King of Kenyan comedy

Daniel ‘Churchill' NdambukiKing of Kenyan comedy

‘Churchill’ on the art of making Kenyans laugh

Image courtesy of LaughIndustry

Daniel ‘Churchill’ Ndambuki began his career in comedy back in 1996. Today he’s a household name in East Africa. He talks to 540 about his inspirations and success and launching ‘The Churchill Show’ on television.

Q. Can you tell me a little about yourself? Where did you grow up?

A. I was born many years ago in a place called Machakos on the outskirts of Nairobi. That’s where I started school and finished.

Q. From what age did you know you wanted to be a comedian? Did anyone inspire you?

A. Inspiration to become a professional comedian came much, much later in my life. My dream was not to become a comedian; it was actually to be a footballer. Comedy came by chance. I was actually established in theatre when there was the opportunity for comedy and stand-up comedians. Lots of people have inspired me, both locally and abroad. Locally, Mr Victor Ber, Mr Ken Waudo and Sammy Mwangi. And later on for comedy TV, because at that time there was only ‘Fanya & Family’ and, of course, ‘Redykyulass’.

Q. What’s the hardest thing about your job?

A. The hardest thing is that people expect you to be happy all of the time. We also have our moments; when I’m paying my KRA returns, you can be assured the look on my face isn’t a smile. But you have to compile yourself and comply. Every day as a comedian you should make people’s day, even if you’re having a bad day.

Q. What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

A. Seeing people laugh in unison, from the person seated in VIP to those sitting in regular seats. It’s a feeling that money can’t buy.

Q. How did you come to launch ‘The Churchill Show’ in 2008? Was it an immediate success?

A. There was a gap in 2008 because the trailblazers then – ‘Redykyulass’ – quit the industry to pursue their own career … and, of course, that meant a gap needed to be filled. So there was an opportunity that presented itself to me. Was it successful from the outset? No it wasn’t. It took around three seasons for people to realise actually that we weren’t in a hurry and we weren’t going anywhere. You can dislike us all you want but fall in love with us on the way. Turning hate critics into fans has been the biggest achievement of my life. Initially we were doing the show at the Kenya National Theatre at the Public Noise Makers and we pitched the idea to the head of content production for MTV. So they picked up the show, which ran for two seasons before being cancelled. Then from there we had a US tour that was sponsored by ‘Redykyulass’ the last time they were doing their world tour. So I happened to be doing a cameo appearance for them and there was a producer who discovered ‘Redykyulass’ at university – in terms of putting them on TV – and they became stars. When we came back from the tour we managed to launch ‘Churchill Live’ with Cinematic Solutions.

Q. How did it feel to be rated number seven in Kenya’s 100 Most Influential People list?

A. It came as a big surprise as there are so many people that I look up to. I think, thank God for that, I didn’t know that [would happen].

Q. Who does your fan base consist of mostly?

A. Families. ‘The Churchill Show’ is a family brand for everyone from politicians to mothers.

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Q. Do you have an international following?

A. I’d like to believe yes I do, but in a way we have kind of held back on that. It’s part of our plan; we haven’t done big tours abroad, just small ones in the US and the UK on a personal level. In terms of taking ‘The Churchill Show’ on an international level, this is what we are building on. Firstly we are starting in Africa, then in five years’ time we hope to launch material for the international market. First we must concentrate on conquering the local market.

Q. Which of your jokes prove to be most popular?

A. Jokes about families, perspectives and observations.

Q. What’s the comedy scene like in Kenya?

A. It’s only just beginning to blossom and so it needs to be given time. We’re way behind in comparison to America and South Africa. But it’s an industry that’s enjoying its renaissance – we are just beginning. In the next five or 10 years the landscape will have completely changed. I thank God that the ministry have embraced stand-up comedy. In the next few years I think we’ll have a different class of people performing comedy differently. Right now Kenya is only able to pull acts from a small number of people – comedy has only just begun. Of course, the digital front is growing as well as shows such as Netflix. So when these types of TV channels start absorbing local content in Africa, revenues will increase and you’ll see more concentration and even better production, which I think will then help sell the comedy elsewhere in the world.

Q. Any words for aspiring comedians?

A. Make sure you are serious about jokes. It’s a serious business.

Q. Do you still get stage freight?

A. Every day. I have a special doctor to help remove butterflies from my stomach before I go on stage [laughs].

Q. Tell me about the Churchill Academy.

A. It doesn’t take the form of a building – it’s a mentorship. The difference with our academy is that you don’t have to pay to join. Actually you give up being part of the academy because they have to monitor your progress, your seriousness and your commitment to the course and that’s why we call it an academy. How you excel is how your audience appreciate you there and how you start gaining numbers in social media and also with your endorsement working with other brands.

Q. Where do you go for inspiration?

A. The Bible, to God and to Jesus. That’s my inspiration.

Q. What are your future plans?

A. To retire happily knowing there’s an established industry where we have better people in comedy.

Image courtesy of LaughIndustry