Over the past few weeks, super fans of several local celebrities battled it out on TV to prove that they’re the smooothest fans in Msansi on SABC 1’s exciting new celebrity quiz show Tropika Smoooth Fan.
Last week, Dianetse Letsika proved that she was Bonang Matheba’s smooothest fan and this week, Somizi is the celeb in the hot seat.
Somizi is a popular choreographer, reality show judge, radio personality and TV presenter. His career began when he was 13 years old – he joined the Broadway musical Sarafina! and travelled the world for five years with the production. He made a name for himself as a choreographer and took on massive projects like Miss South Africa between 1998 and 2008 (and again in 2015) and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He is now one of the most impressive TV presenters and reality stars in the country with a massive following.
This week, four die-hard celebrity fans will compete in various interactive games in the hopes of being crowned Somizi’s smooothest fan.
Five Minutes with Somizi:
What attracted you to a show like Tropika Smoooth Fan?
What attracted me to Tropika Smoooth Fan is the idea and the concept of knowing how much fans really know about me because sometimes, they think they know me but it’s not necessarily the case. It intrigued me to find out if Mzansi really knows me as well as they say they do.
Why do you think so many people around the country identify with you and your work?
I think a lot of people around the country are drawn to me because of my authenticity and my honesty. What you see is what you get with me. The person you see on TV is exactly the same person you will meet on the street. I am polite but yet brutally honest and that’s what people like – they want a real person and I am as real as they come.
What do you hope your fans get out of watching you on this week’s episode of Tropika Smoooth Fan?
I am really hoping my fans will get to really interact with me on social media throughout the show and get to know me a little better. I’m looking forward to having fun and to not take myself too seriously. Tropika Smoooth Fan is a fun show. It’s colourful, bright and energetic and I hope after the show, we will connect on a deeper level because this show will not only get the four superfans and the country to know me better, but I will also get to learn and understand my fan base as well.
What was the biggest lesson your fans taught you about your career?
The biggest lesson my fans have taught me is to always remain humble – no matter how much of a bad day I am having. I must remember that for a person who sees me out and about, it could be their one and only chance to interact with me. They’ve also taught me that I should always be considerate of the fact that they have no idea what I am going through when we meet and even though there are times when I don’t feel like taking a picture or smiling, I need to be patient and understanding.
What’s can fans expect from you in the coming months?
My fans can expect so much from me in these coming months. Season four of Living the Dream with Somizi is going to be starting production and I am still enjoying my radio stint on Metro FM every day from 5–9am with DJ Fresh and the rest of the gang. I am working on a recipe book and my dance exercise DVD so there’s a whole lot of things everyone can expect in the coming months.
What’s one thing that your fans might be surprised to know about you?
The one thing that a lot of people might not know is that I am a fantastic fashion designer – especially for women. I can turn a cloth into an amazing couture garment. I am also an amazing hairstylist. I can braid and put on a weave, do cornrows and style any kind of hair. I was taught by my late sister and I really have a knack for it.