My Media Diet: the internet’s favourite comedian, Munya Chawawa
Ahead of his new YouTube series Deep Issue Massage, we spoke to Chawawa about what he gets up to online.
Culture
Words: Didem Gokpinar
With his brutal commentary on the current state of the world, Munya Chawawa is doing comedy for the many, not the few. The last time we caught up with the comedian, he was gearing up to take over the red carpet at the BRIT Awards. Now, he’s back with a partnership with men’s care brand Harry’s, delivering Deep Issue Massage (get it?), a five-part YouTube series exploring the ups and downs of manhood.
With guests like Jordan Stephens and Kojey Radical, the series tackles mental health with a good ol’ fashioned dose of laughter. And it’s just what people need. A recent study conducted by Harry’s found that one in three men believe it’s necessary to seek humour in everyday life, and Chawawa couldn’t agree more.
“The thing I love about my job the most is that it’s universal. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, how tough you are – laughter feels good. It’s a language we all understand and it’s something we all crave in a way,” says the British-Zimbabwean comedian. “The best thing about comedy is that it creates laughter, but it can also be infused with meaning. So, my gut instinct is that if we’re going to talk about men’s mental health, there needs to be an element of humour to it.”
His strategy is working. The 29-year-old is frequently told his sketches get people through tough times. “[It’s] such a beautiful thing to hear,” says the creator. “I make stuff I like and hope others will get a giggle out of it, so hearing it is acting as a coping mechanism of any kind is very humbling, and encourages me to stay diligent and dedicated to the craft.”
Before Deep Issue Massage premieres on Sunday, keep reading to find out how Chawawa spends his time online.
The last article I found myself thinking about was…
How adults who drink milk from the bottle should be on a watchlist.
The last new artist I discovered on Spotify was…
Don’t hate me but… Baby Keem.
The last picture I liked on Instagram was…
Probably a doughnut.
The last TikTok I sent to a friend was…
Probably slo-mo of a doughnut being made.
The last series I binged (or watched a lot of) was…
Smiling Friends – renew the ting!
The last book I stayed awake reading was…
Billy Summers by Stephen King, it’s about a sniper who writes a book.
The last Reddit thread I got sucked into was…
How to cure a peanut allergy (spoiler: there is no cure).
The last podcast I spent hours listening to was…
LBC with Nick Ferrari. It’s insufferable but I try to break out of my echo chamber every now and again.
The last new word I learned was…
Taciturn [dictionary definition: a person who is reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.]
The first episode of Deep Issue Massage will debut on Sunday August 21st on Munya Chawawa’s YouTube channel, with an episode dropping once a week.
