3rd February, 2014
—Seun Bisuga & Edwin Usoboh
Nigerian comedienne, Helen Paul, popularly known as Tatafo, says she has never been booed on stage.
The petite television and radio presenter explained that it is not because she is perfect but because she has been fortunate.
She explained to P.M.NEWS that sometimes organisers encourage people to boo entertainers.
“If a show is billed to start at 2 p.m. and organisers keep you waiting until 6 p.m., you will definitely react irrespective of who comes on stage,” she said.
Helen said even if she is in such situation she will lift the mood by delivering a breath-taking performance.
“I can lift the mood because I have been there before. Although I have never been booed, I liked booing people when I was younger. I gave them the ‘pure water’ treatment during my second year in the university,” she explained.
Reputed for her multi-talent as a comedienne, singer, presenter and actress, Helen says performing comes naturally to her.
“I am a spontaneous comedienne. My audience decide the kind of jokes I share. I don’t believe in writing my jokes before I perform. On stage, the jokes will come when I see my audience.”
Speaking on Nigerian comedians, Helen believes that they have remained united because they are very intellectual people.
“Comedy is not for people who are not brilliant. Comedy is for intellectuals, people who can think very quickly. It’s not easy to make thousands of people laugh. So there is no way you will be intelligent and not know that the sky is big enough for everybody. It is only when you don’t have that understanding that you compete and fight unnecessarily,” she said.
She commended her colleagues for being good professionals and managers who treat each other with loads of respect.
“When colleagues call you to perform at their shows they pay you what you have agreed upon. We are very professional and good managers. We respect our profession and one another,” she said.
When asked whether comedians were running out of jokes, she said no. “I don’t think it is just about comedians alone. I think it cuts across every profession. People also say what is wrong with journalists, they don’t write things that we expect them to write. They don’t go into details, they do very little investigative stories; they don’t go to war zones to report, like their colleagues do abroad. This is applicable to every profession and I think we should all work on it.”
Helen says she draws inspiration for her performances from God and those around her.
“I get my inspiration from God, from being myself, from the society.”
She is planning to unveil a new TV programme, Helen Paul’s Court, this year.
“Helen Paul’s Court is a new programme that will grace your television screens later this year. It is a show that funnily addresses some very serious issues in our society. It is one for the fans to enjoy,” she said.