Just as the old adage states, for Seth “Xcel” Bovell laughter is medicine – one can almost say, a form of therapy. That is why he prides himself on being able to make a joke out of anything and everything. He believed that with so many recent gun crimes, apparent increased in incidents of suicide, depression, and unemployment, laughter was a good way to bring joy to those who are in difficult situations in their lives.
The latest endeavour to make people laugh is Seth becoming an Internet sensation by making a name for himself in the area of sketch comedy. His skits are uniquely hilarious so if you have never seen any get acquainted because you are sure to be hearing much more about him.
He recently invited EASY magazine on location in Six Roads, St Philip, to a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the fourth episode of the very popular internet series Scab Whisperer with Ceasar Salad. Seth explained that the main purpose for his skits was to bring people together through laughter and bring more positivity to the beautiful island of Barbados.
“I can relate to depression with the passing of my uncle Karson Bovell. I started to think about death a lot and how at any day any of us could leave this Earth. But I used my depression as motivation to fuel my passion for comedy and it made me start chasing my dreams like I was going to die tomorrow. And in doing so, I achieved more than I could have dreamed of,” he said.
At just 25 years old, when Seth speaks about achieving more than he ever envisaged, it is not a cliché. Rather, he refers to two nominations in the Barbados Video And Media Awards, some 200 skits totalling more than eight million views on social media, thousands of Instagram followers, countless fans and much recognition for his work.
Most of his skits deal with different Barbadian everyday situations, which could be the reason why the majority of his fans are Barbadians transplanted abroad in Britain and the United States . . . even as far as Japan . . . who want to remain connected to their roots in island.
“I come up with the skits naturally. With years of studying comedy shows, the jokes and comedy are almost like a reflex. How my mind works I can’t help but see the potential comedy in everything,” he boasted.
Seth explained that ideas for skits are constantly popping into his mind. And when this happens his handy memo pad application on his cellular phone is always set to record it. Then the process of turning that simple idea into the funniest anecdotes you have heard begins.
He can switch persona to Xcel, who is a singer, who began creating music videos for his own music when he realised he was interested in film. As a result, with encouragement from his parents, Gloria and Enoch Bovell, as well as friends, he decided to pursue courses in video editing, script writing, and acting.
With a big grin, Seth recounted that as time went on, “I was actually good at it” so he started experimenting with the creation of short films. In 2013, he gained public attention when he and a group of friends created the hugely successful local webseries Porgie And Murda, and he was cast in the role of Tiny. Then last year he branched out to create his own series called My African Cousin which as well gained a massive following. So much so that it was even picked up by the cable channel Trident10.
Now he has, as the saying goes, audiences in stitches with his latest character, Ceasar Salad, a parody of the TV reality show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan.
This character, which was initially conceived four years ago, came after years of indulging and studying stand-up comedians and sketch shows such as Saturday Night Live, In Living Colour, The Office and The Chappelle Show.
“While binge-watching the Dog Whisperer I came up with the idea of doing a comedy parody of it with a comedic Bajan spin and that was the birth of Ceasar Salad. Initially, the idea was created in 2011 [but it was not] until 2015 that I decided to bring the idea to life and got some friends to take part in it.
“The first video gained over 57 300 views on Facebook and almost 18 000 views on YouTube. I just couldn’t believe how much traction it was getting so with the massive response I decided to make it into a series, releasing two more episodes produced by myself,” he said.
The “Philippine” character may appear effortless on screen but the process to get there entailed tedious hours on end watching episodes night after night with a pen and paper in hand, taking notes of Millan’s mannerisms, vocal tones and techniques.
Additionally, Seth noted that he also watched and studied a lot of streets magicians like David Blaine and Criss Angel to achieve a so-called dark, mysterious, and confident element to the character.
“To add depth to the character and staple his image I would wear a long-sleeved shirt while in character . . . inspired by imagery of gurus and monks, who always wear long robes. My signature pose came about just on the spur of the moment. While filming I decided it would be funny if I put my hands in a certain position and don’t move and it turned out to be one of the most funnier aspects of the character.”
Having conquered the small scene with his skits, what’s next?
Seth, who has acted in films like Daybreak and the upcoming Unusual Suspects: The Porgie & Murda Movie, revealed that he had another imminent project called The Bovell Show to be released by year end. It will be produced by his production company, Bovell Productions, which was founded in September and it will take the form of sketch comedy and will be packaged in a TV format with Seth as host.
In addition, he will be featured on a TV show now in the works called Thou Shall Not being produced by Michael B Roca Holder’s B Creativ Media. Season 2 of My African Cousin will be released early 2016. He has three movie scripts written and his next move is to bring them to life on the big screen in 2016, once production of The Bovell Show is completed.
“It was a great honour to receive two nominations at Bim Films. It’s a wonderful feeling when the hard work you put into your art is acknowledged and honoured. It gives me hope that the older generation will realise the potential youths have and begin to invest in our dreams and help us to achieve greater goals.
“Though the youths are showed in a negative light, there are many like myself who are positive, with big aspirations and are working very hard and diligently to be something great in life but lack the support from those who are able to help us to elevate. Don’t criticise the youth; invest in the youths,” he implored.
“My word to anyone who feels that all hope is gone is to remember you have the power to change the situation you are in. Ignore that voice of doubt in your head and just make that first step to achieve your dream and watch your happiness slowly become a reality.” (SDB Media)