I never met P Diddy – says America’s Got Talent star Jonasi in side-splitting homecoming show
By Leopold Munhende
LEARNMORE Jonasi towered over hundreds who made their way to Harare Gardens for the global star’s first stand-up act since coming fifth at America’s Got Talent.
When many expected him to hold back, reserving the best for his more monied American crowd, Jonasi did not.
Bar after bar he dished at Shoko Festival’s Comedy Night, leaving US Ambassador Pamela Tremont in dignified stitches. She was not the lanky stand-up comedian’s only victim, more were in equal state.
Mayor Jacob Mafume, who was seated beside Tremont did not hesitate to swallow bouts of laughter; he was having the time of his life away from the water challenges, potholes and the Commission of Inquiry that threatens to take from him leadership of Harare.
“I am just like a doctor. Imagine the people who come here suffering from various mental pressures, for 40 minutes to an hour they forget their problems and just laugh,’ Jonasi had told journalists earlier.
Still down to earth, Jonasi had been catching up with old folk, most of whom remembered him as Long John, a stage name he later dumped for his biological one.
“I never met P Diddy, I know some of you think I did but let me tell you here, I never met P Diddy,” said Jonasi to a riot of laughter from those who have been following the Diddy case.
“I knew what he was all about from his name, Diddy. I can’t exactly explain it to the Ambassador.”
The colloquial use of Diddy in informal conversations cannot be “exactly explained” in a family paper too.
Sean Combs, P Diddy or Puff Daddy is being held in custody on three charges of sexual assault. News of crazy parties he held over the past two decades has begun to spill into the media which is where Jonasi got his lines.
Mixing a bit of Shona and English, Jonasi explained how he came fifth, in fact, he feared winning this year’s AGT…what with the witches so popular in his home area of Chimanimani.
“I had to come out fifth,” he said, “I knew my village witches would be waiting for my triumph.
“You know when you talk of witches Americans imagine the Harry Potter kind. I always tell them we have ones who drink blood and they should not speak where I speak. You know Chimanimani, we all do right.”
Having left a village boy from Chimanimani…well not just a village boy since he already had a National Arts Merit Award (NAMA) and a continental gong to add to it, Jonasi came back a superstar.
He arguably has one of the most recognisable faces in stand-up comedy today as a result of his inspiring performances on AGT.
Before his AGT triumph, Jonasi who was then known as Long John had already captured American hearts. In 2019 he was voted People’s Choice Award Winner in the Steve Harvey Stand Up Spotlight Competition.
“So Steve Harvey finds me funny, Terry Crews finds me funny then there is Denny J…why Denny J, why?” he said in a direct dig at popular podcast host Denford Jiro of The Denny J Show.
Jonasi’s well-calculated mix of jokes which resonated with his diverse audience captured the essence of this year’s Shoko Festival aptly themed Both Sides of Samora.
“Learnmore called before the episode when he got a golden buzzer was aired, I was very happy for him,” said festival director Sam Farai Monroe, popularly known as Cde Fatso.
“Right there and there I knew we had to have him at the Shoko Festival this year. I immediately told him we wanted to book him for this edition…before his rate went up.
“We are celebrating one of our own, who left an ordinary villager but came back a star.”
Shoko is Zimbabwe’s longest-running arts festival. This year’s edition is its 14th. It ends on Saturday with Peace in the Hood, a ghetto party headlined by contemporary artists such as Master H in Chitungwiza.
