If there’s one thing everyone needs more of in their lives it’s laughter. Sometimes the world can seem like a scary and depressing place and we forget there’s happiness and humour too. So for today’s dose, check out comedian Daliso Chaponda’s semi-final performance on Britain’s Got Talent.
Anyone who has seen even a little bit of Simon Cowell on one of his many shows knows he can be a pretty serious guy at times. It would be nerve-wracking to go onstage and try to make him laugh. Daliso succeeded in spades, though, and not just Simon, the other judges, Ant & Dec and the audience were all howling throughout.
That’s quite an achievement as humour is very subjective. What’s even more impressive is that Daliso did not stick to “safe” topics He talked about things people would normally be too scared to joke about, like racism and immigration. He talked about how people yearn for “the good old days” before explaining why now is much better. In a hilarious but surprising joke about his being from Malawi, he said, “Two hundred years ago, this would have been an auction.”
The judges gave surprised shouts of laughter, and Alesha Dixon, whose father is Jamaican, was on her feet pounding the desk and creased up. Daliso also joked about how he missed his little brother and sister who had been adopted by Madonna and Angelina Jolie. In anyone else’s hands, all of these topics could be considered inappropriate or actually offensive. Like any gifted comedian, Daliso makes it funny. You need to watch this man, he could make anyone laugh.
The semi-final video has racked up 153 million views and a million likes on YouTube. It’s true that many stand-up comedians use profanity in their routines and many comments point out that Daliso proves you can be hilarious without a single swear word. One person said, “Perfect segways between topics, excellent delivery, hilarious punchlines, and not a single bit of profanity. Truly an artist who knows his craft. He’s awesome!”
Another praised the risky nature of some of his jokes and how not just anyone could have pulled it off, “He is a comedic genius! And he really is edgy but makes it to where ppl feel comfortable laughing! Nobody is looking around like is it wrong to laugh.. and he’s so likable too!”
Unfortunately, he only came third but that was far from the end for Daliso. Since his appearance in 2017, he was given his own show on BBC Radio 4 named Daliso Chaponda: Citizen of Nowhere. He made twelve episodes altogether and they were rebroadcast in 2022. Daliso also went on a world tour called What The African Said, performed two sold-out UK tours and has appeared on a number of popular shows like Qi, The Apprentice: You’re Fired and Good Evening Britain.
Once you’ve cried laughing at his semi-final performance check out the second video. It’s his audition which was so good he was awarded the coveted Golden Buzzer by Amanda Holden. In a sad and lonely world, this man is a treasure. If you would like to see more from Daliso Chaponda, you can subscribe to their YouTube channel or follow them on Facebook.