Joking their way to TikTok fame

Leython van Graan loves being able to make people laugh and hopes to become a full time stand-up comedian. Picture: Supplied

Leython van Graan loves being able to make people laugh and hopes to become a full time stand-up comedian. Picture: Supplied

Published Dec 12, 2021

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Keeping your followers engaged with laughter is no small feat but TikTok creators Leython van Graan and Tumi Mmope make it look like child’s play. Their followers are always coming back for more, and after the introduction of certain characters, they’ve had hundreds of thousands hooked.

Van Graan (@lvgcpt) hails from Stellenbosch and is a second-year environmental science student at Stellenbosch University. In his matric year, he received a distinction for Geography, which spurred him on to choose this as a field of study.

Entertaining people in his TikTok videos has since birthed something new in him. Van Graan said his education was always his plan B.

“My plan A is to do stand up comedy and entertainment. My studies were always just something to fall back on.”

Van Graan has a stand-up comedy show coming up this week titled Laugh now, Cry later.

“I always looked up to Trevor Noah. I think I’ve always had a knack for telling stories and always had to entertain my mother's friends,” he said.

“I hosted my first stand up show in 2019 for about 60 people and that’s when I realised how much I enjoy making people laugh,” Van Graan said.

The 20-year-old grew his following through sharing many ’coloured-isms] and introduced characters named Wella Wakes and Uncle Waynie, whom he often portrays in various scenarios.

Van Graan said he was always the joker in his class at school. “I took a gap year in 2019 and used the time to create content that people can relate to, and have fun while doing so.”

He added: “These are characters that have so many traits every person can relate to. Everyone has a Wella and Uncle Waynie in their life.”

With 132 000 followers currently on the app, the young creator said he was sceptical about using TikTok at first.

“I was creating funny videos on Instagram and I was afraid that it might threaten my audience. It became more addictive once I started using it and I was surprised at the response it got on the app.”

His goal is to reach 150 000 followers by the end of the year.

“By the time I turn 21 in May, I would like to have half a million followers. It might seem unrealistic now but anything can happen.”

Tumi Mmope and her comical storytelling have kept her followers coming back for more. Picture: Supplied

Tumi Mmope (@tumsthenarrator) works as a marketing director when she’s not busy updating her followers about the latest drama in her apartment block’s WhatsApp group and the characters in it.

When Mmope moved into a sectional title, everything was new to her.

“Rules, reminders and arguments were all new to me and it still is. The WhatsApp group is like a voluntary prison,” she said.

Mmope said she realised she wasn’t the only person experiencing that kind of suffering when she shared one story and saw how many people could relate to it.

“I continue doing it because it educates people on rules on the sectional title and the drama our complex has,” she said.

“I want to keep people informed on what to look out for so they can apply it in their complex as well or rather learn from ours.

The complex characters like Mr Marais, Sade and Annelie have gained favouritism on their own through Mmope’s storytelling. Her first viral video was about her relationship with Mr Marais.

“I still show our relationship and I continue posting complex content. Although I introduce new content I try to maintain my anchor asset, which is the complex,” she said.

The Johannesburg creator says her favourite thing about storytelling is the comments section after she posts a video.

"I like how everyone gets along and our diversity is our strength,” she said.

“I’ve made wonderful friendships from my Tiktok/Facebook community.”

With little to no planning for her videos, Mmope said she loves creating and sharing authentic content.

“I don’t write anything down, it doesn't matter how crazy it is, I just do it. Narrations are my favourite because relatible content takes the cake for me.”

Mmope, who has 170 000 followers, has said she mainly uses posting on TikTok as a stress reliever.

“I get so many DMs where people tell me they need somewhere to distress and more often my videos help,” she said.

She added: “I want to continue sharing stories. Maybe write a book, or screenplay, let’s see where the future takes us.”

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