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John Vlismas

Peter Tanyanyiwa : Arts Correspondent

Zimbabwean-born South African stand-up comedian and promoter John Vlismas brought the house down last Saturday, as he dished out his famous “Laugh Out Loud” comedy at Harare’s Reps Theatre. John Vlismas brought laughs and more laughs that by the time he was done the audiences’ ribs were hurting. He was on fire from start to end.Local comedian Q Dube hosted the high profile comedy night which featured Tatenda Goatie Mbudzi and Probeatz as supporting acts.

This comedy show was dubbed “Laugh Out Loud Ha-ha-harare” and it was facilitated by XtraTime Entertainment promotions, the same entertainment company that also brought Anne Kansiime and Barry Hilton to Zimbabwe in the recent past.

Q Dube said it was an honour for him to be hosting a show of such magnitude and added that Vlismas’s visit to Zimbabwe presented local comedians with an opportunity to go global.

“Well I was nervous to be hosting a prolific comedian of Vlisms’s calibre but thank God I pulled it off.

“The Vlismas’s visit to the country presented the local comedian industry with a platform to go global.

“We were talking with Vlismas and he highlighted a few avenues that he will be incorporating guys from the Zimbabwean stand-up comedy sector and we are really excited about that,” said Dube.

In his opening remarks Q Dube said he was just amazed with the numbers of white folks at the show, and made a joke that he thought since this year there was no ‘the traditional six days HIFA’ he never thought he would see so many white people at any show during 2016.

Vlismas is one of South Africa’s most creative, prolific international comics with 16 years of experience on stage in various countries around the world. Vlismas won the 2007 South African Comedy Award for best stand-up comedian of the year.

He has shared a line-up with Drew Carey, written dialogue for Jerry Springer and hosted Chris Rock at his club.

He has written professionally for print, television, stage and radio and has appeared in and co-produced several South African films.

He has worked as a television and radio presenter and was asked to perform for the 46664 “its No Joke” series of concert shows.

John has acted in several films as well, including “Laugh Out Loud.”

“Footskating 101” the Movie, “Slam-Bang,” “Outrageous” and “Crazy Monkey” and “Straight Outta Benoni.”

He attended the Durban University of Technology, graduating in 1993 with a National Diploma in Drama.

He is the director of Whacked Management and co-owner of Virus Communications and is also a qualified scuba diver.

He was the first ever host of the Comedy Central series “Comedy Central Presents Live at Parker’s,” in 2012. In 2014 his comedy show “Revelations” was filmed for a special on Comedy Central.

Vlismas was born in Marondera Zimbabwe and is now based in South Africa doing stand-up comedy and as entertainment promoter.

He holds the rare distinction of being the only South African stand-up comic to have performed at The Royal Albert Hall, The Hammersmith Apollo, The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury lane and The Best of The Festival showcases in both the Montreal and Melbourne Comedy Festivals.

He is also the founder of the South African Comic Choice Awards.