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How Jim Iyke inspired my stage name – MC Casino

By Guardian Nigeria
18 May 2022   |   1:03 am
Popular Nigerian stand-up comedian, Lawrence Osarenkhoe, popularly known as MC Casino, has revealed how he came about his stage name. The content creator and skit maker, who is also excelling as a professional event host, is one of most sort-after comic acts in Nigeria. MC Casino's background as a former television and radio presenter helped…

Lawrence Osarenkhoe, better known as MC Casino or Official MC Casino, is a stand-up comedian from Nigeria.

Popular Nigerian stand-up comedian, Lawrence Osarenkhoe, popularly known as MC Casino, has revealed how he came about his stage name.

The content creator and skit maker, who is also excelling as a professional event host, is one of most sort-after comic acts in Nigeria.

MC Casino’s background as a former television and radio presenter helped him find his versatility in the country’s entertainment and comedy industry where he has shared stage with virtually all the biggest acts, including Basketmouth, Ay, Bovi, I Go Dye, among others.

“I used to be a very strong, follower and fan of this Nollywood guy Jim Iyke, in fact, my entire family. My dad used to like his movies a lot. So I was addicted to his movies. While in was growing up, people always tell me I look like him. So there was this movie he acted ‘The Cat’, so that was where I first heard the word ‘casino’. I just heard the word and fell in love with the word, so i just added MC to it. That was how I started using the name,” he said in a recent  question and answer session.

The stand-up comic, who hails from Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, was predestined to toe the path he has rather found himself, as it runs in the bloodline.

MC Casino’ bumped’ into the comedy scene in 2002 and the combination of tenacity and dexterity for the past 20 years, has continued to wax stronger.

“I started comedy at the University of Benin in 2008 professionally, yes, or should I say that was the first time I was paid to anchor an event. 2008. I think professionally 2008, but I think the first day I did stand-up comedy was in 2002. There was a very big comedian in Edo State then. He came to my area, I was born and brought up in NIFOR, Nigerian Institute for Oil-Palm Research,” MC Casino stated.

Speaking further, MC Casino said: “So he did the comedy show there and these days, the use megaphone to announce events traditionally. So i was in possession of my church’s megaphone. So the organisers got to know that I had a megaphone. So they used my church’s megaphone that was in my possession to advertise the event and as such, I got a ticket to enter the event.

“So while the show was going on, he threw it open to the house that anybody that can make people laugh should come out. So I came out and I cracked jokes. Before now, my elder brother was a comedian in Auchi Poly, I used to watch them on TV. So that was the first day, that was in 2002. Pretty 20 years ago men,” MC Casino added.

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