The joke “ we all saw an advert on television confirming that Kenny and D One were going to cover the Red Carpet at the last Grammy Awards in America for our viewing pleasure back home in Nigeria, Only for us to find the two of them interviewing their own artiste Jawon (around an American 3rd Mainland Bridge very far from the venue) without having access to the venue and foreign celebs at the event”
In a open letter written on his Facebook page, AY explained that it was only a ‘harmless joke that meant neither vilification nor slight’. He further explained that the ‘joke was only a spontaneous exaggeration by a comedian who needed to just lie to the world and make a living from it’.
Read the open letter below…
Dear Sirs,
It is with deep sense of respect that I greet you. With profound esteem as well, we appreciate your invaluable roles in the growth of the Nigerian music industry in particular, and the entertainment industry in general. What the combination of your robust personalities means to most of us is nothing short of being a blessing to our generation as enviable mentors. My own respect is not just fraternal, but somewhat avuncular as well. You have been championing the business of entertainment with phenomenal contributions as veteran producers and all-encompassing showbiz personalities. Thus it wouldn’t be out of place if something like a knock descends from on high, directly from the ancestors and lands on the head of any of us, your very junior colleagues for disrespecting the colossuses in the entertainment industry.
As a standup comedian I have come to discover that various sectors of the global entertainment industry are systematically tied together like a bunch of firewood. It is practically the case of a healthy rapport of mutual promotion. It is what has enhanced the meteoric upswing of the Nigerian entertainment industry. The story of the comedy industry, which I happen to be part of, is equally making headlines. And yet, not without some mutations in line with the spirit of our time. As a matter of fact, dynamism and creativity are attributes of the entertainment industry. Hence, the comedian has transcended the era of tortoise-squirrel tales, rooster-and-bull story, narrative rambles, and redundant fart jokes. Comedy has beautifully developed into social commentary, what the public can exhilaratingly identify with without ado. Regrettably, the content of comedy in most cases has shifted from just anybody to celebrities. Today, the big enchiladas and the Mr Somebody have come to have a place in the comic chat. And it is simply a waste of time and words querying why it is so. Therefore, it doesn’t sound bizarre to anybody anymore that the American president has been the focal point of many American comedians. While alive, Mark Twain and George Carlin never spared the American government. But the government spared them, digested the humour in what they were saying and left them in their clownish babbles. Actually comedians and clowns are brothers – nobody takes them seriously even though they habitually provoke serious laughter. Nevertheless, no comedic license to insult folks is intended.
Obviously, it is not just about the American president. With due respect, it must be stated that other highly influential parsonages across the globe are involved. More still, Her Majesty, the Queen and His Holiness, the Pope are not excluded from the humorous drama. What do they do? They only smile and overlook the facile act of the jester, or at best call on him to put more smiles on people’s faces. We are indeed in a world of humour. Coming home, if OBJ had paid any serious attention to the flimsy rants of comedians about him, for sure, the king of comedy Alibaba and some of my colleagues would by now be staggering with castrated tongues or even conduced to the fate of extinct dinosaurs. To him we all pay homage for his paternal encouragement to the industry, but more for providing inexhaustible materials for our business to thrive. In the same vein, Tuface Idibia, Wande Coal, Dele Momodu, Weird MC, Segun Arinze, Chris Okotie, Don Jazzy, Banky W, Tonto Dikeh, D’Banj, Omobaba, Alibaba, the Jonathans and others deserves constant applause as well for having not drawn the sword of enmity against me and my colleagues. I am very sure that who ever is reading this piece can relate the above mentioned names to numerous jokes done by comedians. The truth of the matter is that only those revered by society enter into the contemporary comical repertoire. Please may all VIP’s note this down.
In other to flee parochialism in this slim letter, let me quickly draw our attention to a relevant point from one of the fathers of African literature. Achebe writes: ‘Some years ago at an international writers’ meeting in Sweden, a Swedish writer and journalist said to a small group of us Africans present: “You fellows are lucky. Your governments put you in prison. Here in Sweden nobody pays any attention to us no matter what we write.” We apologized profusely to him for his misfortune and our undeserved luck!’ (Chinua Achebe, The Education of a British-Protected Child, London, Penguin, 2011, p. 121) If it were like this for intellectuals like Swedish writers and journalists, how would it be for the lame Swedish comedians? Definitely worse! It must be noted that this manner of apathy towards comedians is replicated across the civilized world. I guess the point should have been clear by now.
Dear Kennis Music, permit me to modestly state that it was an harmless joke that meant neither vilification nor slight when I said “ we all saw an advert on television confirming that Kenny and D One were going to cover the Red Carpet at the last Grammy Awards in America for our viewing pleasure back home in Nigeria, Only for us to find the two of them interviewing their own artiste Jawon (around an American 3rd Mainland Bridge very far from the venue) without having access to the venue and foreign celebs at the event”. That joke was only a spontaneous exaggeration by a comedian who needed to just lie to the world and make a living from it.The naivety and clumsiness in attacking you aside, you and I know very well that any attack on you by any comedian is as pointless as a wild-goose chase. However, my sincere apologies if I exaggerated in my jokes. Please no harm was intended. It was rather a confirmation of your significance to society. The several great artistes you created will witness better to this than my little self. Again, by ‘agelessness’ I intended the lasting glamour of your presence in the entertainment industry, and the future and perpetuity you stand for in the music enterprise. This is it; no equivocation was intended. Please forgive and forget.
Best regards.
Sincerely,
AY Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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U've done wat u're supposd 2 do,& think they wld understand
ReplyDeleteThat's ok AY, you are forgiven.
ReplyDeleteDaddies 4give ur son since christ has 4gien u too
ReplyDeleteAT TIMES SOME JOKES ARE EXPENSIVE SO KNOW THE KIND OF JOKES U SAY ABOUT PEOPLE,NO WAHALA YOUR SIN HAS BEEN GIVEN, KEKE & D1 WILL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE JUST LOOKING FOR WHAT TO EAT.FROM CONCERNED NIGERIAN
ReplyDeleteA.Y. go and sin no more
ReplyDeletefunny only in Nigeria do comedians apologies..
ReplyDeleteinstead of crying for some "apologetic" blood from the harmless comedian, the duo of kk & D1 or whatever they call themselves should have just used their extensive media connection to prove the comedian wrong if they thought people would rather believe the jester and that should have laid the issue to rest. But if what the comedian said has any bitter truth to it, then damn the apology!
ReplyDeleteWell I dnt think a comedian shud b taken seriously.its simply defined dat he I a comedian so y d apology.Dnt they make jest of other big wigs in d country.so who is keke n D1!I dnt think there is any need for apology.
ReplyDeletemaybe they threatened him with a lawsuit, hence they apology
ReplyDeleteHey keke nd D1, u can't be bigger than president Jonathan Oº°º°ok, so pls drop ur bragness its all joke and dats all
ReplyDeleteAy should have made a joke about them taking offence at his first joke and inserted a funny apology there. If d duo want to set the story straight, they should show us proof of them at the Grammy red, carpet.
ReplyDeleteKeke n D1, na ur boy, pls find a place in ur heart to 4giv n 4get. Dts a comedian for you...
DeleteDis letter is a joke itself..see grammar..lol..can imagine aw long it wld take dem 2 finish readin dis after opening dictionary plenty times..lmao
ReplyDeleteNo lele... Go and sin no more
ReplyDeleteThis is kinda very funny. A comedian apologising for cracking a joke? What of the jokes on Patience Jonathan, GEJ, Obasanjo and other high society individuals,they deserve apologies too. Am disappointed in Ay. It was a joke not an open insult. Clint the Drunk called Desmond Elliot Desmond Idiot,I mean his fathers name and he laughed it off. Am sure Idris wont take this rubbish. AY should leave comedy or write his apologies in advance. Very embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteThank you AY for dissing them; they laughed when other peeps were being dissed, it's about time they have their own share. Weldone boy, i hereby declare you Comedian of 2012
ReplyDeleteAY is sick for apologizing
ReplyDeletelife is all about business
for thoes in their industry
so whts all the fuss about
Absolutely no need for an apology. It was a joke. Simple!
ReplyDeleteWhat was d big deal? Perhaps there was some truth in it and that embarrassed them? Too bad, then!
If you move within certain circles, you are open game to whatever comes with moving in those circles. Chikena!
Keke and D1, you are in the entertainment business, you attend comedy shows and laugh at jokes and parodies made of other people and situations, don't you? So how come you couldn't laugh when the joke was on you?
Shame on both of you!
PROUD NAIJA!
Abeg, y should he apologies. If truly they were @ d Red Carpet of d Grammy awards den let dem prove it by showing us their presence there. Go on AY cos it's d truth u r saying but since u ve apologise den it's ok, if they like let dem 4giv or go 2 hell
ReplyDeleteyou are lucky am in my "FATHER-CHRISTMAS" mode. You would hav heard from your lawyers. You r forgiven all thesame.
ReplyDelete