Showmax premiered its third original show, Trippin’ With Skhumba, starring Skhumbuzo ‘Skhumba’ Hlophe, on Thursday, 28 February 2019, and it has been well received by local viewers.
The show Trippin’ With Skhumba is Showmax’s third original show and its very first vernacular show. The show is also the channel’s first travelling show.
Trippin’ with Skhumba is hosted by Skhumbuzo Hlophe, known to his fans as Skhumba, and he travels around the country visiting the hometowns of his guests, who are also comedians.
The launch of this show followed Showmax’s first original production Tali’s Wedding Diary, which recently won the channel five South African Film and Television Awards.
The very first episode aired on Thursday, 28 February 2019. In the episode, Skhumba visited Moletjie Village in Limpopo, hometown to comedian Mashabela Galane, who comes from humble beginnings.
Skhumba and Mashabela are friends, and during the visit, they chatted about their come-up and having to pay their dues in the industry, especially because they deliver most of their jokes in vernacular.
“We’ve come a long way. Back in the day, it wasn’t easy. You’d perform for R50 or a six-pack of Black Label. I used to walk from Carlton Centre to Melville and perform for a six-pack of Black Label [at Underground],” said a reminiscent Mashabela.
On Thursday, 7 March 2019, the second episode aired, where Skhumba once again jumped into his CaraCara microbus to visit comedian Siya Seya’s hometown of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
In the episode, Skhumba got to hear from Siya’s mother, who expressed shock at her son being a comedian, noting that he grew up a quiet and reserved boy. While chatting, Siya also noted how Skhumba helped him find his feet and make it in Johannesburg. “Basically, Skhumba saved my life. In 2016, he took me in when I arrived in Joburg with no plan and one month’s rent and helped me find gigs.”
The show is directed by Vincent Moloi, known for Tjovitjo and Skulls of My People. “Trippin With Skhumba is flipping funny. It’s real. It represents, to me, the ultimate exploration of South Africa’s humour in a very honest and truthful way. It has an uncompromisingly authentic texture. Be ready to laugh at our misfortunes and our greatness,” he said about the show.
Abenathi Gqomo
a.gqomo@politicalanalysis.co.za
