Sound of mind with Casper's capers
2001-04-18 13:03
Pretoria û Casper de Vries, South AfricaÆs pint-sized funnyman knows that a healthy, stress-free spirit depends on having a good laugh.
He will be in action in his own television programme Die CasperRasper Show on Saturdays at 20:45 on M-NetÆs Afrikaans channel kyk-Net broadcast on DStv. Flieke Sonder Brieke, will now move to the 21:45 time slot.
"Die CasperRasper Show is packed with naughty Casperian entertainment, presented at a super-quick humour tempo," De Vries says. "But, please take care that the children are in the bath or sleeping, and if grandma becomes tense, turn down the volume of her hearing aid.
"The show is not suitable for children or sensitive viewers."
The programme is recorded on Friday evenings at the Unisa Intimate theatre in Pretoria. It is aired the following day, giving De Vries the opportunity to poke fun at the latest news events and gossip around the country.
But Die CasperRasper Show is much more than a stand-up comedy show.
Each episode will carry video clips with De Vries and various celebrities - both famous and infamous people. "I also regularly nip out to get a few tips about current affairs from the man in the street," he added.
He varies his sharp quips and funny stories with music. Among the groups to be in action are fresh, young rock bands such as Boo!, Luv U So, Eden and Duusman û however, always with that Casperian sting in the tail.
Then there is the "legends and idols" section. A panel of celebrities has to guess which "legend" has become grist for CasperÆs mill.
The person is smuggled into the studio amid great secrecy and when he is finally unmasked, receives a special, unique Casper-Rasper trophy.
Viewers can also look forward to something that has never been done in South Africa. De Vries calls it "amocumentary". The concept is based on ABCÆs Making the Band in which the highs and lows of a boy band is followed in a weekly documentary programme.
In Die CasperRasper ShowÆs funky version the spotlight falls on an Oumens band (Aged personsÆ band). In the first programme auditions are held for the Jerry HatTricks, a pop group featuring members all over the age of 80.
In the next episodes viewers will get to know the members more intimately and before the end of the series, everybody will sing along merrily when band lets fly with their first CD Osteoporose.
De Vries is famous for his ability to exploit the humorous potential of every situation. Even that of his audience.
At the start of each programme he chooses an unsuspecting member of the audience as his "lucky presenter for the evening" who has to improvise an introduction to the programme.
