After several years of absence, comedian, actor and entrepreneur Jandino Asporaat was back on a Surinamese stage. From June 4 to 9, he and his team brought the performance ‘Because you l*lt’ to Suriname. At the invitation of Hardcore Entertainment, he played several shows, all of which were well attended. ‘Because you l*lt’ turned out to be a mix of stand-up comedy, music, improvisation, characters and sharp observations about society. But above all, it was an evening in which the audience regularly recognized themselves in the stories on stage.
Text and image Shanavon Arsomedjo
Former celebrity Ongie, an alter ego of Jandino, performed in the support act. Without mincing words, defiant and full of self-confidence, the character immediately made it clear that no one was safe. The audience was in stitches within minutes. Ongie played with the audience, made jokes about recognizable situations and prepared the visitors for what was to come, after which he announced Najib Amhali.
“We live in a ‘because you’re bullshit’ society, instead of helping each other”
In a tight program of about fifteen minutes, Najib talked about his first encounter with Suriname in 1996. That meeting clearly left a lasting impression. He spoke with great humor about his special love for the country, the warmth of the people and the limited number of Surinamese words he has learned over the years. It was precisely the latter that caused a lot of hilarity in the room.
Although his contribution was relatively short, it felt anything but rushed. Amhali managed to make a strong connection with the audience in a short time. His message: he always feels welcome in Suriname and considers it a privilege to be there again.
Kondreman with Curaçao roots
Jandino then appeared on stage to loud applause. Almost immediately he started talking about his origins. Thanks to his great-grandfather, he also has Surinamese roots, of which he is visibly proud. “So actually I am one too kondreman“, he noted with a laugh.
That feeling of connection ran like a common thread through the evening. Although he was born and raised in Curaçao and currently lives and works between the Netherlands and Curaçao, his performance felt surprisingly close to the Surinamese audience. The show’s title – ‘Because You L*lt’ – provided the basis for almost every story.
According to the comedian, people often get into trouble because they chat too much. This applies to children, parents, relationships, friends, colleagues and even entire societies. Using recognizable examples from his youth, he talked about the Curaçao upbringing, which, according to him, has many more similarities with the Surinamese upbringing than with the Dutch. The way in which parents react, the discipline at home, the interaction with family and the unwritten rules within the family created a lot of recognition among the visitors.
The actor himself regularly had to laugh at the absurdity of his own stories. Sometimes before the audience fully understood where he wanted to go. It was precisely that spontaneity that made his performance extra charming.
The show had previously been performed in Curaçao and has been adapted to the Surinamese audience. General events from Suriname were effortlessly woven into the stories.
More than just jokes
Of course, a Jandino show without Judeska, also one of his alter egos, does not exist. When the iconic character appears after the break, the atmosphere changes. The decor was transformed into a branch of FC Kip, the fast food company set up by Asporaat. Behind a counter a completely new scene unfolded in which Judeska, as always, did not care about anything.
Amid all the humor there were also moments when the comedian became serious. According to him, people nowadays live in a society where they talk faster than they listen. “We live in a ‘because you’re bullshit’ society, instead of helping each other,” he said.
He then extended the comparison to Suriname. According to him, the country is one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to its natural resources, raw materials and opportunities. Not necessarily financially, but in terms of potential. He says the problem is not in what the country has, but in the way people work together. It was one of the few moments when the room became silent for a moment.
Private life
In addition to social observations, Jandino spoke candidly about his own life. He said he is currently in a phase of letting go. A period in which he consciously chooses peace, happiness and gratitude. The new song ‘Last Train’, which is about farewell, a broken heart and letting go of the past, was an important part of his story.
The entertainer showed that behind the joker there is also a man who thinks about life. He said that he is happy with the choice to live and work between the Netherlands and Curaçao. He really enjoys traveling back and forth. According to him, customs can sometimes ask fewer questions. That of course resulted in a new series of jokes.
Closure
After more than three hours of entertainment, the performance came to an end. What happened next was typical of the entire evening. Almost the entire room stood up. They danced, sang along and partied as if no one wanted to go home. And Jandino’s drummer and keyboardist have made a major contribution to this. Their musical accompaniment was a fitting end to a show that was different than apparently many visitors expected. More music, more interaction, more theater and more personal stories than a traditional stand-up performance.
But perhaps that is precisely Jandino’s strength. He didn’t just come to make people laugh. He also came to make them think, take them into his world and remind them that wealth is not only in money or possessions, but also in culture, identity and the way people interact with each other.
