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Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]

SANDRA Ndebele-Sibindi is a woman of many talents. She is a singer, a dancer, a politician and now, a roastee.

Today (Saturday), she will face the ultimate test of her sense of humour as she becomes the subject of mockery at her debut Comedy Roast at the Rainbow Hotel.

Comedy roasts are a popular form of entertainment that give comedy lovers a different kind of laughter. They involve a panel of comedians and friends who make fun of the roastee, usually in a good-natured way. The roastee also gets a chance to roast back and have the last laugh.

The Comedy Roast of Sandra promises to be an epic event, as it follows the successful roasts of the late rapper Cal_Vin and Victoria Falls-based singer Novuyo Seagirl, organised by Umahlekisa Entertainment. The roast will showcase the best of Zimbabwean comedy, as well as the roastee’s personality and achievements.

However, comedy roasts are not for the faint-hearted. They require a lot of skill and balance, as the jokes can be harsh and offensive. Sometimes, things can go wrong and the roast can turn into a disaster.

The roast master, Ntando Van Moyo

This has happened in some of the famous comedy roasts in history. For example, in 2011, the roast of Charlie Sheen was criticised for being insensitive and tasteless, as some of the jokes made fun of his drug addiction and personal problems.

Similarly, the roast of Donald Trump in 2011 was slammed for being disrespectful and vulgar, as some of the roasters insulted his appearance, intelligence and family.

Another thing that can ruin a comedy roast is when the jokes are not funny at all. The roast master, who is supposed to make the crowd laugh and keep the roast flowing, can sometimes fail to deliver and create an awkward silence. Also, if the roastee is not a good sport and gets angry or offended, it can spoil the whole mood. This happened when former US President Donald

Trump walked out of his roast in the middle of the event, clearly not amused by some of the jokes.

Sandra, however, seems to be ready for the challenge. She is confident and resilient and has a lot to be proud of.

She is a successful singer and dancer, who has performed locally and internationally. She is also a politician, who is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for what she believes in. She is also a lucky woman, who received a Mercedes Benz vehicle from Sir Wicknell Chivhayo.

Sandra will have to face a tough panel of roasters, who will not spare her from their jokes. The panel includes Carl Joshua Ncube, Sithandazile Dube, Kudakwashe Takundwa, Babongile Skhonjwa, and Ezra ‘Tshisa’ Sibanda. They are all talented and experienced comedians, who will try to make the audience laugh at Sandra’s expense. The roast master, Ntando Van Moyo, will have to keep the roast in order and make sure it does not go too far.

The Comedy Roast of Sandra is expected to attract a large crowd of comedy fans, who are curious to see how Sandra will handle the roast.

The event has been heavily marketed across social, print, and broadcast media. The roast will also be a test of the state of comedy in Zimbabwe, especially after the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) organisers announced that there were no nominees for the Outstanding Comedy Act.

Will Sandra laugh or cry at her Comedy Roast? Will she roast back and have the last word? Will the roasters make her and the audience laugh or cringe? Find out today at the Rainbow Hotel. — @MbuleloMpofu