User:Simba Kakora/sandbox

Simbarashe Kakora (shortened to Simba) is a Zimbabwean comedian, actor, social and political critic, social media influencer, comic book artist and writer. Simba is known for uncompromising and unscathing examinations of socio/political and topical contemporary issues, which employ intellect, wit, puns, occasional vulgarities and profanity. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of stand-up comedy in Zimbabwe. "

Kakora's body of work includes the one man show recordings: The Comic King Rises (2013), Again (2014). As an actor, he starred in the short lived web sketch comedy series, The Comic King Show. He is the co-founder of Zimbabwe’s first comedy club/movement, Simuka Comedy and as a writer and blogger he runs the satirical humour blog, www.mufasasson.blogspot.com And is also a contributor for Kalabash Media.

Kakora won the Outstanding Comedian Award (2014) at the National Arts Merits Award (NAMA). He is listed among Zimbabwe’s top 10 comedians and his portrait is on the Parker’s Comedy Club, “Wall of Fame” in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Early life
Born October 2, 1988 in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare at Harare Hospital (Gomo), Simba grew up in Bulawayo. His father, Zvipire Andrew Kakora is a former artisan who later became a money lender but closed down business in 2008 at the height of Zimbabwe’s economic decline. Their family fell into the depths of poverty and Kakora has stated that this had a profound influence in his stand-up comedy material. His parents divorced soon after, leaving himself and his mother Agnes to take care of his siblings. From an early arly age he had a fascination with popular culture, particularly comic books after his father bought him a Superman comic book. With time you would draw and illustrate his own comic books.

Kakora started off an intern at an advertising agency in 2006 and this is where he was exposed to the stand-up comedy art form. He would later watch Trevor Noah’s Daywalker and along with the death of Michael Jackson this gave him an urge to up performance art.

Career (2010-present)
In 2010 after a short stint as a public speaker for an arts group known as Optimism Arts Movement, he made his entertainment and performing debut as a stand-up comedian officially in 2010 at the popular Bocapa Open Mic at Book Cafe. Even though friends encouraged him to take up the stand-up comedy art form as he had a strong use of humour in his public speaking, he never took the encouragement seriously until Michael Jackson died. Overwhelmed by grief, Simba felt the urge to carry on the legacy of a king by becoming his impersonator and started his career as Simba “the Comic King.”.

Inspired by Trevor Noah, Kakora began as a middlebrow comic, with material that stayed clear of the hostile socio/political climate. This was strongly reinforced by stories of comedians like Edgar Langeveldt and Michael Kudakwashe who were detained and sometimes beaten for insulting President Robert Mugabe. Most of his early work included Michael Jackson impersonations and slapstick humour.

Feeling that his stand-up offered nothing “people could take home.” Kakora eventually started being more daring in his act, initially commenting on social issues in Zimbabwe and eventually becoming a political commentator as well. In 2011, het met Victor Tinashe Mpofu also known as Doc Vikela and together they founded Simuka Comedy which first started as a monthly comedy night but would eventually become the driving force behind the local stand-up comedy industry.

Simba has performed at widely at both local and regional events such as the Acoustic Night, Zimbabwe Comedy Festival, Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA), Shoko, Intwasa and Protest Arts International Festivals, among many others. He had his debut South African show in November 2013 in Johannesburg when he performed at Every African Comedian’s Dream Stage at Parkers Comedy. He was the only Zimbabwean amongst seven South African comedians chosen to perform at the Anti-Xenophobia Comedy Show held in Johannesburg, South Africa in May 2015. Other comedians included Kagiso Lediga, the host Chris Mapane, Linhle Msimang, Eureka Nkese and Donovan Goliath.

2017 2ill also see him record his first one man show outside Zimbabwe at Pop Art Theatre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The working title of the show is, “It’s The Economy,” a detailed, intimate and humorous take on the hardships of life as a Zimbabwean both at home and abroad.

Kakora’s first love is comic books and he will be releasing a graphic novel via his blog in the next few months. He is the host and executive producer of the television stand-up comedy showcase, Simuka Comedy. He is a regular contributor for Kalabash Media, a website that focuses on the country’s socio/political issues and uses “Simba the Comic King “ as his pen name.