Arlen “Griff” Griffin, Chris Mapane & Mel Jones join Basketmouth at monthly comedy showcase

Johannesburg, 22 April 2013: Upping the comedy ante at this week’s edition of Comedy Central Presents…Live at Parker’s are “Griff” (@2TRILLION), Chris Mapane  (@ChrisMapane) and Mel Jones (@IAmMelJones),who join Nigerian comedy superstarBasketmouth (@Basket_Mouth) at the stand-out stand-up gig. 

Congratulations to our double ticket winners!

Mphiwa Ndumo 
Shalindra Ramnarain 
Bridgette Tsheole 
Estine Peitler
Tlhologelo Makweya

Enjoy the show!

Bringing his own inimitable brand of comedy to legendary comedy venue Parker’s Comedy & Jive (@ParkersComedy), Basketmouth, a.k.a. Bright Okpocha, is the leading light of the Nigerian comedy scene, making waves around the globe with his free-flowing storytelling and enthusiastic comedic performances.  Basketmouth’s profile has never been higher, with huge demand for his comedy gigs both at home and internationally, including an upcoming tour of Europe in April 2013.  When he’s not touring, you can regularly find Basketmouth presiding over the comedic chaos at MTV Base’s late night TV show, The Big Friday Show (MTV Base, DStv Channel 322), a joyous mash up of music, comedy, celebrities, pranks and news.

California native, Arlen “Griff” Griffin fulfilled a lifetime ambition to become a comedian after starting out at three years old entertaining patients at the convalescent homes where his mother worked.  After working the geriatric circuit for a couple of summers, Griffin’s destiny was settled and he has since made a name for himself as one of the leading comedians and on-air personalities in the USA, where he regularly opens for acts such as Beyoncé, New Edition, Mo’Nique, D.L. Hughley, Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Dottie Peoples, Mary Maryand more.  

Chris Mapane is a South African comedian who has been on the comedy scene for around 7 years, thanks to his extremely infectious energy and powerful on-stage presence.  Mapane’sstar started shining back in the days when he mentored So You Think You Are Funnycontestants, which led to being on the same stage with the likes of Terry Pheto and Lira,Brandy, Regina King and Vivica A Fox at the SA Sports Awards.  His skills earned him anIkusasa Comedian of the Year nomination in 2012 as well as the opportunity to host the Olympics sendoff event for the South African Swimming Team and the Telkom Foundation “Beacon Of Hope” event, to mention just a few.  Featured in Destiny Man’s Power of 40, Mapane has recently tried his hand at acting, featuring in the David Kau directed film Taxi Ride, where he plays the lead. 

A product of the Cape Comedy Collective's Comedy Lab workshops, Mel Jones burst into the limelight with signature confidence and sexy style.  This single mother brings her perspective as a young Capetonian woman looking in vain for “Mr.  Right”, to the great amusement and enlightenment of all.  Jones was fondly received at the Spier Amphitheatre only 6 short weeks after doing her very first open mic slot at the Cape Comedy Club.  Since then, you may have seen her on SABC 3's Comedy Showcase and the Phat Joe Show.  Her shows, Doing It For The Money and Still Doing It With Tracy Klass have been big Cape Town hits, along with her presence on 94.5 Kfm since 2003.  In fact, it was her stage performance that led her to radio when - while being interviewed on the station - she was asked to join the team.  

Tickets for Comedy Central Presents Basketmouth Live at Parker’s are available atwww.parkerscomedy.com, direct from Computicket, or at the door at Parker’s Comedy & Jive, Montecasino, priced R120.    

Comedy Central Presents BasketMouth Live at Parkers premieres on Comedy Central (DStv Channel 122) on Friday 14 June 2013 at 20:55 CAT. 

Launched in sub-Saharan Africa just under 18 months ago, Comedy Central has successfully lured South Africa’s top comics into hosting its regularmonthly stand-up gig.  Among the many brilliant funnymen and women to grace the stage at Parker’s Comedy & Jive have been Chris Forrest, Kurt Schoonraad, Tumi Morake, Al Prodgers, Joey Rasdien, Barry Hilton, Loyiso Gola, Tats Nkon

TWILL COTTON SLEEVELESS FITTED DRESS NICOLE FARHI

£165.00 (209,40 €)

Flattering, fitted shift dress with waist-cinching belt, draped cowl neckline and v-drop back.

-    Flattering, fitted shift dress
-    Self tie belt with contrasting trim
-    Slight cowl draped neckline and v-dropped back
-    Invisible side zip
-    Above the knee
-    100% cotton

D1AK9

A WATCH I LIKE

The Swiss watchmakers at Baume & Mercier have been at it since 1830, and that kind of pedigree has its benefits. For one thing, they know what they're doing. Like, really know what they're doing, crafting impeccably made timepieces with the best of them. For another, they have an extensive back catalog to look to when they're creating new models. And drawing upon that kind of history, well, it can work wonders.

Take the new Clifton collection. It was inspired by a 1950s specimen by the brand, not particularly shocking considering the simple, sophisticated mid-century aesthetic at play throughout the design. But still, it's a modern watch, larger — 41mm to 42mm — and more robust than its vintage forebears. Which is really just to say that it strikes an impressive balance, feeling at once classic and totally appropriate for this day and age — as well as the days and ages to come. Handy, since it's not at all unlikely that, should you choose to acquire one ($2,700-$6,300) you'll wind up passing it on to your son one day.

THE SECOND COMING OF BASKETBALL'S HI-TOP FADE

From left: Brandon Jennings, Iman Shumpert

NBA style, like the league itself, is constantly evolving. Shorts get baggier, arms get tattoo-ier — organic reflections of the changin’ times. Every so often the pendulum of taste swings back to the past and we get throwback jerseys, say, or old school logos. But the vintage look that's currently thriving has nothing to do with apparel. It appears that the hi-top fade is experiencing a revival.

Add carom left: J.R. Reid, Kenny Walker, Charles Smith

The cut first came onto the scene in the latter third of the 1980s, scraping the ceiling in videos from Kid 'n Play, Big Daddy Kane, and, yes, even Grace Jones. The hoopsters of this era who rocked the look included Kenny "Sky" Walker, J.R. Reid, Charles Smith, and Dominique Wilkins. By the time the mid-90’s rolled around, the hi-top went the way of the short shorts, giving way to subtler fades, cornrows, or whatever Dennis Rodman was doing. It seemed to be heady days of the hi-top were over.