The comedian has responded to the backlash.
Comedian Mpho Popps has come under fire for a controversial skit that imitates the memorial service of the late actor Presley Chweneyagae.
The skit shows Mpho imitating actor Israel Matseke-Zulu’s speech, delivered during Chweneyagae’s memorial. He is then followed by fellow comedian Tsitsi who then imitates actor Warren Masemola.
Popps is joined in the sketch by well-known personalities, including actress Farieda Metsileng Warren.
While some fans found the sketch humorous, others called it disrespectful and inappropriate. Here are a few reactions from X:
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Mpho Popps clears the air about the skit
During an interview on The Way Up with Nia Brown and Okay Wasabi on YFM, Popps said the sketch was misunderstood.
“It wasn’t about Presley, we’re not making fun of Presley. We’re making fun of Warren and the speech he made at Presley’s funeral. And talk about a meta-sketch, right? Warren was in the sketch while he was being made fun of,” he said.
He added that Chweneyagae had a close relationship with those involved in the sketch, saying that he personally would not mind being remembered similarly.
“Presley was very close to Tsitsi because Tsitsi’s girlfriend and Presley used to act alongside each other in the river. Warren and Presley were very close. And when you do a sketch like that, like, for me, if I want my friends to honour me, I want them to do it the way I would have loved it. And the truth of the matter is, Cobrizi was a funny guy.
“So, I imagine him watching the sketch, laughing. I know where he is right now. If he saw the sketch, he’d appreciate it. And that’s the thing about doing comedy—those are the things you’ve got to take into consideration.”
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