Man Crush Monday: Vafa Naraghi making waves in the world of comedy

Local comedian Vafa Naraghi has had an incredible year. He won two Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards earlier this year in the Breakthrough Act of the Year Award and Sauce of the Year Award categories and continues to take his comedy career to the next level. Known for his sharp wit and insightful humour, Vafa has built a remarkable career, blending his unique perspective with an engaging storytelling style that resonates with audiences across the country.

From sold-out shows to viral clips online, he has quickly become one of the freshest voices in comedy today. As he gears up for his upcoming stand-up appearance on ‘The F Show’ alongside Mpho Popps and Khanyisa Buni, the comedian unpacks his journey, inspirations, and the incredible things he's been doing to shape and redefine the South African comedy landscape.

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You’ve had an incredible career in the local comedy space so far. What is it about your style of comedy that sets you apart?

Thank you so much! I think what sets me apart in the local comedy landscape is my ability to connect and relate to people as well as, at the same time, bring about some truths and realities that are sometimes difficult to deal with in a nice, comedic fashion.

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.

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.

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.

The awards are based on feedback from the comedy industry itself. How does it feel seeing the industry so supportive of you and the comedy that you bring to the scene?

It’s incredibly fulfilling and gives a great sense of community. I feel like I am part of a collective so it’s definitely something more uniting than it is anything else.

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.