On Sunday 29th November 2009 the first annual Black Tie Comedy Awards with Kojo the comedian and the beautiful model/ actress Rachel Ritfeld hosting. Fresh from co-starring as lovers in the movie Find Her Keep Her the pair had great chemistry on stage. Proceedings started 2hrs late. And before you think ‘hmmm, black people time’ it was actually Blackwall tunnel time. There was a fire and nobody knew until they were literally an inch away from the inferno. This meant many presenters, winners and attendees had delayed journeys.
Speaking of delayed journeys, special guest Bill Bellamy never made it. He wasn’t sitting in a taxi vexed by London traffic, he never caught his flight. But with people like Rudolph Walker (Patrick form Eastenders), Eddie Kadi, Richard Blackwood and rising star Miss London in the house you didn’t really feel like anything was missing.
Winners on the night included Kevin J for Best Newcomer, Slim for Best Male and Best TV Performance and Glenda Jaxson for Best Female. All the winners performed hilarious skits. Meleeka and Young Nate hit us with some hot musical interludes, while the comedians in the front broke out the old skool bogle (yeah we saw you JcX n Slick!)
Flavour as one of the shows backers was there to give support, with our very own Annika Allen and Leonard Foster handing out the Outstanding Achievement award to the cast of The Real McCoy (bring the show back…how many of you remember Dyamn fool man- that was British comedy at its finest.)
The vibe at the awards was sexy, funny and cool. We can’t wait for next year, 2010 is gonna be even bigger!
Awards
Our wonderful host Kojo and Rachel Ritfeld. Rachel hit us with an outfit change, coming out demure and ethereal with her first outfit and then switching to a dominatrix -bondage vibe in a black, rubber one shouldered dress.
Best newcomer Kevin J apologised for not being black but he knows his real roots: “People don’t know that I grew up in Nigeria- Peckham!” he says on stage.
Laughter is no doubt the best medicine. Slim, winner of best male said he had been through a lot in his personal life but getting up on stage and making us laugh helped him get through it.
The beautiful Donna Croll and the very debonair Rudolph Walker
Glenda Jaxson, best female. Ms Jaxson was late but had the crowd laughing when she got on stage to collect her award “I’ve got to leave now cos my husband thinks I’m in the bath.”
Here is the full list of the winners:
BEST NEWCOMER: KEVIN J
BEST TV PERFORMANCE: SLIM
BEST FEMALE COMEDIAN: GLENDA JAXSON
BEST MALE COMEDIAN: SLIM
BEST COMEDY PROMOTION: HARMONY PRODUCTIONS
BEST INTERNATIONAL: CHRIS ROCK
OUSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: THE CAST OF REAL MCCOY
Photography by Matthew Douglas
Words by Mary Bello