LAGOS, NIGERIA: Chibuike Josh Alfred, better known by his stage name Josh2Funny, is a Nigerian comedian, actor, and musician. He is poised to harness his talents and online fame in a bid to impress the judges on 'America's Got Talent'.
Josh is a widely recognized and captivating Nigerian-born comedian and compère. He has gained fame for his fantastic comedic routines that he frequently showcases on his Instagram and YouTube channels.
While 'AGT' has witnessed singers, dancers, magicians, and even talented dogs and their trainers trying to claim the million-dollar prize, no comedian has clinched a victory in the show's previous 17 seasons without the use of a ventriloquist's dummy.
However, Josh aims to challenge this trend.
Who is Josh Alfred on 'AGT'?
Josh was born on December 18, 1990, in Anambra, his home state in Nigeria. He was born into a Christian family, and both of his parents are pastors. Josh spent his early years in Anambra, where he began his basic schooling.
He relocated to Lagos when he was seven years old and completed his elementary and secondary studies there. At the Federal Science and Technology College in Yaba, Lagos, he studied computer science.
Josh has always been a natural at making people laugh, and he showed this aptitude at a young age.
He eventually dropped out of his first course of study to pursue a career in comedy full-time. He apparently studied acting at the School of Performing Arts, Qban Center, also in Lagos, as a result of this move.
The unique comic began by playing at churches and other parties, where he made people laugh simply by being himself. He earned the main prize in the Project Raw Talent Hunt Competition in 2011.
Following his victory, he decided to pursue his talent professionally. He began doing stand-up comedy for a smaller crowd. He was already creating humorous films of himself in various avatars by 2015. Josh had decided to do this since he lacked the necessary audience for a stand-up routine.
During this time, social media was still gaining traction in Nigeria, and not many individuals were making money from it. But Josh not only had fun with it, but he also discovered a flair for crafting skits and coming up with fresh social media trends.
In 2016, he made his first popular sketch. It was a slap film in which he slapped someone every hour from 8 am to 4 pm.
#DontLeaveMeChallenge
People brought their best wordplay for the "Don’t Leave Me" challenge on TikTok in 2020, and it was exactly the type of dry humor that’s so silly, it’s actually brilliant. It all started with an Instagram post from Josh.
In his short clip, Josh joked that he was "on leave" while standing on a leaf, but it’s his camera operator and friend's response that has given the challenge its name.
The hilarious execution of the challenge has been recreated across social media, with friends and families all delivering their best play on words, and Josh is enjoying all of them.
The Nigerian artist often makes humorous skits for his 2.7 million Instagram followers, but the "Don't Leave Challenge" was his first opportunity to reach a worldwide audience.
Josh is aware of how trends accelerate, often leaving the originators far behind or completely forgotten. Josh cites Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, and, closer to home, Basketmouth as influences for his kind of comedy, which he learned at an early age.
Josh was encouraged to take his abilities online after church performances and the occasional party booking, and he has been increasing his fan base with continuous content, memorable characters, and the "Don't Leave Me" challenge.
Who is Josh Alfred married to?
Josh is married to Binataste Alfred, also known as Bina. She is an Ethiopian model, businesswoman, and the founder and CEO of Pink Roses. They are parents to a child. To the surprise of their supporters, the couple welcomed their son, Eden, on May 18, 2022. Josh and Bina allegedly met years ago on social networking sites. They had been dating for almost two years before the comedian proposed. They got engaged in October 2019 and plan to marry in December 2020 at the Ministry of Interior's Federal Marriage Registry in Ikoyi. It was a small wedding ceremony attended by family and friends.
Bina was born to Ethiopian parents on July 11, 1995. The 28-year-old is enthusiastic about her husband's work. She occasionally appears in his sketches.
‘Fastest reader in the world’
In 2022, a video shared by Josh became a source of hilarity. The video shows him posing as a contestant on a reality show audition, with two of his buddies serving as judges. His post has made others laugh, and it can do the same for you.
"The fastest reader in the world," he added before posting the video. In the video, while on stage, he tells the judge that he is the "fastest reader in the world," reading 1,679 pages in two seconds. After they have recovered from their first astonishment, one of the judges informs him that the individual who holds the title can read 80 pages per minute, according to the Guinness World Records. Alfred, on the other hand, declares his claim and goes on to demonstrate his competence. Hilarity ensues after he begins doing so.
Josh Alfred on 'AGT' Season 18
Josh is a Nigerian comedian who does stand-up comedy. He has 2.4 million TikTok followers and 2.7 million Instagram followers. TikTok's "Fastest Rapper in the World" skit has 44.6 million views and 3.5 million likes. On the last round of auditions, he will take his skills to the 'AGT' stage.
New episodes of 'America's Got Talent' Season 18 air every Tuesday on NBC at 8 pm ET.