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Tonderai Zvimba, Showbiz Reporter

YOUTH for Innovation Trust in conjunction with Umahlekisa Comedy Club will be hosting the roast of standup comedian Maroosh (real name Marshal Elando) at Pumula South Hall on Saturday.

The event, a form of humour in which Maroosh will be subjected to jokes at his expense, will be free of charge. While grilling Maroosh, this event will also honour him in a special way.

It will take place from 3PM to 5PM and the roast panel will consist of Umahlekisa Comedy Club founder Ntando Van Moyo, Mandla Da Comedian, Voko the Poet and Zwe.

One of the organisers of the roast, Ntando Van Moyo, said people should come prepared for a great show as they will be entertained and educated at the same time.

“Umahlekisa, together with Youth for Innovation Trust are bringing the roast of Maroosh under the Humour for Social Change programme which will be running under the theme: ‘Alcohol and substance abuse’. We’ll be using Maroosh to tackle this topic as the standup comedian has been labelled my many as an alcoholic,” Van Moyo said. 

The Humour for Social Change is a series of comedy shows which was introduced by Umahlekisa and Youth for Innovation Trust in February this year with the aim of tackling various social issues through comedy.

Since February, the comedy shows have been taking place once a month with the roast being the first one. 

Organisers of the roast could not have selected a better person to tackle the alcohol and substance abuse issue with as Maroosh, who has been off the limelight for some time, has been involved in several shameful scandals, including showing up for shows in an extremely drunken state.

Last year, the comedian embarrassed many when he showed up at the Roil Bulawayo Arts Awards drunk. He continuously went on stage, apparently in a drunken state, escorting his award winning friends.