Mimicry of European Football Commentary: Arap Uria’s Comic Lip-Sync Impressions in Kenyan Social Media

ABSTRACT

The popularity of football in Africa is evident in the widespread viewership of televised top world league matches across the continent. Entertaining as they are to African fans, the broadcast images raise significant questions regarding the political implications of sports television as a medium for conveying cultural content. The matches are often played in far-off places and feature hardly any African commentators. New media technologies present African users with a host of technological affordances that enable them to challenge the hierarchical logic of industrial media production and the restricted communicative space of sports television. Comedy is a common form of political engagement with televised football images. This article analyses lip-sync impressions by a Kenyan comedian, Arap Uria, who records short parody videos that comment on iconic moments in football matches and posts them on social media platforms. Reading the audiovisual texts as politically motivated comic performances, this article argues that Uria’s lip-sync commentaries are a significant part of the contemporary sports television consumption culture in Kenya. The article discusses the place of the football commentator as a cultural mediator as well as how lip-sync performances can generate protest through artistic truth, remixing and parody.

ABSTRACT IN KISWAHILI

Umaarufu wa kandanda barani Afrika aghalabu hujidhihirisha kwenye utazamaji mkubwa wa mechi za ligi kuu za dunia zionyeshwazo kote barani. Kwa namna ziburudishavyo mashabiki wa Kiafrika, picha zitangazwazo huibua maswali muhimu kuhusu dhima za kisiasa za idhaa ya runinga ya michezo kama chombo cha kuwasilishia maudhui ya kitamaduni. Mechi zenyewe aghalabu huchezwa kwenye janibu za mbali na ni muhali pawepo wachambuzi wa Kiafrika. Teknolojia za media mpya zinatoa fursa nyingi za kiteknolojia kwa watumiaji wa Kiafrika kuweza kuhoji mantiki ya kimsonge ya uzalishaji wa tasnia ya vyombo vya habari na dhima iliyodhibitiwa ya mawasiliano ya runinga ya michezo. Futuhi ni fani ya kawaida ya kujishughulisha kisiasa na picha za kandanda kwenye runinga. Makala hii inachanganua picha za usawazishi midomo za mcheshi Mkenya, Arap Uria, ambaye hurekodi video fupi za mzaha zinazotoa maoni kuhusu matukio muhimu katika mechi za kandanda, na kuzichapisha kwenye mitandao ya kijamii. Uchanganuzi wa matini za sauti na taswira kama maonyesho chekeshaji yaliyochochewa kisiasa, makala hii inahoji kwamba maoni ya Uria ya usawazishi midomo ni sehemu muhimu ya tamaduni za kisasa za matumizi ya runinga ya michezo nchini Kenya. Makala inajadili dhima ya mchambuzi wa kandanda kama mpatanishi wa kitamaduni na vilevile jinsi maonyesho ya usawazishi midomo yanaweza kuzalisha upinzani kupitia ukweli kisanii, uchanganyaji upya, na mwigo bezo.

KEYWORDS:

• Football
• commentator
• lip-sync
• sports television
• comedy
• remix

ISTILAHI MUHIMU:

• kandanda
• mtangazaji
• usawazishi midomo
• runinga ya michezo
• futuhi
• mchanganyo

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Kitenge is a colourful African print fabric made of cotton that is quite popular in many African countries. It is also referred to as Ankara in fashion circles.

2 Comments on “Martin Tyler vs Peter Drury Commentary Mimic”, YouTube, 24 March to 9 August 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvRZ2eDR_MU&t=15s.