BY WINSTONE ANTONIO COMEDIAN Richard “Uncle Richie” Matimba — famed for Zviri Kumbofamba Sei skits — yesterday said he was still in the groove although he had taken a back seat to concentrate on performing at private functions rather than sharing his work on social media. A teacher by profession, Uncle Richie, said he accepted criticism from the public following widespread sentiment that he had run out of steam. “A person will not fade out unless they get old or fall sick. It (comedy) is a natural gift that I use to entertain people when I am invited to do that or when I plan to get extra money. I am still in the game, but now much of my focus has been on private functions and weddings,” he said, adding that the COVID-19-inspired lockdown had affected his work. Uncle Richie said doing the humour-laden skits was a gift he uses to entertain people and make them laugh as well as educate them. “If it was something that recompensed much, I would have become full-time and diverted all the energy to do that. Getting a National Arts Merit Awards gong sealed it for me,” he said. The comedian said he had a lot to share from his humour bag, but was just holding back on social media platforms for professional reasons. “Some parents regard everything on social media as mischief such that they will start questioning your capability of teaching their children, yet it’s a gift to just entertain people. So, if it can get someone fired from their job, you then value what makes you feed the family and you decide to put on a tie,” he said. The comedian rose to fame when he did the Zviri Kumbofamba Sei and MuDeacon Bhebhe jokes which went viral on social media a few years ago. He became such a household name that his comic skits were taken up by corporates