Comedians should have a say in politics, says Khemikal

Ghanaian stand-up comedian Daniel Selasi Anyidoho, also known as Khemikal, believes that comedians should be allowed to use politics in their jokes because they can make learning about politics more enjoyable, thereby helping to educate and inform audiences in an entertaining manner.

Speaking on Artsy on Saturday (17 August), Khemikal said, “… the political scene in Ghana is some way, and comedy talking politics is also some way, but comedians should have a say because we vote, you understand.”

According to him, comedians often use humour to comment on social issues, making complex topics more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

“We bring a certain twist to it. So we are like the people who try to push to find where we draw the lines. Without us, nobody would know where the lines are, right?

He added, “Maybe a comedian might say something that is unpleasant, but if he doesn’t say it, how would you know it’s unpleasant? So I mean, sometimes when we do jokes, we don’t really know how the political scene is going to take it.

He, however, advised his fellow comedians to tread cautiously when using politics in their content.

“So one thing I always say is that, I mean, when you are doing stand-up comedy, you should try and understand the context within which you are operating, because you might go and say something, and then before you know it, people are in your inbox, threatening to kill you.”

“Oh, yeah, it happens. It has happened to one of my colleagues, and I mean, it’s always like, Ghana, we don’t joke with politics.”

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