The Salvado Show could change Ugandan comedy, if it is ready to do so [Editor's Opinion]

So far, unfortunately, he has given us much of what we have seen from him in the past, indicating that he is playing his cards too closely to his chest with tried-and-tested ‘humour’.

The show has plenty of promise Pulse

Uganda’s Johnny Carson

Salvado occupies a daunting position, where he can make or break the comedy industry, like American comedian Johnny Carson did with "The Tonight Show" in the early 70s.

Carson moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1972, and made a point of booking hot young comics. His support was seen as the ultimate validation, he was the difference between a comedian becoming a hero, or a zero.

Ellen DeGeneres and Johnny Carson Pulse

Richard Belzer, a solid standup comedian, once called an "OK" sign from Carson at the end of a comic's set "a gesture from God."

It meant they were good.

Moreover, if Carson summoned the comic over to his couch, positioned next to him on stage, it meant they were made.

The comics Carson summoned thus went onto become superstars, we are talking David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen DeGeneres, Jim Carrey and several others.

Freddie Prinze, father to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was the first comedian to be invited to Carson’s coach.

Eddie Murphy, Ellen and Jerry Seinfeld all graced Carson's show Pulse

This was in 1973.

He was only 18 years old and Carson’s summons resulted in him being possibly the first Rock Star standup comedian, landing a sitcom deal (almost immediately after his Carson show appearance) for the hit TV series, "Chico and the Man."

Salvado may also wield this power, since the laugh TV marketplace is far less fragmented in Uganda than it is in America.

Indeed, Uganda’s comedy television talk show market is where America’s was in the 1970s, with Salvado being the only standup comedian with a talk show.

How Salvado can be Uganda’s Carson

One, he must want comedians to become superstars and not stand in the way of any promising talent.

"Johnny [Carson] wanted comedians to score," one comic said, adding that Carson always demanded of those who brought him comedians: "Don't bring them here till they're ready."

In contrast, many of the comedians witnessed on “The Salvado Show” seem to be readying themselves on stage!

This is bound to trivialise the very serious business of comedy.

Johnny Carson Pulse

Two, there’s a time-honoured saying that goes: behind every successful late-night talk-show host is a staff of world-class writers.

Carson himself had four writers who contributed to the success of his show, namely Dick Cavett, Mike Reiss, Darrell Vickers and Andrew Nicholls.

Salvado's show gets it right on the aesthetics Pulse

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah has many writers including Ugandans Joseph Opio and David Kibuuka, Onion News Network’s Devin Delliquanti, Magnet Theater, Hallie Haglund, Dan McCoy, Lauren Sarver, Travon Free, Matt Koff, Dan Amira, Owen Parsons, Delanye Yeager and Alex Marino.

Who are Salvado’s writers?

It doesn’t appear that anyone is writing for Salvado, for if he had writers his show would not seem like a reprise of “The Man from Ombokolo” whenever he does his bits on stage.

Humour is largely contextual, so if he recycles comedic premises from a past which are out of sync with today’s context, the best he will get is a Pavlovian response from the crowd.

Salvado is an engaging host Pulse

Here, the audience will laugh not because he is funny, but because, hey, its is Salvado, and they are expected to laugh.

When Eddie Murphy started inducing the same response from the crowd, he decided to quit standup comedy altogether.

Murphy even relates a time when he stood on stage in 1987, not saying anything for 10 minutes, and people were just laughing from seeing Eddie Murphy!