Before Curiosity Made Me Ask became known for putting celebrities through unconventional and sometimes uncomfortable questions, Isbae U was trying to figure out what kind of entertainer he wanted to be.
The Nigerian content creator, whose real name is Adebayo Ridwan Abidemi, says the idea behind the interview series emerged from a personal decision to stop being seen simply as another skit maker.
Speaking with Morayo Afolabi-Brown on The Morayo Show, Isbae U revealed that he had experimented with singing, rapping, acting and skit-making before eventually finding the format that would become one of his most recognisable projects.
‘I was done being average’
For Isbae U, the turning point wasn’t initially about launching an interview programme.
It was about differentiation.
He recalled telling someone that he was tired of being “mediocre” or “average” and wanted to create something that would distinguish him from the growing number of online skit makers.
“I wanted to do something different,” he said during the interview.
That search eventually took him back to a programme he had watched years earlier.
Then he remembered ‘Between Two Ferns’
Isbae U revealed that American comedian Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns provided inspiration for what eventually became Curiosity Made Me Ask.
The American series became known for Galifianakis conducting deliberately awkward and comedic celebrity interviews.
Isbae U said he loved the concept and realised there was something about the unconventional format that he could adapt to his own style.
“I thought, ‘Oh, this is something I can do,’” he recalled.
Rather than simply reproducing conventional celebrity interviews, Isbae U developed his own Nigerian version around humour, sarcasm and unexpected questions.
The idea was to show celebrities differently
According to Isbae U, the central idea behind Curiosity Made Me Ask is straightforward:
Show audiences a side of famous people they may not normally see.
That approach has allowed him to interview guests from different generations and areas of public life.
His guests have included veteran actor Pete Edochie, entertainer Charly Boy and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. His recent conversation with Obasanjo attracted significant attention online.
The programme’s format typically mixes conventional conversation with deliberately provocative, sarcastic or humorous questions.
But some guests still make him nervous
Despite becoming accustomed to interviewing prominent personalities, Isbae U admitted that he still gets nervous — particularly when sitting opposite people considerably older than him.
Asked whether that feeling occurs before such interviews, he replied:
“Every time. Especially when it comes to people that are way older than me.”
He said many of the older personalities he has interviewed have nevertheless encouraged him to remain himself, making it easier to maintain the style of the programme.
He hasn’t abandoned content creation
The success of Curiosity Made Me Ask may have changed how audiences see Isbae U, but he says the interview programme isn’t the only creative work he is doing.
He disclosed that he continues to work behind the scenes, including writing and helping other creators develop their stories.
According to him, some viewers assume he stopped creating other forms of content after focusing heavily on the interview series.
That isn’t the case.
Isbae U says he intends to keep exploring new formats and producing more content — continuing the experimentation that eventually led him from singing and rapping to skits and, ultimately, Curiosity Made Me Ask.
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