Comedian Dufton ‘Duffy’ Shepherd believes that the ‘state of comedy is stronger than ever’ in Jamaica.
“The practitioners have not only molded their craft to elite levels, they are now inspiring new comedians to the genre. Comedians are now household names which has allowed for expansion into other roles,” Shepherd said.
He has been finetuning his skills for years. And he is playing a role in unearthing fresh talent in the sector. To this end, he hosts a monthly comedy show, ‘Slightly Unhinged’, on the last Sunday of every month at 22 Barbican Road, St. Andrew. The next edition will feature comedians Dahlia Harris, Ity Ellis and Curly Roberts.
“The event is growing from strength to strength, great jokes, great vibes, comedy has become a major pull for patrons seeking different forms of entertainment for their dollar,” he said.
Shepherd believes that the overall box office power of comedy has created a new revenue stream for practitioners who ply their trade at corporate events and on online platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram.
“Organizations are purposefully incorporating stand up comedy as a part of their functions to ensure their patrons are guaranteed smiles and have a good time,” Mr. Shepherd said.
TRULY GIFTED
He believes that the unique ability of Jamaican comedians to create boundary-pushing, socially critical, comedy makes them the perfect agents of change in the society.
“The art form is growing and being a comedian is now even being seen as a form of entertainment that only the truly gifted can execute. Comedy is also great as a form of social commentary and advocating change for the better in our society,” Mr. Shepherd said.
In recent times, international acts such as Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps, Shuler King, and Comedian Trixx have come to the island’s shores to perform on locally produced stand up comedy shows.
He believes that local comedy attracts a demographic which understands the value of the genre and events create a reasonable price point that the public finds attractive.
“All of these factors are attractive to potential sponsors because partnerships allow for products and services which can be exposed to an audience that they wouldn’t normally be able to access at other events,” he mused.
A graduate of Wolmer’s Boys High school, he worked in corporate jobs for ten years before deciding to take the plunge into comedy full time.
Fast forward over a decade later, Shepherd has become a major in-demand talent in the hosting of live events, winning brand ambassadorships, as well as producing shows on radio and TV, while balancing the demands of being a motivational speaker. He is also a host on Daytime Live on TVJ and one of the hosts on the popular ‘Full House Fridays’ show on FAME FM.
He has over 20 years of experience in the world of entertainment.
