{"id":282491,"date":"2011-02-25T02:59:54","date_gmt":"2011-02-25T02:59:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/02\/25\/%e2%80%98i%e2%80%99ve-not-been-sexually-harassed-i-harass-women-instead%e2%80%99\/"},"modified":"2011-02-25T02:59:54","modified_gmt":"2011-02-25T02:59:54","slug":"ive-not-been-sexually-harassed-i-harass-women-instead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/02\/25\/ive-not-been-sexually-harassed-i-harass-women-instead\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019ve not been sexually harassed; I harass women instead\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Tony Mofereke a.k.a Gandoki is not only a household name in the entertainment industry, he has also won the hearts of many for his unique and outstanding jokes. <\/p>\n

In this interview with RACHAEL AGUNTA, the University of Benin graduate, who hails from Warri in Delta State, opens up on sundry issues including the comedy business.<\/p>\n

Growing up
My growing up was fun. To some extent I had what I wanted. My father was working and he provided for us. I thank God for today because my life is better now.<\/p>\n

Starting out
I started far back in my secondary school days. I didn\u2019t know what it was called then but I was just doing what I knew I could. During my last year in secondary school, I was in the dramatic society with Gordon. We went to the same school and then we were going for competitions from one school to the other. Then Gordon was like the actor of the group. I did stand-up comedy like a life drama then but I didn\u2019t know what to call it. <\/p>\n

It was in final year in secondary school that someone told me that I was into stand up comedy. In the University of Benin, I was one of the founders in \u2018picking brains\u2019 which we established in 1998. It was a club of some guys who were doing something outside their courses. I performed as a stand-up comedian in my final year for a club known as \u2018Scumit\u2019. Right now, I am outside the board so, I work for corporate organisations. It is such corporate shows that pay off because whatever you charge them, they pay. <\/p>\n

The name, Gandoki
Gandoki is a nickname. There was a primary school book in which you have Gandoki, the story teller, the father of Gabal. From one class to another, we used to stake money and each class would bring out the best guy that could rain abuses better. If you knew you could beat some guys in raining abuse on others, you would come out so, I used to win a lot then. So, my friends started calling me Gandoki. <\/p>\n

Quitters are not winners
I never thought of quitting for once. It never occurred to me because I did not start comedy because of money. When we started this, we were few. Ali Baba was the one who packaged comedy to the corporate world and they accepted it. Now, you cannot do anything without stand-up comedy. I love what I am doing and right now, money is rolling in for me. <\/p>\n

Parents\u2019 reaction to comedy
My father used to supply equipment to hospitals so, he wanted me to read medicine but some of my friends who read medicine are just average men today. If you want to be a successful doctor, first of all you must learn to kill. I thank God today that I did not follow that profession because I would have aborted all the pregnancies in Lagos. I would have focused on abortion. To abort a pregnancy is about N4000 or N5000 which means that if you want to make N150, 000 in a month, about 30 or 50 women would be naked before you. Today, nobody undresses for me. I just do my thing and earn my money. I am not abusing anybody\u2019s profession but I still thank God for today. <\/p>\n

What fame has done for me
Fame gives you room to talk to anybody you want to. It opens doors for me. People at all times would want to talk to me including the rich. Some would also want to take photographs with you. I hardly sit down and drink in Surulere, Lagos or those poor joints because instead of people to be happy that they saw you, they would start telling you all manner of nasty things. Some would ask to be paid back the money they paid in watching you perform on stage by giving them a bottle of beer. But if I go to places like Victoria Island, people would appreciate me. Secondly, those little children of about four to five years old would see me and call their mothers to come and look at this fool. The fool I used to watch on television. Apart from that, my stage act is different from my outside behaviour. When I am on stage, I do my acting but when I am off the stage, I behave normally. <\/p>\n

Relationship with upcoming comedians
I have cordial relationship with the upcoming comedians, which is why some of them come close to me and choose me as a role model. When I came to Lagos, Ali Baba told me that my pattern of Pidgin English would not work out. He gave me a foreign comedy book to read and I told him that I could not understand the jokes written there. I told him that I was seeing jokes on the streets because I have the raw talent in me. I told him that if Lagos did not accept my Pidgin English and movement, that I was ready to go back to Wary. But now everybody is copying me. <\/p>\n

On challenges
I don\u2019t have challenges because I am not struggling. It is when you are struggling that you will have challenges. Moreover, the up coming comedians are not encouraging the top ones. I have not seen anyone that can make me go back to my drawing board. When I was trying to come out, I was on fire. We are not even afraid of them because it is what they say in point A that they would say in point B. They will even carry your jokes to places, and I am always glad. If any upcoming artiste can flow his own lyrics, everybody will tidy up but they will hold some kind of mafia meeting against that person in order not to expose him. <\/p>\n

My aspirations
I aspire to be like Professor Wole Soyinka. With time, I will leave the comedy industry.<\/p>\n

My regrets
I only regret losing my cat.<\/p>\n

On sexual harassment
I have not been harassed sexually but I harass women instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Do you have a story\/gist for publication? Please email it to story@nigeriafilms.com <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Read more here:
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