It is general believed that young women cannot resist celebrities and their fame. But comedian, Francis Donga, has said that statistics on his Instagram page and other social media platforms show that he has more male fans and female.
He said, “It is natural for women to like comedians because they love funny men and I get amazing support from them. But the statistics on my Instagram page shows that more men follow me than women. It is about 60 to 40 per cent actually.”
The comedian, however, admitted that he experienced recognition and love from the female folks. According to him, while men are a bit calmer, women are always excited and do not hide it.
“I appreciate people when they reach out to say they love what I do and I appreciate every way they choose to express it.”
Though known for comedy, Donga is looking to explore other areas. His belief is that no matter how serious life is, there is always a humorous element to everything.
He stated, “I don’t have a doubt that I would be accepted in whatever I do. It happened to Will Smith, the American comedian and actor. I think it is all about one’s mindset. Most comedians are capable of multiple facial expressions, accents and languages.
People find it hard to believe that the same person they see in comedy skits, also talks on stage or is the same in normal life. I am not scared of doing other things because my motive principally is to entertain people.
“When people know you for something, which is comedy, you need to work a process out to let them know that you are versatile. You cannot just do a sudden turn. So I am gradually going to move to other genres such as drama, thriller, action and fiction.”
A former journalist, Donga said he has not forgotten about his profession so fast because he remembers once he sees issues in politics or sports. He disclosed that he still has plans for it.
“My journalist part has not left me. I’ve always wanted to write social commentary. But instead of that, comedy is really on demand now and it provides a soft landing for one to say whatever it is on your mind without sounding offensive. So, I am working on a play called Fairy Use News. It is a satire of ridiculous funny words, shocking and weird things that happen in the Nigerian society, politics, sports and everywhere. But I plan to present it in a comical way so that the young can accept news more. Everyone thinks news is boring; they don’t want to read newspaper or watch TV. Since they are running from news, I want to take it to them,” he said.
