Identical twins Keith and Kevin Hodge are a comedic duo like no other – and like each other. They’re so incredibly alike in voice, appearance and laughter that it’s impossible to tell over the phone which of them is speaking and when. Each statement from one brother is matched with raucous laughter from the other, and vice versa – it all adds to their charm.
The YouTube celebrities are shaking up the art of stand-up comedy with an unadulterated humour and enthusiasm. In their videos, the Virginian twins constantly make each other laugh with their comically seductive voices as they answer some of the hundreds of emails they receive daily from fans, asking for uncensored advice on everything from sex to family matters and beyond.
As kids, The Hodgetwins didn’t necessarily have their sights set on comedy – in fact, they were quite reserved. “We was very quiet, kind of kept to ourself,” says Keith (or Kevin).
“We were very shy in school,” adds the other.
“Yeah, we kinda weird in school. We’d get kinda crazy at home on ourselves but if we out in public, you know, we never did any pranks or anything – but you know what, we did do some pranks in high school! We used to lob a football into the bathroom.”
“That’s not a prank, that’s being an ass,” they laugh.
“Because we always had each other, you know, I didn’t have to go out and make friends, because I had my brother. Plus at school, it was horrible – bunch o’ crazy ass niggas at that school!”
Predictably enough, neither of The Hodgetwins find embarrassment in talking about blow jobs and the women they’ve slept with in front of their brother. “Why wouldn’t I wanna hear about that?” one of them giggles. “Me and my brother are different – we been inseparable since we was born and we have a much different relationship than is typical.”
If 500 people come to my show don’t know who I am,
they in for a rude fuckin’ awakening!
“Yeah, I couldn’t talk to my sister like that, that would be weird,” retorts the other.
“Now, we have an older brother, we can talk to him like that!” They laugh again.
The mind boggles when you think of all those followers who genuinely do believe The Hodgetwins are the best qualified experts to address their issues. “Yep, there’s a lot of weird people on this planet!” Keith or Kevin exclaims. But that doesn’t stop them – the twins in fact get a kick out of all the crazy things people ask them.
“We’ve done so many videos about e’rything, whether it was fitness, diet advice, current events – people have actually gotten really close to us over the years.”
Among the huge volume of enquiries The Hodgetwins receive, they’ve never yet had an email they have felt was too out there to air. “Yeah, we talk about e’rything, I don’t turn nuttin’ down,” says one. His twin laughs knowingly.
“The more out there the better, ya know? Nobody wanna hear us do emails about, ‘Which college should I go to? Harvard or Yale?’ It can’t be boring – it’s gotta be something out there, man.”
Australia will soon get a taste of that titillating humour when The Hodgetwins arrive for the Sydney Comedy Festival – though you have to wonder how this raw and sometimes X-rated humour will translate from Virginia to Australia. “I hope very well! We did several shows here and we ran into people from Australia.”
“I think it’s gonna it’s gonna go over well. I mean, if 500 people come to my show don’t know who I am, they in for a rude fuckin’ awakening!”
Roaring with laughter, The Hodgetwins explain how they will leave their mark on Sydney. “I’ma be bustin’ all kinds of nuts,” comes the reply.
“We ain’t gonna be holdin’ back – I think y’all Australia’s gonna like this!” ■
The Hodgetwins appear in their Sydney Comedy Festival show, No Filter, at Factory Theatre, which runs Tuesday April 25 – Wednesday April 26.
