Dolibondo has been described by colleagues as a comedy genius. His multi-lingual delivery has given him a place among the comedy greats in Uganda. On December 1, he is hosting the Camp Comedy experience at Forever Resort, just after the New Nile Bridge in Jinja. Moses Abeka caught up with him to talk comedy, the camp and the future.
What is Camp Comedy all about?
Camp Comedy is just like any other comedy show only that it’s not in the usual setting like bars, theaters, and halls. We decided to get comedy out of the usual setting and also involve in other things like fun games, camping… Basically, it’s a comedy show that involves natural setting.
For how long has it been running?
Camp Comedy has been in existence since 2015. In 2015, we had one edition and 2016
there were two editions, we skipped last year and now we are back.
So basically this is an idea that works!
Yes, it’s an idea that works. That’s why companies like Club, Capital FM, Kiss Condoms, Hima Cement…these are all big entities that have believed in the idea and have given us the support. You can’t just take a ram shackled idea and such companies give you the support.
What does one need to have to attend?
You need Shs30K entrance. There will be early bird tents going for Shs20, 000. For
tickets you buy three, you get one free. If you have a tent, there is space. If you don’t have a tent, there will be tents for hire. You come to Forever Resort just after the New Nile Bridge.
Is it a full day and night event?
The gates open at 5pm till and we shall be at the venue till December 2. There will be a full
night experience.
What’s your take on the comedians that will perform that day?
One of the cores of Camp Comedy was to raise a certain talent that people might not
know of. You know comedy is very wide than most people think. There is sketch comedy, standup comedy, clowning comedy…several genres. There are those comedians that are very funny one on one, there those that are funny on stage, those good at both. Those are very funny one on one will be around the camp fires. So the acts we have are really
talented. They did not start yesterday.
What would say about the current state of the comedy industry?
The comedy industry is fine but it’s at a point where it has failed to bring in new talent. I
don’t know if have exhausted the industry to the maximum or people are still afraid…or
the audience does not believe in new talent. It has failed to bring in new talent.
Where is the problem?
One thing they have to know is that they have to be themselves. When I started out,
we were at Effendiez, and among all others, I was the only one doing comedy in both
English and Luganda and that made the people to embrace me. These young people have a problem, they want to come perform like Mariachi, dance like him, others will copy Napoleone Ehmah, and others Aleku…stick to your style. People will like or hate
you. If you copy, they will just hate you. Stop dilly dallying on other people’s styles.
As one of the big names who has been in the industry for quite a while now, what are some of the misconceptions you have face as a comedian?
Sometimes people in the audience or our fans think they know more than we do. For
instance you find someone saying Ugandan comedians don’t do enough research. Yes, you say we don’t do research but how much knowledge do you have about the joke? You
see with cracking a joke, me and you have to be on the same wavelength. I have to be
talking about things you already know. Ugandans are not much informed. When you look at comedy across the globe, you realize people blame us without knowledge. You look at Chris Tucker, Kevin Hart doing racial jokes about whites and blacks just as we are doing about Baganda or Bakiga!