By Ian Nkera Ford
Stand Up Comedy for a while now has been on its death bed. An initiative that started out brightly and unearthed so much talent in the comedy sphere took a downturn, and what was viewed as the most exciting item in the entertainment calendar became a playground for politics, bickering and envy.
The comedians who ventured into the craft out of passion later on had a taste of its commercial value and then egos were massaged and we witnessed the young comedy industry limp in its infancy as they scrambled for the little they could get.
We mustn’t forget that one of the leading comedic groups The Crackers led by funnyman Patrick Salvador saw their semi-empire crumble as the group split into two domains; one retaining the name The Crackers and the other subdivide being The Krackers. The former was a Salvador stronghold while the latter was manned by Jonathan Kyeyo who was The Crackers former manager. The Crackers had an ensemble of Alex Muhangi while the Krackers had comedic misfits like Dolibondo, Cotilda, and Prince Ehmah among others.
We have learnt that the comedy industry has been given a lifeline as both camps have been assumed to have buried the hatchet. The Krackers owner and manager is said to have inked a deal with Mirinda and will be organizing shows around the country and needed a star-studded comedian line-up to spice up his shows. He has quickly sought a helping hand from his former foes Alex Muhangi and Patrick Salvador and the ink on the contracts with talented duo has yet to dry.
The upcountry tours are expected to take over a year and the line up is looking good with guest appearances from Abbey Mukiibi and Leila Kalanzi expected among the cast for the tour. Details of how much each comedian will be paid remains unrevealed but we can now see a glim of hope as the cracks in the comedy industry get repaired.
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