Zim comedian makes ‘America’s Got Talent’ semi-finals; battles 11 rivals for US$1 million top prize

90.5 WESA | By Bill O’Driscoll

Growing up in Zimbabwe, Pittsburgh-based comedian Learnmore Jonasi learned comedy — and English — largely by watching television. This week, he’ll be on the other side of the small screen, competing against 11 other semi-finalists on this season of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”

Finalists will compete for a top prize of $1 million.

“I have a chance,” said Jonasi last week, speaking by phone from Los Angeles. “There’s a lot of talent, and I’m nervous. There’s a lot of mixed emotions, but I’m ready.”

It’s the latest step in Jonasi’s career, which in 2022 brought him to Pittsburgh for a residency at the Steel City Arts Foundation. He’s since become a fixture on the local stand-up scene, even hosting his own monthly showcase at Arcade Comedy Theater.

“He’s extremely likable. He is somebody the audience roots for immediately,” said Steve Hofstetter, Steel City Arts Foundation. Asked about Jonasi’s chances on “AGT,” Hofstetter said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the first comedian to win the whole thing.”

Jonasi, 31, grew up mostly in a rural village called Chimanimani.

Zimbabwe was then ruled by the authoritarian President Robert Mugabe and beset by hyperinflation and poverty. Jonasi — who grew up speaking Shona — found comedy a refuge, and teachers in English-language sitcoms like “Friends” and “Fraser” and movies like “White Chicks.” The latter featured Terry Crews, Jonasi’s boyhood hero and the future host of “America’s Got Talent.”

In Zimbabwe, Jonasi said, standup was then a new art. He had considerable success performing there and in other African countries. In 2019 he won Zimbabwe’s National Arts Merit Award as the outstanding comedian, the Savanna Comic Choice Awards as the Pan African Comic of the Year, and the People’s Choice Award in Steve Harvey’s online Stand Up Spotlight competition. In 2020, he won the National Arts Merit Award a second time.

Jonasi, who lives in Friendship, is tall and skinny and favours wildly patterned sports jackets. Onstage he’s ebullient, making the most of his long legs with antic physicality; one bit on “AGT” found him imitating a chicken.

His bread-and-butter has been jokes about Zimbabwean village life, American culture, and the differences between the two.

He opened his three-minute “AGT” quarterfinals show by joking about getting his green card.

“As soon as I got my green card, I found myself becoming so American after that,” he said. “Like, I even have an allergy now. Yeah, I now have gluten allergy. It came with the green card, OK?”

On auditions for “AGT,” which began in May, Crews awarded Jonasi the “golden buzzer,” a mark of esteem that sent him straight to live rounds of the show. In the quarterfinals, the show’s judges were similarly impressed.

“I love that your comedy is so joyful and relatable,” said Sofia Vergara.

“I think you’ve got a real career ahead of you,” said Simon Cowell.

Added Howie Mandel, “To be able to come from a whole other culture and touch the funny bone of everybody in a totally different country of every age is magic. And you, sir, are magic.”

Jonasi has made a good impression at Arcade Comedy Theatre, where he first headlined in early 2023 and began hosting his monthly showcase, Strictly Comedy, that September, said Arcade director of programming Nia Johnson. His biographical video for “AGT” was also shot there, she said.

Johson said Jonasi has boosted the diversity of standup here by inviting in comics from all over the world. She added that he’s also given many opportunities to women comics, both local and from elsewhere.

“He’s got a seat at the table and he’s putting other seats around that same table for other comedians,” Johnson said.

In the “AGT” semis, Jonasi will be up against several singers (including “singing janitor Richard Goodall”), a magician, an acrobatic troupe, a dance troupe, a rock band and a woman who dances with a dog.

And, Jonasi noted, “There’s a drone show! They have a drone show, and I’m competing with that.”

Six of the semi-finalists are already guaranteed passage to the finals because they received golden buzzers in the quarterfinals. The other six will compete for audience votes, with the top four making the finals, set for Sept. 17.