Eric Omondi has been in the news more than most celebrities combined this year.
Kenya's most-followed celeb on Instagram has gained fans while also dividing the ones he already had with his constant antics.
The incidents have been many, but for the sake of brevity, below are the three that really helped his name trend so much.
BATTLES WITH EZEKIEL MUTUA
The year started out with Eric and the then MCSK chairperson Ezekiel Mutua being at loggerheads about the content he was putting out on social media.
Ezekiel, or 'Deputy Jesus' as some derisively nicknamed him, was of the opinion that Eric's content wasn't fit for Kenyans of all ages.
Mutua felt that Eric should tailor his content for children and adults alike, something Eric disagreed with.
Eric argued that freedom of expression is part and parcel of his artistry. That meant he shouldn't be made to cater to audiences he wasn't targeting in the first place.
Their beef escalated to the point Ezekiel pushed for the arrest of Eric after a viral video circulated of two women from Eric's show, 'Wife Material', fighting in a club.
Up to that point, Eric had refused to bend the knee to Mutua, but after the police arrested him, Eric saw the writing on the wall and decided to play ball.
After Ezekiel Mutua's ousting in August this year, Eric showed there was no love lost between the two and celebrated the firing like a child on a playground.
That wouldn't be the last time the funny man became the trending topic.
PATERNITY ROW WITH MARIBE
This next incident in this story is regarded as the lowest point for the entertainer.
It all started when Eric telephoned Jacque Maribe about their son, Zahari, while doing a live interview with YouTuber Mungai Eve.
Jacque's response caught Eric by surprise as the former Citizen TV journalist called him out for being a deadbeat.
Up to that point, most Kenyans thought Eric was heavily involved in his son's life and most likely away from the public glare.
But Jacque's allegation on camera caught the comedian by surprise, so much so he looked like a deer in the headlights.
The controversy the incident caused was terrible for his image but that wouldn't be the worst of it.
Eric tried to mitigate the PR nightmare he was suffering by giving his side of the story in a long Instagram post he made.
The comic alleged the reason he wasn't involved in Zahari's life was that he still wasn't sure the child was his.
He said he had repeatedly asked Jacque for a paternity test, something he claimed she had refused to comply with.
Most Kenyans were upset at the manner he handled the whole affair and said he shouldn't have besmirched Jacque's name like that in the first place.
They even asked why he had publicly accepted he was Zahari's father if he had such major doubts.
Although some Kenyans supported his stance on getting a DNA test first before assuming daddy duties, the overall sentiment was that Eric had messed up by now opening up his son and Jacque to conjecture.
Chastened from the public mauling, Eric tried to get back into the public's good books and said he would still take care of Zahari, even if DNA proved he wasn't the biological father.
But Kenyans weren't buying it and asked him why this new rationale hadn't been adopted in the beginning?
The response from Kenyans showed Eric this matter wouldn't be easily forgotten by the gallery.
So he had to come up with a way to change the conversation that so far was increasingly looking like quicksand for him.
And that is when Eric was hit with a brilliant idea. Why not create another distraction away from this whole sordid affair with Jacque, something that would get the public off his back?
In classic Eric style, he decided he would tackle a giant — the entire Kenyan music industry!
WAR WITH MUSICIANS
Yep! Eric Omondi became a one-man army against the whole industry. He said it had become lazy and needed evolution and re-invigoration from musicians themselves.
He added the Kenyan music industry had become a laughing stock in Africa and that was why it couldn't compete with foreign acts.
Some musicians like Femi One, Sauti Sol and Khaligraph Jones called him out for using the industry as a punching bag to run away from his own issues.
But did Eric back down? Did the universal condemnation he received from Kenyan musicians make him take stock and reflect on his controversial take?
Nope! In fact, the musician doubled down and added that he was the much-needed prophet who was pointing out all the ills and malaise the industry was suffering from.
The funny thing is his attack on the industry actually worked. Many Kenyans actually started focusing on his beef with the industry and quickly forgot about the issues in his personal life. Proving that Eric has an affinity for controlling the public narrative, especially as far as his image is concerned.
If there is anything I know for sure, it is that despite the highs and lows he went through, the comedian will not change how he behaves online.
In fact, I think he will even become more of a 'menace'. 2021 was just the opening act.
