Area! Cartoon Comedy (short video clips) made
popular by ONTV, has brought a lot of comic relieves to households across
Nigeria and beyond. It’s entertainment taken to a different dimension to
capture those lifestyles and cultures of our society that are very comical.
Have you viewed: Rush Hour, Lastman, Owo Money, You
Fear Evil Spirit, Police Harassment, Fuel Subsidy, Igba Ukwu… these videos have
long gone viral on YouTube – over 1.5 million views and 200, 000 downloads.
Since 2013, Area! Has began to capture the attention
of football fans with perhaps its most popular video BALLISTIC (Why Arsene
Wenger Signed Ozil) – over 200, 000 views and 65,000 downloads. The video clip
became talk of the town, especially among football faithfuls. Click below to
watch the video, it’ll crack your Ribs.
BALLISTIC was some how controversial in the sense
that it was a direct attack on Arsenal supporters. In those days when the men
from Ermirate Stadium were recording spite of poor results. And many Chelsea
fans would download Ballistic and send the video to their friend, who is an
Arsenal supporter. Especially when Arsenal losses a game to any smaller team
like Wigan Athletics.
Today, there is a boomerang and Arsenal fans are
calling out to the producers of Area!, to come up with a New video on Chelsea. “DOWN
BLUES! (Mourniho na Real Cantafit!) or WILD-WILD-WEST (Is Jose Mourniho Going
Gaga?). Almost any other team in the English Premiership has walloped Chelsea and
according to Farouk Salau, an ardent Arsenal fan in Nigeria: “I think Jose
Mourniho is gradually going crazy!”
Sports and Comedy intertwined, may have just given
birth to a new genre of entertainment. It’s amazing the kind of attention
Sports Comedy is getting this days. Football fans are always on the look out
for any comic expression about a celebrity athlete or team.
But Basketmouth, a popular stand-up comedian in
Nigeria said: “Football-comedy isn’t really ‘new’ in the actual sense. It has
always been there. “In fact, football
and comedy are intertwined into an inseparable marriage.”
“Have you ever been to the Popular Side of any
stadium in Nigeria? You’ll hear all sought of funny things about the game, teams, individual players or Coaches.”
“This is the
reason I love to go sit at the popular side. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t about
Low ticket Price, but because of the comic relief I derive. I enjoy the game in
a whole different way.” Basketmouth explained.
“I think what is happening today is more attention
and focus is being given to it now.”
Tags:
Comic
