Media personality Felix Odiwuor, popularly known as Jalang'o on Wednesday, July 1, shared a lengthy statement explaining a rise in deaths of Kenyan comedians associated with depression.
Despite confessing to never having interacted with the recently departed Churchill Show Comedian Joseph Musyoki Kivindu aka Kasee, the comedian's death struck a nerve.
Jalang'o urged for a paradigm change in how Kenyans treated comedians if the country was to stop losing entertainers through untimely deaths.
Jalang'o's statement in full reads as follows:
It is sad that in the past few months we have lost several artists in my industry...ART! This Saturday we lay to rest Kasee of Churchill show. May God rest your soul in Peace. Where do I even begin with this message? Ok, First I must say I didn't, even once, interact with Kasee so I don't want to lie or say anything about him but just say RIP.
My message goes to the fans. When you see us on TV, it doesn't mean we are rich. We are just normal Kenyans who are known or famous, so don't judge or set standards for us. You will kill us!! How?
You meet a fan in a kibanda and their first question is..Jalas, Tricky, Sleepy wewe pia ukula hapa? (you also get your food here?) You meet me in a mat and all you ask is why Mamito ako kwa mat (is in a matatu).
So what sinks in me is that I am a superstar and I should not be in a mat yet that's what I can afford. So I lock myself in my house until I can afford an uber or afford to eat at Miale that's when I come out.
All this time I sit in my house drinking my sorrows away, hoping I get the money everybody thinks I have. I will be in my sorrows that will sink me into depression.
When I die all you say is type on my page RIP! Just like you did in Kasee's page not knowing that maybe it's you who killed him by trying to set for him standards that he could not meet.
You tweeted or posted how he was not funny.
Artists, This thing takes time! From 2005 I was already acting at the Kenya National Theatre (KNT). You cant be me today. You cant live where I live nor can you drive the car I drive.
Don't Kill yourself! You must do time! It will take years. You cant be Churchill in a year or after 2 shows.
Let them laugh at you but build your brand. Work on yourself, be the brand you've always wanted to be. Be humble people. You will not make money even in 5 years, but if you are consistent it will come. Don't fake it, be yourself, be you.
Drugs and alcohol will take the truth away for a minute then you will be back to the reality! Reach out, talk to us, let us know what you are going through! We are your big brothers. Don't fall in the trap. Live to your standards.
You are not Churchill, you are not Jalas you are not Eric. Build your brand. It cant happen in a day, it takes time.
We wish Othuol quick recovery.
