Just like every other South African, comedian Donovan Goliath has felt the strain of the national lockdown. But he understands the great need for laughter during a challenging time.
“I think everyone needs a little bit of relief during this time,” Goliath tells the Saturday Star. “If we as comedians can make you feel less anxious and look at the light side of the lockdown even or a couple of minutes, we’ve done our job.”
Goliath has teamed up with Castle Lite to launch South Africa’s first-ever YouTube news talk show. Lite News, which made its debut last night on YouTube, focuses on wrapping up the weekly headlines in a light-hearted way, giving South Africans the opportunity to stay abreast of the latest news while enjoying a good laugh.
“It’s a 12-part, short format YouTube talk show modelled on shows like The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.
"It’s made up of a witty wrap-up of the news, a look at trending topics on social media and a fun, light-hearted interview with celebrity guests.”
Each week, Goliath will host the show from the comfort of a beautifully styled home in Johannesburg and he will open each episode with a short musical interlude by himself and his partner, Davina.
The comedian will unlock the week by touching on some of the weekly headlines before moving to the "extra cold" interview segment, where he will interview South Africa’s most topical stars while they play fun games and get to know each other better.
Surviving the New Normal with Lihle Msimang, Retweet or Like by Mojak Lehoko and Rap Up by rapper Rouge are some of the exciting segments that will feature on the show.
Goliath says he is delighted to have teamed up with his partner, Davina, with whom he’s been creating online content for South Africans throughout the lockdown period.
“We end off the show with a wrap-up by Rouge the rapper, spitting bars on everything you’ve just seen on the episode, while Davina jams along on her violin.”
“Davina will also provide live sound effects on her instrument during an interview, or a monologue to emphasise certain things.”
Some of the cCelebrities that who will feature in the upcoming shows include Moonchild Sanelly, Coconut Kelz and Tyson Ngubeni to name a few.
Goliath says the main aim of the show is to provide some comedic relief to South Africans during the lockdown. “Our aim is to showcase and to add a positive spin to the current news climate.”
However, there are challenges that come with shooting a show during the lockdown period. “We’re chasing a curfew, so time is the biggest priority. "We’re also limited to the number of crew members on set, which makes it quite a challenge. “We have put a lot of work into it and there are incredibly talented people on the show, so I do think we could make some waves with the show.”
The show will also provide a platform for a number of entertainers who have battled throughout lockdown as gigs and shows have been cancelled. Goliath says he has embraced the lockdown and has been working hard to make sure he survives as an entertainer during the uncertain times.
“To be honest, I’ve embraced the challenges and have adapted to creating content online.” “My partner Davina and I have been putting stuff out since the lockdown started. Fortunately all of that work paid off and resulted in collaborations with brands and agencies.”
Meanwhile, Castle Lite say they are thrilled to have launched Lite News and look forward to providing South Africans with the comedic relief they so badly need during the lockdown.
“The new normal has created massive shifts in digital content consumption. As a brand known for creating the most fun and unconventional experiences for our consumers, we were definitely not going to allow the lockdown to stop us,” said Castle Lite brand director Silke Bucker.
The Lite Show will feature every Friday, at 9pm 28 August 2020 on Castle Lite’s official YouTube channel (CastleLiteSA).