ERIC OMONDI: Not afraid to fail!

Comedian Eric Omondi is about to wrap up his global tour that has seen him stage performances in various cities across the world. PHOTOS | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Comedian Eric Omondi is about to wrap up his global tour that has seen him stage performances in various cities across the world.  I had to leave and create space the same way Churchill left Red Korna. If you don’t move, you won’t grow. 
  • I would not have created my own brand; it would have been swallowed up by the show. Nowadays, I walk the streets and people call me: ‘OLX! Mtu wa unga wa Dola, and even Untamed,’ and that’s good. People don’t say ‘look at Churchill’s Eric Omondi’.

Leaving ‘Churchill Live’, was that something you put a lot of thought into?

It just clicked that it was time. There was a light bulb moment and immediately I had it, I left. The reason I left is because... you cannot find a 42-year-old man living with his mother. I felt I was the first born of ‘Churchill Live’ because Teacher Wanjiku and J.B Masandaku found me there. 

Was that uncomfortable for you?

More than uncomfortable. I felt like I was sleeping in their (new talent) bed, eating their food and taking up their space. Whether that week I was funny or not, the show was in such a way that the audience would wait for my part. That’s how I feel Churchill live branded me, and I felt that would block up-and-coming comedians from shining. I had to leave and create space the same way Churchill left Red Korna. If you don’t move, you won’t grow. 

What do you think would have happened if you hadn’t left?

I would not have created my own brand; it would have been swallowed up by the show. Nowadays, I walk the streets and people call me: ‘OLX! Mtu wa unga wa Dola, and even Untamed,’ and that’s good. People don’t say ‘look at Churchill’s Eric Omondi’. It would be bad if people called Churchill, ‘Churchill wa Redykyulass;’ he’s now his own man, he has created his own brand. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. 

How easy or difficult was it to get sponsors to back the ‘Eric Omondi Untamed’ shows.

It was not that hard because, while I was working with Churchill I worked with so many people. I was almost like a brand ambassador for Safaricom, I did Safaricom Live and so many of their events. I had already established a relationship with the corporate world, like with OLX and Airtel. I didn’t have many supporters but the few I had believed in me. Safaricom have been my official title sponsors for all my shows since the first edition, and now we are looking to the eighth. 

Is it easier now for other sponsors to come in?

Kenya Airways are the official sponsors of my world tour. If someone sees Kenya Airways and Safaricom support me, then they trust me and jump on board. It’s called brand association. 

Do you just show up at shows and find that everything’s paid for, or how does it work?

More or less, the sponsorship is like 70 per cent, they do media — which is billboards, television and radio — and that is the most expensive part of an event. 

Are you afraid to fail? ‘Hawayu’ and ‘Somewhere in Africa’ didn’t do so well.

I’m here today because of those two. If I never took the risks, I wouldn’t have learned. The difference between me and my brothers and sisters, I think, is that I have taken certain risks; some worked out and others didn’t. The ones that worked out, like ‘Untamed’, are good for me. I even tell Churchill, ‘You are my dad, but the things I have gone through I don’t think you have experienced’ (laughs). Whether I fail or succeed, I’m not afraid as I’m moving on up. 

Where are you with the world tour now?

It’s about to end. God has been really good to me. I started in Johannesburg last December, then went to Rwanda, Dubai and Australia where I performed in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. I went with my fiancé, by the way. And I met Lupita too, we are friends  (laughs). I followed that up with Washington DC, Dallas and Juba. I was in Manchester last week and came back on Tuesday; now I’m heading to Dar es Salaam this weekend, then Mwanza, Arusha and Kampala. 

Where do you draw the line between insanity and comedy?

(Laughs) I don’t know, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told to stop smoking weed; or ‘you’re crazy’. 

Does it get to a point where you start questioning yourself?

As a person, when you look at the things you do... my mum is the most worried. She says, ‘Can’t you just make people laugh and come back? They might deport you.’ 

Do you sometimes travel with your mum for your shows?

No, but I should, right? 

How much time do you spend on social media, considering that your shows are not on television?

A lot. I have to keep my brand afloat because I have to stay relevant and fresh. I’m big on Instagram and I think apart from Huddah Monroe I have one of the largest following as an artiste. My social media is my television. 

Do you update it all by yourself?

I do because I’m a comedian. I tried having another person do it two years ago and it didn’t work. After some time the fans will sense it’s not really you; as a comedian they can feel when it’s you or not. 

Do you write your own jokes, or do you get help?

I have a creative team of five people, including me. We write and rehearse together. We meet for at least three weeks to brainstorm and get ideas. 

What’s the greatest thing about being with your fiancé, Chantal Grazioli?

She’s half Kenyan and half Italian. It doesn’t get better than that because I’m like a Kenyan ambassador to Italy, or the minister for tourism. More diplomatic ties for us (laughs). But sometimes I think she’s more Kenyan than Italian, and vice versa. 

How so?

Sometimes she will wake up Italian, she’s temperamental, and those days I don’t eat ugali, we eat pasta. Other times she will wake up Kenyan. I live in an estate where some children would get excited to see me and sometimes they would throw stones at our gate. But since my girlfriend came, I have not seen them. I don’t know what went down but the children are polite now. I call her BBC — brains, beauty and character. She’s humble and she loves to laugh and smile. 

Have you set the wedding date?

Not yet. 

Are you involved in the wedding planning process?

You know what, I will just show up on the wedding day. I don’t know anything about luminous indigo colours. But I already know what I’m going to say that day: ‘Do you take... Yes.’ 

You are close friends with Diamond Platnumz. How did you two meet?

We met in Mombasa; it was Governor Hassan Joho’s event and I was the MC. That was two years ago. We just clicked. I made fun of him on stage and after that we became really good friends. Then I asked him for the instrumental to his song and I did a remix, which he really liked. Prior to that, we had met several times at shows, but back stage.