Comedian Patrick Salvado Idringi has appeared on international news network CNN.
“I am on CNN. Started from Ombokolo, now I’m here,” the comedian posted the good news on his Facebook wall.
In the 50 second clip, CNN says that if laughter is the best medicine then Patrick “Salvado” Idringi should be Uganda’s chief doctor.
CNN documented Salvado’s journey to stardom from his time as a switchboard engineer at MTN until he entered M-Net’s Stand Up Uganda comedy contest where he came second to Kenneth Kimuli aka Pablo.
Salvado told the channel that he entered the competition on the prodding of his sisters. And when the comedy thing started working out, Salvado threw in the towel at MTN.
“I left my job in 2011 because I was making unserious money by being serious. I realised you can make serious money from being unserious,” he told CNN.
The comedian admitted that it was initially tough after quitting his job. “Some gigs would offer beer instead of payment,” but Salvado soon realised that that wasn’t going to help him pay his rent.
“I was patient, because deep down in my heart I knew it was going to work. I didn’t know how long it would take, but I definitely knew it was going to work,” he told CNN.
Salvado attributes his success to his openness to talk about subjects that some comedians in Uganda might avoid, such as sex, love and death.
“It has helped me actually exploit most of the things that I didn’t know I could do. So I should say comedy has changed my life.”
Salvado is currently in London to open for a series of Basket Mouth’s Valentine’s shows in the Queen’s land. Nigerian singers Wizkid and Patoranking will also perform at the shows.