The genius of Eric Omondi

For Eric Omondi, one of the biggest celebrity names synonymous with comedy in Kenya, the stand-up comedy stage has not only been a platform to continuously crack up Kenyans, but also a stepping stone to self-discovery and tremendous growth.

As with any successful comedian who knows the value of correct timing, last year, Eric decided to leave the Churchill Show. The show is sort of the benchmark for any comedian eyeing the big league.

As one of the best comedians in Kenya, Omondi has already “made it”; still, it wasn’t an easy thing to do.

But it was a big decision that was going to further his journey in finding out what he wanted out of his career. With Daniel Ndambuki’s blessings, he left the nest and went to “fend for himself”.

“Did I leave?” he asks. “What do we call it because I didn’t quit. Let’s say I’m a first born, and I had to move out, that’s the best way to put it. Have you ever seen a 42-year-old man living with his mother? It’s very unattractive, I had to move out and build my own house, and I’m old enough now.”

Omondi always knew he was funny; it is not something he brags about, hence it is not surprising that his first stage was in primary school at Kondele Lake Primary School during a parent’s day event.

His poem was a hit with the parents, and thus began his journey. But he recalls that at that early age, people thought he talked too much.

“I’ve been unconsciously doing comedy ever since I was a kid, I used to be called a noisemaker but in essence, it was comedy,” he says.

Even though making people laugh was always one of the things he wanted to do in life, Omondi reveals that he desperately wanted to be a reporter.

After all, his years studying communication at Daystar University in Nairobi had  prepared him to work as a reporter and, if he succeeded, moved on to become a news anchor, or so he thought.

However, with just one story in at NTV, his career as a reporter only lasted two weeks.

Omondi can’t help but laugh when he reminisces about his brief stint as a news reporter.

“I worked at NTV as a reporter for two weeks, I did one story after which they kicked me out. It was very bad. I was told I wasn’t good enough. I think I was there to find myself. People are supposed to do what they love, because then they can do it for a long time,” he says.

GOOD OLD EXPERIENCE

Omondi chalks down his two-week journalism career to good old experience. Looking back, he realises it did not come as easily or naturally to him like comedy.

Throughout university, Omondi had been doing comedy. Apart from being the drama club chairman, he had also appointed himself the unofficial college MC and would do stand-up comedy whenever he got the chance.

In 2006, he met Churchill (Daniel Ndambuki) who was doing Red Corner at the time.  Like at any other event, he was the MC before Churchill got up to give a motivational speech.

It was at this point that Churchill discovered Omondi’s ability to make people laugh. He took his number and promised to get in touch with him, but since he took too long before communicating, Omondi gave up believing that Churchill would ever call.

Two years later, and true to his word, Churchill made the call.

That was the beginning of Omondi’s rise to fame and success that saw him as a fan favourite on Churchill Live until his departure last year.

“I’ve made it this far because of Churchill and the Churchill Live show. Maybe I would have made it without him but I can tell you for sure that I’m here today because of Churchill,” he says.

 “So far, so good, until this moment, I think I have succeeded in terms of what I wanted to achieve. I’m happy where I am because I know I’ll get to where I want to be,” Omondi says.

WORST IDEA

Just a year after landing the Churchill Live show, lady luck once again smiled upon Omondi when he got news that he would star in his own comedy show, Hawayu, on KTN.

The show meant more money and higher status as one of Kenya’s leading comedians.

That too, like his journalism career, was a moment of fleeting excitement as the show was cancelled after one season due to poor ratings.

“It was one of the worst ideas because I was young and I wasn’t ready. I think God gave me that opportunity intentionally to teach me a few things. But it was also one of the best things that ever happened to me because without it, I wouldn’t be where I’m today.

It changed everything and I learnt a lot. I understood Kenyans, production and comedy as a whole. It was a good lesson,” he says.

Although there was so much negative feedback, it helped him understand his audience and craft more.

He also got major flop of a show on NTV which did not last.

From reciting poems, being an unofficial MC, the star attraction on Churchill Live, starting his own comedy show which failed to featuring in Night of a Thousand Laughs, Omondi has had quite an exciting run. And he is not yet done.

Just to add a few more feathers to his cap, Omondi is also the OLX ambassador in Kenya and just last month, landed himself the role of Kenya Wildlife Service Rhino ambassador to help protect the endangered animals.

Now, he is trying to further the cause that those before him started. All the way from Vitimbi, Intrukalass, Crazy Kenyans, Reddykyulas, Red Corner, Churchill Raw and Churchill Show, he will be soon adding his own mark that will continue to define Kenyan comedy like those before him.

With a somewhat smooth ride to fame and success, Omondi’s biggest fear has never been failure; what he dreads most is fading into oblivion.

“If I woke up one day to find nobody is hating, I would be very worried. When it gets to a point where people are not saying anything about you or even hurling insults, then just know they have moved on. In this business when people talk about you, it’s good, so I don’t mind,” he says.

All the criticism, both positive and negative, to him, just boils down to getting free opinions. His major disappointment for now is that there are no comedians like Churchill or Jalang’o who have turned their names into major brands and to further this displeasure is the fact that Kenyan comedy has been limited to tribal jokes.

His craft has, however, taken him beyond Kenya, and he has held shows in the US, South Africa and Nigeria.

In March, BBC ranked him as the 9th funniest man in Africa on a list topped by Trevor Noah and Basketmouth.

Although he has received help along the way to becoming one of the personalities that have played a role in shaping Kenyan comedy, he believes that he is a self-made man who made the best of every opportunity he got.

“I believe it is because of God that I’m here today. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to me and it doesn’t add up how I got here. I give Him all the credit. I was also never handed the brand Eric Omondi, I worked hard and I’m still working hard. It was not luck,” he says.

Even though he has been in the industry for a considerable time, with a firm grasp of how the trade works, Omondi is still hard on himself and expects nothing less than perfection from himself.

“I shoot my own clips and I’m involved in the editing as well. There are so many unseen clips because if I don’t feel it’s good enough, it will never see the light of day. I’m my biggest critic. I do not need to spend money hiring a critic; Kenyans will do that for me,” he says. “All I need to do is log on to Twitter.”

Now, Omondi is specialising in doing one hour solo specials that have proved to be a hit.

On the 15th of August, Omondi is slated to yet again take the stage in a one man show dubbed Eric Omondi Untamed 5. The show is scheduled to take place at the Carnivore grounds.

Before then, he will be the host of Comedy Night Live at the same venue with fellow comedians Dr Ofweneke and Malawian funny man Daliso Chaponda.

Looks like Omondi is just getting started.