Super Jinii! Diné comic draws from early experience
WINDOW ROCK
Navajo Times | Rima Krisst
Emmanuel Webb draws on childhood memories for his popular comedy videos.
Much to his surprise, Emanuel Webb’s Facebook page blew up last fall when he started posting short homegrown videos of himself telling old-school rez stories.
From the mundane to the fantastic, Webb, aka Navajo Funny Guy, can make any subject, from a rez road to a rock, a skinwalker to a hay roll, comical.
His engaging personality and Navajo slang are as much a part of the experience as his unpredictable humor. Like an artful, spontaneous rapper, Webb often cracks himself up in the moment, free-styling.
“I just try to make people laugh,” said Webb. “That’s why I do the videos. No disrespect to anybody. If you’re down or having a bad day, just click on my page.” Webb says people thank him a lot for the laughs cheering them up, especially if they are suffering hardship or just plain having a bad day. “It actually helps them in a way I wasn’t expecting,” said Webb. “That’s one of the reasons I keep doing the videos. There’s people out there with anxiety and depression.”
Today, Webb has 25,000 followers on Facebook and 3,000 on YouTube, and he’s become a sensation. Fans just can’t get enough of his characters, caricatures, and commentary on Navajo life.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow