After two years, The Annual South African Comic’s Choice Awards™ are back for round three. While most people in the comedy industry know about the The Annual South African Comic’s Choice Awards™ (SA CCA’s in short), we understand that new comedians are becoming eligible all the time, and may not know what The Awards are about, or how they are won.
In a nutshell: The Annual South African Comic’s Choice Awards™ is an opportunity for every professional comedian in the country to register and vote for his or her favourite registered comedian in each category.
There are only six Awards made each year (known as The Waldo). There are no committees, panels or governing bodies, the votes are simply counted, and the results made known.
The five Award categories that involve comedians voting for comedians are:
- The Savanna Newcomer Award Category
- The BlackBerry® Breakthrough Act Award Category
- The Times Comic’s Pen Award Category
- The Comic Of The Year Award Category
- The Lifetime Achiever Recipient
The only category in which the public is allowed to vote is:
- The Savanna Audience Choice Award Category
The criteria for these categories is all carefully outlined on the website, under the “registration” tab.
There are no stupid questions, so don’t be afraid to ask and or send through suggestions. The SA CCA team are also available 24/7 to address any queries; we’re available on email, sms or phone. Look at the contact us page for details.
There are some FAQ’s that we have encountered over the years, so we’ve included some below:
“Why should I enter, I don’t think I’ll win?”
The value of the SA CCA’s is not only about being voted for, but also to have your voice heard and be recognized as part of the professional comedy industry.
The Annual South African Comic’s Choice Awards™ are an opportunity for the industry to recognize great comedy work by performers who may not have had the luck or good fortune to get major coverage during their careers
Roughly 96% of the comedians who register will not win – we have made the awards very rare, as that means, when you do earn one – it is a true career highlight.
Also, to be a nominee means that the industry has judged you democratically to be in the top four of comedians in your category, and this means you may use the official artwork and logos on your digital and printed material.
The SA CCA also now mounts a fantastic, high-profile “The Winner’s Lap Showcase” at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City several months after the big Awards Show, to showcase the future of stand-up comedy. This show also includes nominees, which is an excellent opportunity to aim for.
“Why must I pay R1000?”
This fee does not go into anyone’s pocket. In fact, it is a very small investment into the main show, which costs around R2m, and brings R16m of actual media attention to the industry annually.
The SA CCA partners with leading comedy agencies and managements to create sponsorships for young comedians, and many established acts have sponsored their peers who may not have the money at the time of registration, as they appreciate the value of as much involvement as possible.
For the fee, you receive:
- Your voting code – giving you the opportunity to vote and be voted for (we encourage you to use your social media platforms like facebook and Twitter to let your fans and fellow comedians vote for you, using the hashtag #CCA and Award Category (e.g. #Newcomer / #AudienceChoice etc) in your posts).
- Two tickets to the main Awards Show.
- Two tickets to the exclusive after party with open bar.
- Plus, this year – two tickets to the legendary “Grilling Of A Lifetime” industry-only event.
Be sure to follow The Annual South African Comic’s Choice Awards™
Twitter: @comicschoice (hashtag #CCA #Waldo)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sa.comics.choice.awards
