This archive report was first published on 18 July 2021.
July 18, 2021, marked a day when Kenyan actor and comedian Erastus Otieno, better known as Flaqo, opened up about his financial struggles despite being a household name.
Flaqo, who is famous for his character Mama Otis, revealed that he had to endure harsh judgments from people who expected him to be 'rich' or 'act rich' simply because of his social status.
Speaking on The Loop show hosted by Mike Wachira on K24, Flaqo shared his lowest moments when his name was big on the airwaves but his pay was equal to nothing.
'The point is you can be super famous and super broke. People expect so much. I was really heartbroken my numbers were really high sometimes higher than those (influencers) that were getting endorsements, but I wasn’t getting anything,' he recalled.
Flaqo has since flourished in his career, making funny clips on the way parents treat their children. His YouTube channel has 395,000 subscribers, with his Mother’s Day video garnering over 1.3 million views in just two months.
Flaqo has managed to play three different characters — Mama Otis, Baba Otis, and Otis’ Sister — and has become a beloved figure in Kenyan entertainment.
