South African theatre icon Pieter Dirk-Uys has stirred up anger after he published a full-page advert using the f-word at the National Arts Festival.
However, threats of a beating from anonymous members of the public have not fazed him.
“In fact, the reaction excites me,” Uys said.
The famous South African writer, director and actor upset some conservative festinos and Grahamstown locals with his full page advert in yesterday’s festival newspaper Cue which encouraged safe sex.
The ad’s punchline, in 1.5cm-high, capitalised type, is: “Think before you fuck”.
Uys apparently paid the paper about R12 000 to publish four full-page adverts.
Cue was initially reluctant to publish the controversially-worded text.
In an interview with another festival paper, East News Agency’s Wordstock, Uys said: “They weren’t too keen on printing the word ‘fuck’. So I said, how much do I have to pay you?”
One local, who refused to be named, threatened Uys saying: “He will be unrecognisable once I’ve finished with him!”
Wordstock reported that Cue only agreed to publish the ad if it stated that Uys was the sponsor.
Uys said: “We can’t be polite. This isn’t a polite virus. We cannot be paralysed because of words — that way, the virus will win.”
Another accusation made by a festival-goer on condiation of anonymity was that Uys was “a disgrace to the white Afrikaans community”.
Still delighted, Uys responded: “Offended people are people who listen.”
Uys’ hard-hitting festival show Auditioning Angels has also made people feel uncomfortable.
He says: “Younger South Africans have embraced the show, but older audiences have been highly unamused.”
“I think they miss Evita. But she’d never go to Auditioning Angels — she’d be disgusted!”
Wordstock reported that today’s edition of Cue was to carry an Uys-sponsored ad in which Evita Bezuidenhout depicted holding “a thingy” in his hand with the caption “The future is in your hands”.
It was designed by brand rip-off design activist Justin Nurse of Laugh it Off.
Uys says: “What Laugh it Off is doing is so important, now and for the future.”
As to the “gentleman” who wants to meet Uys in a dark alley — the actor said he was more than prepared.
“I’m carrying a huge stone in a packet, and I’ll klap him in the balls.” — ECN-Cuewire