During a recent episode of “The Jonathan Ross Show,” comedian Eddie Kadi sat down to discuss his experience coming to the UK from the Congo at the age of eight. The conversation quickly turned to his mastery of the English language and the challenges he faced.
When asked if he spoke any English before his arrival in the UK, Kadi revealed that he only knew two words. It was quite the adjustment for him to come from the Congo and settle initially in South London, and then eventually in Fulham. However, he reminisced about the hilarious encounters he had with locals who couldn’t understand his thick accent.
Kadi recalled one incident at a barber shop where a Caribbean barber struggled to comprehend what he was saying. Despite already having trouble understanding accents in straight English, the barber delivered a remark that left Kadi under pressure. With a smile, Kadi humorously admitted that he said, “Yes, fine,” to the hairstylist’s question about whether the haircut was to his liking. However, when he got home, his mom was less than impressed, demanding a refund for the disastrous haircut.
The language barrier continued to be a significant hurdle for Kadi as he transitioned to life in Canada. He shared that he dated many ice hockey players during that time, and they had a slang of their own. Kadi, being known as a “puck bunny,” referred to the players’ hair as “flow” and jokingly recounted terms like “lettuce” for hair and “grocery stick” for a not-so-skilled player. The lively banter of the hockey players made it quite the challenge to communicate effectively.
When Kadi embarked on his journey to work in America, he encountered more language barriers. However, he admitted that his exposure to different accents growing up helped him adapt quickly. With Irish parents, Kadi always understood regional accents, but the same couldn’t be said for his husband when he moved to the UK. Kadi amusingly shared anecdotes of his husband struggling to comprehend Yorkshire accents and even struggling to pronounce his own name correctly, resulting in people calling him Barbie instead.
Kadi recalled a humorous encounter in New York where a cashier had difficulty understanding his accent. After repeating himself a couple of times, the cashier found his accent fascinating and called over her friends to listen. They jokingly remarked that Kadi sounded like a “black Harry Potter,” leaving him both amused and slightly annoyed.
Eddie Kadi‘s journey navigating different accents throughout his life has provided him with a unique perspective on language, cultural differences, and the challenges that come with them. His ability to find humor in these situations has undoubtedly contributed to his success as a comedian.
Tune in to “The Jonathan Ross Show” to watch the full interview with Eddie Kadi and catch more entertaining moments from the world of talk shows.
