Bars killed comedy – Salvado

Comedian Patrick Salvado Idringi has blamed bars for the state of comedy in Uganda. 

Speaking to media personality Isaac Katende alias Kasuku, he explained that they started on the right footing when they largely confined comedy to theatres, but in a bid to mint more money from it, it ended up in bars, where the paying audience camped. From that point, it was never the same. 

“When comedy went to bars, that was when our problems started. We used to do theatres like Theatre Labonita, venues that were comedy friendly. Then we went to bars because that’s where the paying audience was. Unfortunately, in the bar you have to tell drunkards what they want to hear,” explained Salvado. 

The packaging of comedy content changed from that point that even when they made the effort to drag it out of bars like comedian Alex Muhangi did with Comedy Store, it was in vain because the bar audience followed. 

“So, the dynamics changed and people started enjoying that kind of comedy. When we decided to bring it back to the theatre, and getting very nice venues like UMA where Muhangi is, we imported the comedy that started in the bars and imported that audience too,” Salvado said 

“One time I was in the audience attending Comedy Store. (Daniel) Omara had one of the best sets I have ever heard. But there was just a handful of people laughing. He was not doing what they wanted to hear. It is society that made Mariachi what he has become. He has to stay relevant,” added Salvado.  

Mariachi was heavily criticised by a section of the public last week after he trolled TikToker Rango Tenge Tenge over his looks while at Comedy Store.