where everybody is expected to be perfect, where everybody expects us to do the right thing all the time or to be something that you are not because of the pressures of social media and the media at large.”
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This show, he said, will open up room for people to be real with themselves, their history and their stories.
Mo’s 10-year long career has also sprouted its tentacles into other parts of the media industry like television and music. He is currently working on an album dubbed as comedy Hype music.
“The reason I do so many things is because the arts cannot be contained into one form. It is impossible. Art is an intangible thing and can be expressed in so many different ways - on stage, through music, writing. I don’t want to confine myself and call myself just a stand-up comedian. I am an artists and I am art.
“The comedy album is coming out real soon and will be the first comedy album in SA, following after the legends like Spykos Delicious and Chris Forrest aka Cooler Box.
undefinedThis album, he adds, is produced by top engineers and producers who have worked with big names such as AKA and Cassper Nyovest.
“I am currently working on a song right now with Sjava and the overall quality of music I want to put out there will be of a professional calibre,” he adds.
‘Tsek Sun, It’s Personal’ will be live on the following Dates:
Melrose Arch, JHB – 24 August at 20H15
Menlyn, PTA – 25 August at 20H15
Cape Town – 31 August & 01 September at 20H15
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