Social media comedian making a name for himself

COVID-19 has resulted in the loss of jobs and severely impacted social life, but Davian Ricketts is basking in the opportunity the lockdown has created for his aspiring career as an actor.

The past student of Kingston College explained that the pandemic has given him the boost he has been seeking since 2015.

“I won’t lie to you, everybody a say 2020 a the worst, but if it wasn’t for COVID or TikTok, I don’t think I would get this f’orward’,” he said.

He previously went by the moniker Di Gimic, but due to personal reasons, he decided to put comedy aside.

“I guess I hated the fact that persons viewed me as that idiot comedian boy, and I had low self-esteem at the time, so me just scrap it. Then I told myself that one day, after I did all the things that society expects of me, like get a job and a degree, then I probably I’ll do it,” he said. Ricketts has been using the social media application TikTok to recreate popular videos since the start of the year. Realising how much popularity his videos have gained, he decided to build his platform further on Instagram. His most viewed video is of Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton. It has surpassed 8,700 views. Even though he has garnered much attention online, the 22-year-old said he never expected such a massive reaction.

FAR REACH

“It feels amazing to know how far my videos are reaching. I get a lot of messages from persons who say, ‘You make my day’ or ‘You make me smile’, and it’s a really good feeling. Up to this day, I still don’t grasp the feeling yet that my videos are reaching so far,” he said.

Although Ricketts has found a way to create a space for himself on social media as a comedian, his ultimate goal is to become an actor.

“I really love acting, like from my eye deh my knee. I was involved in drama productions at church and even at school. For me, it comes naturally. I try think outside the box, try to think different, and that’s what makes my style unique,” he said. Last year, Dale Elliot, who gained his popularity online with the social media application Vine, got the lead role in Storm Saulter’s project Sprinter. Similarly, Ricketts is hoping that one day he, too, can gain his place in Hollywood. However, he is dedicated to finishing his degree in entrepreneurship at the University of Technology, and aspires to win Oscar awards.