‘I am pinching myself’: Comedian Vafa Naraghi on his career and starring in ‘The F-Show'

JOHANNESBURG - Local comedian Vafa Naraghi has had a spectacular career by using his incisive humour and keen wit to appeal to audiences across South Africa.

And with all the challenges facing Mzansi, comedy is a much-needed coping mechanism.

Naraghi won two Savanna Comics' Choice Comedy Awards earlier this year, in the categories of Sauce of the Year and Breakthrough Act of the Year.

In anticipation of his forthcoming stand-up performance on The F-Show, where he will be joining Mpho Popps and Khanyisa Bunu, the comedian discussed his background, sources of inspiration, and the work he has been doing to transform the South African comedy scene.

Detailing the daily highs and lows of living in South Africa, The F-Show highlights struggles proving to be the great equaliser, from expensive groceries to the integral nature of our side-hustle culture.

**You’re set to star in The F-Show alongside Mpho Popps and Khanyisa Bunu. What made you decide to join this hilarious line-up and tell jokes about the cost of living in South Africa?**

Both Mpho Popps and Khanyisa Bunu are amazing talents so to be on stage alongside them is a complete pleasure. I am pinching myself all the time. They are incredible at the art form, and I think the three of us make such a beautiful combination in terms of being able to make light of some of the difficult things we go through in South Africa – especially the cost of living in South Africa. To make light of that is really fun.

**What can people expect from your set during The F Show?**

Tons and tons of laughter! It’s going to be such a good time. We are going to have so much fun, and I can’t wait to see you guys there!

What made you fall in love with comedy?

Honestly, the ability to connect and to make people laugh – to make people’s lives a little bit better every day. To do that is something that is so fulfilling.

What has been some of your most memorable moments on stage?

My most memorable moments on stage have definitely been the times when I have been able to perform alongside some of the people I have looked up to for years - some of my heroes in comedy. I look back fondly at the Laugh Africa Comedy Festival where I performed with a lot of South Africa’s greatest comedians as well as sharing stages over the past few years with the likes of Mpho Popps, Celeste Ntuli and David Kau at his incredible Blacks Only festival.

You won two Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards this year. What does this mean to you?

These awards mean so much to me because it means that the work that I have been doing and the things that I have been seeing are finally being noticed by both my colleagues as well as the public. It’s such a good feeling to be embraced and be a part of the industry.