Nigerian comedian and skit maker Chibuike Josh Alfred, widely known as Josh2Funny, has disclosed that he discontinued his iconic female character, “Mama Felicia,” due to persistent harassment from gay men who mistakenly believed he was one of them.
Mama Felicia, a humorous and eccentric persona, was a highlight in Josh2Funny’s skits, famous for her outrageous antics, witty one-liners, and over-the-top personality that left audiences in stitches.
He explained that he was frequently bombarded with unwanted advances from homosexual men who misinterpreted his portrayal of Mama Felicia. The comedian expressed his dismay and embarrassment at the relentless pursuit, stating that the harassment reached a point where he felt compelled to discontinue the beloved character for his own well-being.
“The difference between me and other male content creators playing female characters is that mine was straight comedy. Any gay man attracted to me because of the character is senseless. I made sure it was stupid; ‘Mama Felicia’ is a stupid character. It was just stupid,” Josh2Funny explained.
He recounted one particularly troubling incident where a man professed his love for him via WhatsApp. In response, Josh2Funny threatened the man, saying, “I started threatening him that I would pray for him to go blind. I told him he was going to be blind in two weeks.”
The comedian emphasized that his decision to stop portraying Mama Felicia was not intended to offend or disrespect the LGBTQ+ community but was a necessary measure to protect himself from unwarranted attention.
“Harassment from gays was part of the reason I left the ‘Mama Felicia’ character. It was after that that I turned to ‘Brother Zakius.’ Instead of wearing female dresses, I had to start putting on male clothes. Because the advances from gays were becoming embarrassing for me. I just want to make people laugh,” he said.
Josh2Funny’s candid disclosure has sparked conversations about the challenges some comedians and content creators face while trying to entertain their audiences.