King Gypsy hails new blood in extempo ring

Reigning extempo monarch Winston Peters (Gypsy) says he is pleased with the “new blood” which the art form has attracted. He made this comment backstage after beating his closest rival, Joseph Vatour La Placeliere (Lingo), at Kaisorama—A Night of Champions at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on Thursday night. The competition was held in Tribute to Lord Kitchener. Peters copped $100,000 and celebrated his eighth victory. The creme de la creme among local artistes were competing for honours in the Political, Social, and Humorous categories. Peters said: “I was glad to see new blood in extempo. It is important to keep the art form alive. I am still the extempo king of the world. I go all over the world keeping the extempo tradition alive.”

He paid kudos to Lingo, a visually-impaired artiste, who, he claimed, has “grown under his tutelage.” But like his contemporary, Contender (Mark John), he advised the newcomers that the extempo skill cannot be taught. It was a skill that was honed. “It is not something you learn,” Peters said. However, information on the details of current economic, social, political and religious topics and a good sense of humour were necessary prerequisites in the battle of the spoken word, he said. Turning to the Dimanche Gras finals, Peters said he felt calypsonians Winston Scarborough, Kizzy Ruiz and Kurt Allen were delivering commendable performances.

In extempo style
In the final round, presenter Wendell Etienne told Peters and La Placiere that they were allotted six verses for war. Peters told Lingo that when he was finished with him he “go see.” Lingo reminded him he was not God, “so how he would help him see.” As they walked offstage, Lingo reminded Peters that “his girlfriend was Gypsy’s wife.” In the earlier rounds, Lingo had the crowd in stitches when he said on Monday and Tuesday he going and palance. Among the other extempo exponents were Lady Africa, Hezekiah Joseph, Dimon Diaz, Phillip Murray, Sheldon John and Mark John. The slew of topics included US Dollars Missing, Horner Man, the late Roland Gordon and Gary Hunt’s Apology.

Competitors stuck to the traditional method of selecting the topics from a hat. Guest artistes included Rikki Jai, Brigo, Lord Nelson, Flaming Limbo dancers and pannist Ken Professor Philmore. Tuco president Eric Taylor said he was pleased with the large crowd and boasted the attendance “had grown tremendously over the years.” There was no chutney segment in the competition this year.
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