Tofiga Fepulea'i (born February 5, 1974) is a New Zealand-based actor and comedian of Samoan descent best known as a member of the stand-up comedy duo Laughing Samoans.
Tofiga Fepulea'i | |
|---|---|
 Tofiga Fepulea'i (left) | |
| Born | Tofiga Fepulea'i February 5, 1974 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Education | Rongotai College |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Comedian |
Biography
editFepulea'i was born and grew up in Wellington, New Zealand.[1] His mother is Fuamago Malae Malagamaali'i Fepulea'i from Papa Sataua, Falealupo, Sagone and Fasito'outa and his father is Tu'ua Semurana Fepulea'i from Fusi Safotulafai and Sale'aula, Savai’i.[2]
He was educated at Rongotai College.
Fepulea'i's first stand-up comedy show was called Laughing with Samoans. First performed at the New Zealand Fringe Festival in Wellington in 2003 it changed name and became a duo performed with Eteuati Ete called the Laughing Samoans. Fepulea'i and Ete have toured this show around New Zealand, places in the Pacific, Australia and North America.[3] Title of their shows include Laughing with Samoans (2003), A Small Samoan Wedding (2005), Off Work (2007), and Choka Block (2011) with DVD's produced too.[3] In 2010 they made a television series The Laughing Samoans at Large.[3] The Laughing Samoans disbanded in 2016.
Among the characters Fepulea'i and Ete perform in the Laughing Samoans are two women, Aunty Tala and her niece, Fai.[3] Scholar Sarina Pearson says of these characters, "Whether Fepulea‘i and Ete are enacting a relatively straightforward parody of women or performing yet another layer of gender inversion by parodying fa‘afafine is ambiguous."[3]
In April 2017 Fepulea'i premiered his first solo show called I Gan't Belive It in Auckland, with presentations in Wellington and Samoa.[2]
The first acting role for Fepulea'i in a feature film was in 2020 in the film Take Home Pay.[4]
In 2021 his show Sorry bout it was part of the New Zealand Comedy Festival national tour and features James Nokise as the opening act.[5][6][4]
Fepulea'i was a youth worker for 12 years and he has a company 3Sons that hold school holiday programmes for Pasifika boys called o a’u lea (this is me) about wellbeing and identity.[4]
Alongside Inangaro Vakaafi, Fepulea'i has been co-hosting a mid-morning radio show called Island Time on Radio 531pi (Pacific Media).[7]
He appeared as a contestant on season 5 of Taskmaster New Zealand.[8] He was ill for the show's studio segments, so his position was filled in by previous contestants Madeleine Sami, Matt Heath, Josh Thomson, Bubbah and Chris Parker.
References
edit- ^ "Tofiga • International Samoan Comedy Superstar". Tofiga. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Tofiga begins afresh". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Pearson, Sarina (2014). "Televisual Transgender: Hybridizing the Mainstream in Pasifika New Zealand". Gender on the edge : transgender, gay, and other Pacific islanders. Niko Besnier, Kalissa Alexeyeff. Honolulu. ISBN 978-0-8248-4019-8. OCLC 875894847.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c Fuatai, Teuila (20 October 2020). "Tofiga isn't sorry about it". The Spinoff. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ Sarah (23 October 2020), Tofiga Fepulea'i celebrates first NZ Comedy Festival inclusion with national tour, retrieved 30 August 2022
- ^ Tualaulelei, Teuila (9 May 2021). "Tofiga Fepulea'i SORRY BOUT IT - Irrepressible talent, incorrigible naughtiness". TheatreView. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Radio 531PI announces new show — thecoconet.tv - The world's largest hub of Pacific Island content.uu". thecoconet.tv. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Kevin & Co". Instagram. Retrieved 22 July 2024.