Ity & Fancy Cat show celebrates 100 episodes

When viewers tune in to TVJ for the Ity and Fancy Cat Show on Sunday, it will mark the one hundredth airing of the popular Jamaican sketch comedy show.

As can be expected, this landmark is the cause for much celebration for the dynamic and enduring duo who created the show, as well for as their executive producers. It means they have now achieved the enviable milestone of successfully completing eight seasons of production and enjoying eight years on air, which is a noteworthy first for any Jamaican-owned and produced made-for-television project.

Through the over four hundred skits, spoofs, songs, parodies, impersonations and hidden camera gags presented to date, the production has showcased the talent of several of the biggest names in Jamaican entertainment and provided a launching platform for the careers of many previously unknown performing artists.

For veteran comic, writer and director of Ellis International, Owen 'Blakka' Ellis, the score of 'one hundred, not out' is particularly significant. "For me, it also means eight years of consistently contributing to the growth of Jamaica's creative industries by providing gainful and fulfilling employment for several actors, directors, producers, cameramen, light and sound technicians, wardrobe co-ordinators, make-up artists and more. That's one aspect I am especially proud of," said Blakka Ellis. Blakka, who is also Ity's elder sibling, has been an integral part of the evolution of the career of the duo, who readily acknowledges him as their mentor and guide, and often their harshest critic.

When asked to share his thoughts on their show achieving this 100th episode milestone, Alton 'Fancy Cat' Hardware was emphatic and ebullient. "Jah know, mi feel like a million bucks, mi nah lie" Hardware stated. "Trust me only those who really know how far we a come from, and some a di things we go through, can fully appreciate how it feel fi reach this far, and wi still have further fi go!"

His comedic counterpart and childhood friend, Ian 'Ity' Ellis, was equally elated. "Full hundred!" Ity declared, as he shared his wish that his mother was alive to be a part of this 'pinch yourself' moment, which culminates what he describes as a "remarkable journey of laughter, stories and characters - real and imagined"

Season eight will come to a close just around the Christmas holiday period, and as they mark the count up to one hundred episodes and more, the producers would not say definitively whether there will be a season nine.