Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 April 2024 - The roast that everyone has been gagging for will stream exclusively on Showmax from Friday 26th April 2024.

As part of the Savanna and Showmax Laugh Africa Comedy Festival, Minnie Dlamini was roasted by some of the biggest names in celebville. For everyone who wants to relive the experience and for all of those who missed it, the Roast of Minnie Dlamini is filled to the brim with jibes and jabs.

The lineup is star-studded with comedy heavyweights Tumi Morake and Jason Goliath at the Roast master helm, and Trevor Gumbi, Shahan Ramkissoon, Celeste Ntuli, Lasizwe, Penny Lebyane, Da L.E.S, Siv Ngesi and Robert Marawa as the panelists.

Stuart Taylor, Laugh Africa Comedy Festival Creative Director, says: “Having all these brilliant individuals on the panel giving Minnie a roast is like pulling the pin from a grenade and tossing it in there. It's shrapnel everywhere. It's people on the ground.”

Putting together the right panel

Taylor wanted a roast where the panelists really celebrated Minnie and had fun, certainly at her expense, but in a light-hearted way without going for the jugular. “We were careful about curating a panel of people who have worked with Minnie, people who know her, but also some people who are quite odd and wouldn't be associated with her necessarily.” explains Taylor.

For the panelists, Taylor selected two of the heaviest hitting comics – Trevor Gumbi and Celeste Ntuli. Gumbi started his set by saying that he was there to settle some scores and we were about to find out with whom. “Trevor can say some of the most offensive things, but the cadence and pitch of his voice is so disarming that he really does get away with murder. He was incredible,” says Taylor.

Shahan Ramkissoon and Robert Marawa are media professionals who know how to play a gag. They were purposefully thrown into the mix because the comedy space is out of their comfort zone. They sunk their teeth into it and really rose to the occasion.

“As soon as Robert Marawa started everyone involved breathed a sigh of relief because we knew it was going to be a great roast. Robert played every line and milked all the laughs.

The same with Shahan. Everyone was like who is this guy? Why is he here? To all of this he came back even harder,” explains Taylor.

Minnie Dlamini takes the Mickey

With regards to the roastee, Minnie Dlamini was the perfect choice. Her celebrity status coupled to her scandalous life provided the perfect foil for jokes. Visually, she brought the opulence, glitz and glamour to the scene.

“Minnie is gorgeous, personable, she enjoys laughing at herself and knows how to hit back with her own jibes. We use the phrase media darling far too glibly, you haven’t met a media darling until you’ve met Minnie Dlamini. She’s a cultural icon. From an entertainment perspective, to have her kind of gravitas on stage was great. She set out to be the funniest and she hit back hard!” says Taylor.

The Roast of Minnie Dlamini will air exclusively on Showmax on the 26TH of April. Laura Cooke, Head of PR & Communications at Showmax, says: “We are thrilled to be streaming the Roast of Minnie Dlamini exclusively for our audiences. African-centred comedy and entertainment is part of what Showmax is about, and the roast aligns perfectly with that.”

EDITORS NOTE:
More about the Roasters and the Panelists

Jason Goliath
Jason is a stand-up comedian, MC, facilitator, actor, and television presenter. He recently appeared in Laugh out Loud with Trevor Noah and is a co-presenter on the television gameshow Celebrity Game Night. A career highlight was a spot-on Kevin Hart’s special at the Just for Laughs Festival in Canada.

Tumi Morake
Tumi has steadily grown into a trailblazer for performers on the African continent. She has channelled her comedy into writing, acting, and producing. Today, she is one of the most sought-after headlines acts globally. She is the current host of the award-winning celebrity reality TV show Sunday Sexy Love.

Siv Ngesi
Siv began performing at the age of 9 as Gavroche in Les Misérables. Not only did he tour Asia with the show, but he also sang at Nelson Mandela’s birthday party. An award-winning comedian he has performed at every venue and to every audience possible in South Africa, as well as in the United Arab Emirates, UK, and USA.

Shahan Ramkissoon
Shahan is a dynamic force in the world of media, celebrated for his unwavering commitment to delivering impactful journalism. With a captivating presence as both Executive Producer and Host of The Last Word with Shahan Ramkissoon, he commands attention with his thought-provoking insights and probing interviews.

Penny Lebyane
Penny is a multi-levelled media practitioner, with over 20 years’ experience in both Radio and Television. Her career started at community radio station The Voice of Soweto, and from there she moved on to host many other shows on both TV and radio, including ETV's Sunrise, and Motswako on SABC2. She is a Global Citizen Champion of Change Ambassador.

Lasizwe
Lasizwe is a multifaceted South African media personality with a unique blend of humour and insightful interpretations of everyday human behaviour. He is a TV host, YouTuber, and social media sensation, creating and starring in the reality TV show "@Lasizwe: Fake It Till You Make It" on MTV Africa.

Robert Marawa
Robert is one of continents most iconic and decorated sports anchors, as well as an author and media personality. Robert has amassed both local and international sports awards. He has a YouTube channel called Marawa TV and, in 2022, published his first book, Gqimm Shelele: The Robert Marawa Story.

Celeste Ntuli
Celeste both starred in and produced the film Looking for Love, available on Showmax. She co-hosted the widely popular Sunday television show Our Perfect Wedding, leading to her hosting a spin-off Gift of love. She has been the recipient of numerous awards including two SA Comic Choice Awards.

Da L.E.S.
Da L.E.S. is a sought-after performer inaugurated into the South African hip hop hall of fame. He has graced stages alongside Kelly Rowland, Rick Ross, T-Pain, 2Face, Kendrick Lamar, and Big Sean. He took victory on Tropika Island of Treasure season 5, earned the title of GQs best dressed multiple times, and has received numerous music awards.

Trevor Gumbi
With his sharp wit, unmistakable charm and thought-provoking comedy style, Trevor Gumbi has been entertaining audiences for over 20 years. A few career highlights include Netflix’s – How To Ruin Christmas as Uncle Siya Twala for three seasons. Trevor also entertained us on Rockville, Thandeka’s Diary and Black Tax.

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About Laugh Africa Comedy Festival

The Laugh Africa Comedy Festival is a groundbreaking new event in the comedy landscape. It transcends borders, languages, and cultures under the banner of laughter, providing a unique platform for both established and emerging comedians from around the world. This festival is not just an event; it's a 3-day experience that celebrates comedic artistry and connects performers with audiences in an unparalleled celebration of humor.

About Showmax
Showmax, launched in 2015 and available in more than 40 markets across the continent, is a leading African streaming service. It offers a unique combination of original African content, first and exclusive international series, popular movies, premium documentaries, and the best kids’ shows, and a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League (PL). For more information, visit https://www.showmax.com/.

To learn more about the festival, please visit www.laugh-africa.com and follow us on @Laughafricacomfest on IG, @Laughafricacom on X, @Laughafricacomfest on TikTok and on Laugh Africa Comedy Festival on FB.

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Didi Masoetsa
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