Black Star Comedy Festival
Ghanaian comedy is finally getting its own moment under the Black Star Experience. The project has now turned its attention to comedy with a new event titled “You’re Ghana Laugh,” an initiative aimed at growing the comedy space and making sure Ghanaian comedians benefit from it.
But the CEO of the Ghana Comedy Awards, Mr Dennis Boateng, says this is an idea he put forward more than a year ago. According to him, he was the one who first called for a Black Star Comedy Festival at a time when comedy was being left out of the wider Black Star Experience project.
What Is the Black Star Comedy Experience?
The Black Star Experience is a project that has so far featured events like the Black Star Movie Festival and Black Star Theatre. Until now, comedy did not have its own spot on the list.
With the new Black Star Comedy Experience and its “You’re Ghana Laugh” event, that has changed. The goal is to give the comedy industry a proper platform, draw more attention to Ghanaian comedians, and help the industry grow.
Dennis Boateng Says He Proposed the Idea in May 2025
Dennis Boateng made his proposal during interviews across several media platforms, including Hitz FM and Joy Prime TV. His comments were also captured on myjoyonline.com.
At the time, his main concern was that comedy had been sidelined in the Black Star Experience. He wanted to draw attention to that gap and push for comedy to be included.
His Exact Words
Speaking back in May 2025, Mr Boateng said:
“I did a little check and need to highlight this on the Black Star Experience. I saw Black Star Movie Festival, I saw Black Star Theatre, I didn’t see Black Star Comedy Festival. I think that is a platform where we can actually do something nice for a weekend.”
He went on to explain why he believed a comedy festival would make a big difference:
“We have comedy theatres, comedy skits, we have comedy movies, we have stand-up comedy, we have all of them and more. Let’s put them together and say we are doing a Black Star Comedy Festival. Imagine what will happen, it will be mind-blowing. And this will put Ghana on another pedestal when it comes to the world market. So, it’s a big deal. Anyone listening can look at it. The government should also pay attention to it.”
Why the Proposal Mattered
Mr Boateng’s point was simple. Ghana’s comedy industry is not just one thing. It includes:
- Comedy theatre shows
- Comedy skits, many of which are popular online
- Comedy movies
- Stand-up comedy
In his view, bringing all of these together under one Black Star Comedy Festival would create something big enough to catch the attention of the world. He believed it could help put Ghana on “another pedestal” in the global entertainment market.
He also made a direct appeal to the government to pay attention to the idea. For him, comedy deserved the same level of support and recognition that other creative areas were already getting under the Black Star banner.
From Advocacy to Reality
More than a year after those comments, the Black Star Comedy Experience is now a feature of the project. For Dennis Boateng and those who backed his call, this is a big win for the comedy community.
His advocacy in 2025 is being seen as one of the early pushes that helped bring comedy into the conversation. Today, the idea he described on radio and TV has become part of the Black Star Experience.
A Call to Go Even Bigger
While the new comedy event is a welcome step, there is also a push for more. The hope is that the Black Star Comedy Experience will not stop at just one event. Instead, it could grow to include several events under the same umbrella.
Doing this would widen the reach of the project and help promote the comedy agenda in Ghana and beyond. It would also give more comedians, skit makers and comedy filmmakers a chance to showcase their work on a bigger stage.
What This Means for Ghanaian Comedians
For years, many comedians in Ghana have worked hard to build their careers, often with little official support. Events like “You’re Ghana Laugh” could open new doors for them, bring in bigger audiences and create more income opportunities.
If the project grows the way supporters hope, it could also help Ghanaian comedy compete on the international stage, just as Mr Boateng described when he first raised the idea.
Kudos to the Black Star Experience Team
The Black Star Experience team has received praise for finally recognising comedy as an important part of Ghana’s entertainment industry. Still, many believe there is a lot more work to be done to grow the wider entertainment space.
For now, comedy lovers have something to look forward to, and Dennis Boateng can say his idea has finally come to life.
What do you think about the Black Star Comedy Experience? Should it become a full comedy festival with several events? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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