Thursday, August 14, 2008

Mwalimu King'ang'i - Kenya's Funny Man

An internet search for Daniel Ndambuki gives amazingly few results with equally scanty detail. Which is fairly bizarre for a man whose trade hinges on popular ratings. And I have little doubt that Ndambuki is perhaps the wittiest stand-up comedian to come out of these parts in our times.


The man’s wit is powerful and makes for a hilarious beginning to every morning on Classic FM’s breakfast show where he doubles as the streetwise Mwalimu Kingangi and tea-lady Philgonias. Co-hosting the show with Maina Kageni, he performs lots of other flawless imitations only the way a consummate artiste can. It is widely believed that he enjoys quite a large fan base that has anchored the show at the top of the FM stations’ breakfast ‘battles’. I’m an ardent fan of his too and would love to keep track of their morning antics except that the duo spoils the act for me when they relapse, as Maina invariably ensures, to the depraved ‘pale pale’ dialogues.


Churchill, as Ndambuki is known in his stand-up comedy acts, is well reputed for his refreshingly ‘clean’ content that fits comfortably with family audiences. Many who have attended his shows will attest that his evergreen repertoire consistently delivers as billed. But now, after the end of the Redykyulass shows on national TV in which Churchill regularly featured, his fans outside Nairobi continue to miss out on his side-splitting performances.


Dan Ndambuki’s comedy has been recorded and several DVD volumes made but one is likely to have a pretty hard time laying hands on them locally. I have made rounds to several outlets here in Mombasa to no avail but find that they can be purchased online from Kilimanjaro Entertainment which is based in the US.


A DVD collection of Churchill’s Comedy Classics would be a prized feature to any home library and a befitting chronicle to this gem of an artiste.


Posted From HLumiti’s Theatre Vista.

10 Comments:

Girl in the Meadow said...

I love the MK's too. I thnk the character of Filgonias was done with when MK came back. They are very fresh guys.

Anonymous said...

i am a fan of his work, strange that you have to go that far to find a sample of his work.

Mama said...

I love King'ang'i and Philgonias!! Those characters tickle me to no end, especially Philgonias. I admit I love her clean humour myself. I hear he is saved and that's why his humour is different from the rest.

Although truth be told I am also a fan of Maina Kageni with or without his palepale talk. I just love gossip after all I am female!

Shiko-Msa said...

I love that pair too but sometimes Maina's pale pale talk is a bit too much. But otherwise they're a hilarious combination. Just the right ones to wake up to in the morning.

Maua said...

I feel so unKenya right now. I've watched Churchill on frakaz.com, http://www.liveimagesmedia.com/frakaz/videos.html several times, but Mwalimu and Philgonas are new. I'll search. Sounds good.

Half n Half said...

I love churchhill, he is too original

Our Kid said...

You are spot on that Filgonias and Mwalimu Kingangi (MK) are too fresh. Some of the things they say just make you sit up and say: Slap me! Did I just hear that?

But the other MK, Maina is a bit bawdy which coupled with his un-humourous self, just doesn't work for most people. Except the perverts that keep calling in with their escapades.

It is a rather tired routine in Kenyan air waves. Same script, different cast.

For starters, get a funny man and add some hyperbolic presenter. If it worked for Caroline Mu-talk-o and Baby J then it is prescribed for everyone.

Makes me very mad. Next up. Newshot and Bullseye!

And yes, that Weekly Show on NTV is whack! I mean, cant they get some serious writers. The jokes... eish!

Too much copying going on. Reminds me of the time Madd had a page one cartoon Life's Like That and Kenya Times or Standard came up witn In Other Words.

Oh wait. The best flattery is imitation?

Shiko-Msa said...

uuuui Our Kid that weekly show!! One day I watched Mistry doing the weather and I've never watched it again since then. I mean what is that??!! That was not funny it was silly. Maybe I was unlucky each time I landed there there was something silly airing. Or is the whole show silly?

And some of these perverts who call Maina, are some of their escapades real? Some of them sound so far fetched but hey it's their lives......

Bulls eye and news shot have lost ideas. I guess all the politicians are not funny any more.

Now we are waiting for Nyambane, Kajairo and Talia for the new station. Let's hear what they have to say.

Anonymous said...

I agree, Churchhill is the reason people listen to classic 105..I love him

Gitts said...

churchill was the first real stand up comic in Kenya. The others before just used to recycle internet jokes.

Remaining funny is hard and he's done well so far. Let's see for ourselves