Trevor Noah Returns Home for New South African Comedy Festival

South African comedy legend Trevor Noah is returning home as lead curator of “The Bafunny Bafunny Comedy Festival.” Alongside Eugene Khoza and Ntosh Madlingozi, Noah will tour in September this year to breathe life back into the South African comedy scene. 

Sponsored by Savanna Premium Cider, “The Bafunny Bafunny Comedy Festival” will feature a combination of comedy celebrities as well as rising stars. Together, they are forming a South African national comedy team. 

“It’s all about stand-up comedy. A physical comedy show, there is nothing like it. A grand scale of stand-up comedy that leaves you laughing until you cannot breathe,” Noah said.  

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Noah’s Comedy Come-Up

Audiences and critics widely regard Noah as one of the most successful comedians in the world. Beyond comedy, he is a writer, producer, and political commentator best known for hosting “The Daily Show” for seven years.

He began his career at 18, with roles in soap operas and on television and radio shows. However, Noah gained major recognition from his stand-up comedy. His work often centers on his experiences growing up bi-racial in Apartheid South Africa. Using comedy as his medium, he shares his observations on the complex racial and political landscape in the country. All his hard work in comedy clubs culminated in his first sold-out show in 2009, The Daywalker.

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After that, Noah began touring internationally, appearing on British and American television. In 2012, he became the first South African to feature on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Next, Noah joined the Daily Show as a correspondent in 2014 and succeeded John Stewart as the host in 2015. Under his leadership, the Daily Show received seven Emmy Award nominations. 

In 2016, Noah published his best-selling memoir, “Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood.” He has released multiple Netflix comedy specials, hosted the Grammy Awards for six consecutive years, and launched his own podcast: “What Now?” 

Today, we have the answer: Noah is bringing his attention back home. Through the Bafunny Bafunny Comedy Festival, he hopes to spotlight South African comedy talent by creating larger platforms for the next generation of performers.

Bafunny Bafunny 

Eugene Khoza and Ntosh Madlingozi are much more than supporting acts. Both are established names within South Africa’s comedy industry. 

Khoza is best known for co-hosting the SABC1 sports magazine show Countdown 2010 between 2008 and 2010. Over the years, he has built a reputation for combining comedy with sports and popular culture commentary. 

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Madlingozi has also become a recognizable figure on the South African comedy circuit, known for his energetic performances and sharp storytelling. He has appeared on prestigious showcases like Blacks Only, Heavyweight Comedy Jam, Cape Town International Comedy Festival, and 99% Xhosa Comedy Festival. 

Comedy on the Continent

Comedy on the African continent is still “commercially speaking, very young,” Flower Akaliza, comedian and cultural commentator, said to UrbanGeekz. “The fact that [Noah is] coming back now, for me, is indicative of just how much potential there actually is in comedy on the continent, but specifically in South Africa. 

“The foothold Western media and American media have on [Africa] is slowly dwindling every day. Which means we need to start filling that gap with our own media. Our own comedians, our own artists need to take that lead on because they are the ones who set the pace and show everyone that this is economically viable,” Akaliza added. 

The trio, now hailed as the South African National Comedy team, is set to bring major live comedy events back to audiences across the country. With Noah’s global recognition and the local magnetism of his teammates, the festival is positioned to become one of the country’s biggest comedy events this year.

As the most successful comedian in the world returning to the continent, the industry is ripe for a cultural renaissance and commercial boom.

Main Image: Trevor Noah (courtesy of Netflix)