One on one with comedian Herve Kimenyi

LOCAL COMEDIAN and actor HERVE KIMENYI spent the better part of November on a tour of Germany, casting in different plays in the cities of Berlin and Munich. Kimenyi is a founding member of Comedy Knights, the country’s first standup comedy group. MOSES OPOBO caught up with him for a recap of the tour, and what lies ahead in the New Year … Q: Welcome back. How was it touring Germany?A: Thank you! A few months ago, we were casted by the director of a Berlin theatre company called Gintersdofer/Klassen.They were working on a play called La Nouvelle Pensee Noir (The New Black Thinking). We stayed in Berlin for three weeks and then got to perform in Munich for the SpielArt theatre festival on the 15th, 16th and 17th of November. The SpielArt Theatre Festival is one of the biggest theatre festivals in Europe.Q: Now that you are back home, what is your next plan of action?A: Our next plan of action as the Comedy Knights is to produce more solo shows. We have already started with Arthur (fellow comedian) and it was a major success. Next will be Michael Sengazi, who was with me on the European tour, or myself; we are still discussing it. Q: How did you end up in comedy?A: To me, comedy was a happy career accident. I was called by a friend to be an MC at one of the shows and we ended up staying together for the four years. And I regret nothing. I didn’t think much what I wanted to be when I was a kid, but I knew I wanted to be on stage, always. The craziest thing I’ve ever done in that regard was to write an Oscar acceptance speech, when I was 13 or 14.Believe it or not, I still have it.Q: You acted in Grey Matter, a feature film about the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Tell us a bit more on your acting side? A: I was casted for Grey Matter by Kivu Ruhorahoza in 2009, and we premiered in New York during the Tribeca Film Festival. It was my second acting experience and it was good for me to do something outside my comfort zone. I keep getting offers for more roles so I hope to broaden that side of my career too.Q: You have been a prominent news anchor on Radio10. How does such a serious job blend with your comic persona? A: I am not in Radio10 anymore, but I applied for that position as a news anchor because I believe it is story-telling, and that is what I do; and also because we criticise the media a lot so I wanted to make a difference in the way we treat information because people deserve better in terms of journalism in this country (no offense.) Q: Most actors and comedians are more comfortable with stage names. Why are you an exception? A: I didn’t choose a stage name because I actually didn’t take myself that seriously, it is when I got a call from Mnet Comedy Club Live that I said to myself; Oww this is serious! They asked what name they should put on the website and I said Kimenyi Herve, so it stayed.Q: Describe your experience with the Comedy Knights? A: My experience with the Comedy Knights is a life saver. It’s an achievement that no one can take away from us, they are my family, my friends, and my brothers, and they know it. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for them, and they made me who I am today, and not a day goes where I’m ungrateful. God knows.Q: Where do you draw inspiration for your jokes?A: People are my inspiration; the absurdities of everyday life, and the fact that we are our own worst enemies as human beings is an endless pit of stories to tell.Q: As a little boy in school, what were your favourite subjects? Did you like Mathematics?A: As a boy in school I was bright but lazy, my favourite subjects were History and Biology; I hated Maths, I still do.Q: How easy is it for you to negotiate serious business deals?A: I don’t negotiate my business deals anymore; we got someone to do that for us. He is the agent and administrator for the Comedy Knights. He is in charge because no one takes me seriously anymore. Serious business talk turns into performances when I’m the one doing the talking haha.

Leisure

One on one with comedian Herve Kimenyi