Comedy has allowed him to deal with difficult subjects in a light-hearted way. He has infused the comic into his anchoring of “Properganda” and managed to tackle controversial topics in a cheerful yet hard-hitting way.
The Southern African Times caught up with Mukudzei Kandoro Majoni, otherwise known as King Kandoro to discuss his career as a comic in general and his upcoming Family Meeting Tour particularly. Here is how part of the conversation went:
SAT: The new project Family Meeting Tour, take us through the thought process of coming up with the jokes for the stand up. Are they all the same or they vary according to the audience?
As the name suggests, it’s a stand up tour that is modelled as a family meeting or it could be the reverse, a family meeting disguised as a comedy show.
The thinking is that as people who’ve made it through a pandemic, it’s important to check in on each other but most importantly get back on the same page, as a family.
The Family Meeting Tour will be in Johannesburg on the 20th and 21st of October 2022 at GatzbysLive then goes to Cape Town on the 22nd at Protea Hotel Fire & Ice before making its way to Mutare, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Gweru on dates yet to be confirmed while the finale is slotted in for the 24th of December at the Celebration Centre in Harare.
SAT: We understand you worked on a podcast before, “Sadza in the morning” and it seems like it has put on hold. Any chance of that coming back on air?
The podcast ran its creative course. It was time for it to end so that other creative ventures could be born. The chances of it coming back are very very very minimal.
SAT: We have also come across another comedy show Propaganda? It seems like it is driven by the prevailing Zimbabwean political climate. How has the show been received by the Zimbabwean society?
[It’s actually called ‘Properganda’, and] it came through as a response to the rife misinformation within Zimbabwean political discourse. Be it from the ruling party or those in the opposition or civic society.
So ‘Properganda’ serves as that middle ground for young people, where we break down the topical issues in ways that are easily digestible and without the overt bias. Two seasons in, the show has been well received, especially amongst young people.
SAT: Do you perhaps have any other bodies of comic work besides Sadza in the Morning, Properganda and the incoming Family Meeting?
There has been 2 seasons of Properganda, the latest one ended in August 2022. In between that I put out another stand up, The Prodigal Son in January.
SAT: Tell us more about your family. How receptive have they been of your career and of course the particular genre of entertainment. And how are they liking this new project?
In the beginning there was hesitation, because our entertainment industry isn’t the most lucrative but with time they saw that there was a plan and slowly they started buying into the vision.
Now my parents even chime in with suggestions for topics to talk about or stories they think I might have forgotten. I think I can safely say they are on board.
SAT: Does your background also influence your comedy? If so, in which ways?
Absolutely. I grew up in a police camp, 2 police camps actually, then did my A Level in Shurugwi, then went to University at Rhodes University in South Africa and now I live in the UK.
All those experiences shaped me differently and each phase moulded me into a guy with a lot of stories to tell.
I think my superpower is being able to see multiple perspectives at the same time. I end up having fully fledged arguments in my thoughts, which is both a blessing and a curse but in terms of my craft I guess it makes it more nuanced.
SAT: Let’s talk about all the projects in retrospect. Which one has had impact more than the others so far? And to what can you attribute that?
All of them have been impact in their own way, Conspiracy Theories my first stand up special was great in introducing me to comedy lovers, Properganda went a long way in legitimizing my career as more than just a guy going for a quick laugh.
The Prodigal Son went a long way in showing that Conspiracy Theories was not a fluke and hopefully The Family Meeting is a combination of all those things and it’s not just a moment for me but Zimbabwean comedy in general.
SAT: Any for upcoming comedian out there who look up to King Kandoro?
A healthy amount of arrogance goes a long way in shaping the craft.
