Secrets of the Streets

<p>There was one surefire way to become a recognized stand-up comedian in West Africa back in the day and that was performing on the biggest comedy stage-a concert tagged Night of a Thousand Laughs.That feat however was easier said than done.You had to grab one of the few rookie spots available every year-and that did not mean performing in front of Simon Cowell and his friends on American Idol.Auditions were held in a bar in the middle of the night with established members of the Nigerian entertainment industry. By the time you were called to perform they were likely drunk or even high.</p><p>It didn't seem like an audition as much as it did an inquisition. It was as if an unspoken question hung in the air: How dare you assume that you are funny enough to be a comedian?</p><p>In this book Teju 'Babyface' Oyelakin shares how an unlikely fresh-faced newbie became one of Africa's foremost stand-up comedians and most successful talk show hosts-as well as twenty-three secrets that anyone can use to make money with their talent and live out their dreams.</p>