Kenyan comedian Arap Uria has finally met with English football commentator Peter Drury.
Arap, whose real name is Meshack Kiprop, rose to fame on social media for mimicking him and some other football commentators and met Drury at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.
On Friday, the Kenyan posted a photo of himself in the Middle East nation, requesting to meet the iconic commentator, months after Drury praised him for his lipsyncing act and said he would love to see him.
“Hello Peter Drury, it’s Arap Uria, I am in Qatar and I would love to meet you,” he wrote on a placard in a tweet which attracted Drury’s co-commentator Jim Beglin who offered to help him.
Dear Peter Drury😊🙏 @jimbeglin pic.twitter.com/D9Mc0a0dFl
— Arap Uria (@arapuria) December 2, 2022
Hours later, the dream turned reality!
“Gooooal!!! he tweeted after meeting his idol, sharing a photo of both of them. “Finally, with Peter Drury. Many thanks.”
“Wonderful,” Beglin also wrote alongside a photo of Arap and Drury. “It has happened.”
Gooooal!!!😂😂
Finally with Peter Drury . Many thanks @jimbeglin pic.twitter.com/evczz4eodc— Arap Uria (@arapuria) December 3, 2022
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‘Terrifyingly Funny’
It’s terrifically funny 😄😄
Message from Peter Drury@PoeticPeter pic.twitter.com/2r7vrrpc2i— Arap Uria (@arapuria) April 1, 2022
The comic shot to prominence for his lipsynching videos of Kenyan politicians including President William Ruto.
But in 2018, Arap posted a video mimicking Drury’s commentary of the Champions League match between AS Roma and Barcelona which saw the Italian side record a historic comeback against the Blaugrana.
The video went viral and it did not take time before he got Drury’s attention. The commentator was to later send a message to Arap, praising him for his act which he described as “terrifyingly funny”.
“Arap, it’s Peter here, I really wish I could be with you today. It’s so frustrating that I am here in Doha to witness the World Cup draw. Listen, I love what you do. I hope you are laughing with me and not at me,” the 55-year-old said in an April video.
“I must say I am certainly laughing with you. It’s terrifyingly funny, it’s superb. Football shouldn’t be taken too seriously. With all the passion you show for it, I do love your work and I hope one day we might get to meet each other face to face and you can teach me how to commentate.”