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Johannesburg - The fallout between Queen B and SomGaga looks set to become epic, with neither showing any signs of healing the rift.
The reason for the split of the former besties, turned frenemies, turned foes came out in the wash recently – in Bonang’s controversial-for-all-the-wrong-reasons autobiography, From A to B.
Somizi thought Bonang had given him the cold shoulder because she suspected him of having told DJ Zinhle her relationship with Zinhle’s baby daddy, AKA.
However, Bonang gives a different reason for shading SomGaga – it’s all about her ex, Euphonik. As she writes in her book: “It took me a while to eventually leave that relationship, and years after I had, Somizi, who was my friend, suddenly became friends with my ex. The same one whose violence towards me he had witnessed.”
And now their rivalry has intensified even more because of the way they have positioned themselves in the marketplace.
Somizi has a TV reality show – and so does Bonang. Somizi has a book out – and so does Bonang. They are both social media and media stars. But who is winning the success stakes this week?
City Press decided to put it to the test:
SOCIAL MEDIA
Bonang: 1.6 million followers on Instagram and 2.2 million on Twitter.
Somizi : 1.3 million followers on Instagram and 719k on Twitter
Winner: Clearly, Bonang wins this category hands down. You go, girl!
BOOK SALES
Somizi released Dominoes: Unbreakable Spirit – The Somizi Mhlongo Story a few weeks before Bonang released the typo-riddled memoir, From A to B. Both are autobiographies.
Somizi rocketed to number one on the Exclusive Books charts, but was then neatly dethroned by Bonang and pushed into second place. But then fresh drama arrived like a Highveld storm. Queen B’s book has been withdrawn until a better proofread version can be printed. And this week, a lack of product saw her slip from the top spot and Somizi return to number one at Exclusive Books.
Winner: Somizi, even if by default. Yikes! It’s dead even. One all.
REALITY SHOWS
Living The Dream with Somizi is on Mzansi Magic and has done rather well, gaining a top audience rating of 1.3 among all adults. That’s about half a million people – not bad for a DStv show.
The first ratings for Queen B’s new show, Being Bonang, which airs on Vuzu Amp, came out this week and – oops – they’re not great. Her highest innings by far was a 0.4 (that’s, like, 150 000 viewers) on premiere night. Her lowest was two weeks later, at 0.04. Ouch!
But – yes, there’s a but here – Somizi’s show is on a channel with way more reach than the premium Vuzu Amp channel. Mzansi Magic features on the popular Compact bouquet from DStv. And both shows are rating above their channel’s average performances. DStv insiders, though, say he’s outperforming her.
To decide the outcome, we looked at their other current TV shows. Somizi is a judge on the popular reality show, Idols SA. Bonang hosts the reality cook-off show KFC Taste Kitchen.
Winner: Soz, Queen B, you lose this round. Take the throne please, SomGaga. You win. But only this week.
