FUNNY guy Tats Nkonzo is off to represent South Africa at the biggest European comedy festival in Montreux, Switzerland, next month.
The Montreux Comedy Festival opened to African acts for the first time this year after 40 years.
With a musical gift that complements his comic performances, Nkonzo has shared the stage with comedy giants like Nik Rabinowitz and hosts SA's Got Talent on e.tv.
"I'm excited and it feels like I am really going to be representing South Africa because in terms of comedy we don't have a name, so it feels more important," he says.
After struggling to secure enough public votes for his act to represent South Africa, Nkonzo was put through to the next round by the judges and now is one of the top eight acts to feature at the festival.
"People didn't vote for me and I guess having followers doesn't translate into votes. I figured people have lives and are not too concerned about sending me to Switzerland to live my dream," he laughs.
"I realised that I didn't have to campaign to receive votes, I let the work speak for itself and fortunately it did."
Born and bred in Mdantsane East London, Nkonzo had no idea he would be a comedian and much less afforded the opportunity to represent his country as a comedian abroad.
"It was never a part of my plan to become a comedian and I imagined success as paying rent and being able to shop at Woolies," he jokes.
From humble beginnings as a finalist on television show So You Think You Funny seven years ago, he won best breakthrough act at the Comedy Choice Awards in 2012 and has continued to keep his audiences laughing out loud.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Nkonzo to represent SA comedy at Swiss festival
FUNNY guy Tats Nkonzo is off to represent South Africa at the biggest European comedy festival in Montreux, Switzerland, next month.
The Montreux Comedy Festival opened to African acts for the first time this year after 40 years.
With a musical gift that complements his comic performances, Nkonzo has shared the stage with comedy giants like Nik Rabinowitz and hosts SA's Got Talent on e.tv.
"I'm excited and it feels like I am really going to be representing South Africa because in terms of comedy we don't have a name, so it feels more important," he says.
After struggling to secure enough public votes for his act to represent South Africa, Nkonzo was put through to the next round by the judges and now is one of the top eight acts to feature at the festival.
"People didn't vote for me and I guess having followers doesn't translate into votes. I figured people have lives and are not too concerned about sending me to Switzerland to live my dream," he laughs.
"I realised that I didn't have to campaign to receive votes, I let the work speak for itself and fortunately it did."
Born and bred in Mdantsane East London, Nkonzo had no idea he would be a comedian and much less afforded the opportunity to represent his country as a comedian abroad.
"It was never a part of my plan to become a comedian and I imagined success as paying rent and being able to shop at Woolies," he jokes.
From humble beginnings as a finalist on television show So You Think You Funny seven years ago, he won best breakthrough act at the Comedy Choice Awards in 2012 and has continued to keep his audiences laughing out loud.
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays