Popular comedian, Tony Ereku (aka
Gandoki), may be described as one of the most accomplished men in
Nigeria at the moment, having just set a new world record in stand-up
comedy.
Gandoki), may be described as one of the most accomplished men in
Nigeria at the moment, having just set a new world record in stand-up
comedy.
The comedian achieved this feat in a
performance held at the Exclusive Mansions Hotel in Victoria, Lagos,
which lasted from Thursday, September 29 to Saturday, October.
performance held at the Exclusive Mansions Hotel in Victoria, Lagos,
which lasted from Thursday, September 29 to Saturday, October.
Remarking that no other comedian has
ever broken the record before now, in a telephone interview with our
correspondent, he says, “My performance covered a total of 42 hours, 12
seconds. It started at about 8pm on Thursday and ended around 1pm on
Saturday. I beat a previous record set by an American comedian.”
ever broken the record before now, in a telephone interview with our
correspondent, he says, “My performance covered a total of 42 hours, 12
seconds. It started at about 8pm on Thursday and ended around 1pm on
Saturday. I beat a previous record set by an American comedian.”
He achieved the feat in the presence of a
delegation from the Guinness Book of Records. The performance was
streamed live before a global audience between last Thursday and
Saturday.
delegation from the Guinness Book of Records. The performance was
streamed live before a global audience between last Thursday and
Saturday.
Gandoki says there was no contest and
that he put up the performance intentionally, after several months of
planning and practice, just to break the record set by the American.
that he put up the performance intentionally, after several months of
planning and practice, just to break the record set by the American.
While preparing for the task, he focused
on the basic details, such as how to stand on his feet for so many
hours at a stretch, how to continue talking without a pause and more
important, how to sustain the attention of his audience.
on the basic details, such as how to stand on his feet for so many
hours at a stretch, how to continue talking without a pause and more
important, how to sustain the attention of his audience.
Our correspondent gathered that many of
the comedian’s colleagues were also in attendance. One of them was so
awed by his performance, especially the spontaneity of the jokes, that
he confessed, much later, that about 70 per cent of other stand-up
comedians in Nigeria always recycled Gandoki’s jokes.
the comedian’s colleagues were also in attendance. One of them was so
awed by his performance, especially the spontaneity of the jokes, that
he confessed, much later, that about 70 per cent of other stand-up
comedians in Nigeria always recycled Gandoki’s jokes.
“A colleague said that in my presence, not me. But I was surprised to learn this,” Gandoki recalls.
Some of the other comedians who
witnessed Gandoki ‘dethrone’ the American comedian include Ali Baba,
Bovi, Kofi, Seyilaw, Ushbebe and Shakara, to mention a few.
witnessed Gandoki ‘dethrone’ the American comedian include Ali Baba,
Bovi, Kofi, Seyilaw, Ushbebe and Shakara, to mention a few.
Also, describing the solo performance as
very challenging, the comedian says, “One of the rules was that I
should never pause. Even if I did, it must not be up to one minute. I
was expected to keep talking and I did. Also, I was only allowed a break
once and it was for 16 minutes.”
very challenging, the comedian says, “One of the rules was that I
should never pause. Even if I did, it must not be up to one minute. I
was expected to keep talking and I did. Also, I was only allowed a break
once and it was for 16 minutes.”
Interestingly, he admits that he did not
rehearse any joke for the event before going on stage last Thursday,
“Apart from concentrating on how to stay awake and to make my audience
laugh while it lasted, I didn’t prepare any special joke. But the jokes
kept coming and tumbling out of my mouth,” he says.
rehearse any joke for the event before going on stage last Thursday,
“Apart from concentrating on how to stay awake and to make my audience
laugh while it lasted, I didn’t prepare any special joke. But the jokes
kept coming and tumbling out of my mouth,” he says.
Explaining what motivated him to
undertake such a challenging task, he says, “When I looked at my career
and my past performances, particularly at the annual comedy event,
Night of A Thousand Laughs, it occurred to me that I had covered a total
of about 148 hours between 1998 and 2016.”
undertake such a challenging task, he says, “When I looked at my career
and my past performances, particularly at the annual comedy event,
Night of A Thousand Laughs, it occurred to me that I had covered a total
of about 148 hours between 1998 and 2016.”
The comedian also notes that his
performance was aided by his penchant for spontaneous jokes and the
habit of adapting his performance to any environment that he finds
himself.
performance was aided by his penchant for spontaneous jokes and the
habit of adapting his performance to any environment that he finds
himself.
Commenting on the feat, Ali Baba says,
“It will open the minds of comedians, especially those who are feeding
off their colleagues’ jokes, to the fact they can tell jokes as long as
they are talented and spontaneous. The only way to go is to be
original.”
“It will open the minds of comedians, especially those who are feeding
off their colleagues’ jokes, to the fact they can tell jokes as long as
they are talented and spontaneous. The only way to go is to be
original.”
Also, Bovi notes that Gandoki’s
record-breaking performance has shown he is one of the greatest
comedians of all time. “The quality of his performance is the real
record. No minute passed without him saying something that elicited
laughter. He is a spirit,” he says.
record-breaking performance has shown he is one of the greatest
comedians of all time. “The quality of his performance is the real
record. No minute passed without him saying something that elicited
laughter. He is a spirit,” he says.