Fake interpreter gets a new gig

Bogus sign language interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie's "talents" have earned him a starring role in an out-of-the-ordinary advert for a social media video app.

Jantjie made international headlines in December when he was exposed for faking sign language at Nelson Mandela's memorial service at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

He has now made a comeback on YouTube with an advert for LiveLens, an app whereby users broadcast live videos on their social pages.

A video of Jantjie signing what he is saying runs beside him in the advert, with a female voiceover contradicting his signs.

An introduction by Jantjie is followed by a clip of him interpreting US President Barack Obama's speech at the memorial. A female voiceover suggests he is saying: "Cigarette share, hand me the scissors."

"Believe me," says Jantjie in the advert, "I am a real professional sign language interpreter", to which the voiceover interprets as "I speak sign language - not."

Jantjie goes on to apologise for what happened at the Mandela memorial and explains that he would like to make it up to "the whole world" by encouraging them to download the app.

This is followed by numerous hand gestures, which the voiceover interprets as "Me famous celebrity", "I'm on a horse" and "Now I do campaign for money".

Last year Jantjie said he began to hallucinate and "saw angels" while interpreting at the memorial due to his schizophrenic condition.

He was admitted to Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital in Krugersdorp shortly afterwards.

Oscar-winning US actress Marlee Matlin was one of many in the international deaf community who spoke out against Jantjie's dismal interpreting, saying it was like he was doing "baseball signs".

But Max Bluvband, the CEO of LiveLens, had a different idea.

Speaking to NBC News, Bluvband said Jantjie was "the guy who had the worst live show ever" and based on this he had decided that he would be the best person for the advert.

"At the end of the day a schizophrenic guy got paid and did a nice campaign. We see it as sort of a sad story with a happy ending," added Bluvband.