Comedian and actor, Olu Salako, popularly known as SLK, has dismissed concerns that stand-up comedy is under threat in the digital age.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, SLK emphasized that stand-up comedy remains a thriving art form, despite the rise of social media content creators.
He stated, “I don’t think stand-up comedy is an endangered species in the age of social media. Stand-up comedy is an art form and naturally, there are not many stand-up comedians in the world because it’s a difficult art. You are not going to get as many people. However, it is not endangered because there will always be people that love the art.”
Speaking on why he chose to retire his widely recognized social media character, Boda Wasiu, SLK explained that his journey in comedy began long before his online presence.
“I didn’t start out on social media. I have been doing stand-up comedy since 2009. So I started with stand-up comedy and I have been doing it since then. So aside from comedy, I act and I have been expressing comedy in various ways. Back in the days of Blackberry, I used to send voice notes.
“Some of these voice notes ended up on air but you won’t know it’s me. Some went viral; some were aired on radio and all of that. I did Boda Wasiu for a while, it served its cause and for some reason, I stopped because I wanted to do other things and I wanted to grow my stand-up comedy brand more. I wanted to get organic followers for my art. Boda Wasiu’s character was not giving me the core followership that I wanted.”
SLK further clarified that his distinct comedic style is not a deliberate decision but an extension of his personality.
“I didn’t decide to stick to that style. That is my nature, I just really do what I really want to do. I am being myself, it’s not like I created something that I am sticking to. It’s my natural disposition, my natural proclivities,” he noted.
Despite the evolving landscape of comedy in the digital age, SLK remains committed to his craft, staying true to his roots in stand-up while embracing new creative expressions.
