Khanyisa Bunu
Khanyisa Bunu
Khanyisa Bunu (born in Lady Free, Eastern Cape) is a South African female Comedian. She has made many laugh gracing on different comedy stages. She went on a tour with the popular TV personality and comedian Trevor Noah.[1]
Place of birth
Khanyisa’s place of birth is located in the Eastern Cape but the popular comedy heavyweight grew up in Whittlesea, South of Queenstown. [2]
While she grew, she never aspired to venture into the entertainment industry.
Teaching career
The female Comedian played a starring role as Nobuhle in Ses’Top La., a SABC 1 series. She stopped teaching to pursue a career in storytelling.
She spoke to the panel of presenters on Trending SA and mentioned that she was a naughty child but as a teacher, struggled to deal with naughty learners.
“I couldn’t deal (with the naughty kids).
Especially because
Career
She had her debut experience in comedy on the TV screen. She quit her job and relocated to Johannesburg to participate in an audition for SABC 1 stand-up comedy reality competition ‘So You Think You’re Funny’. [4]
Khanyisa made it to the top 6 where she was eliminated but good came out of it.
She started getting bookings to perform comedy and in 2015, she took home the Audience Choice Award at the Comic’s Choice Awards.
This made her the first woman to bag this title and in her own words
“This opened doors for me”.
She has also performed in some of Mzansi's biggest shows in the world of comedy. Khanyisa has also acted on a few TV shows.
Touring with Trevor Noah was a huge opportunity for her. Khanyisa and Trevor Noah did three (3) show in Johannesburg and another two (2) in Durban.
“I was really nervous during the first show, but Trevor’s manager encouraged me to believe in myself,”
she shared.
The tour made her gain enough exposure and of course, opened more doors and made her get many bookings. She has held a performance in several comedy festivals and events.
She performed at Grahamstown National Arts Festival, the Soweto Comedy Festival, Blacks Only and 99% Xhosa Comedy to mention a few.
Family support
Khanyisa says:
"My family has accepted it now.
My mother was a bit concerned in the beginning because I had left a stable teaching job for a career that has no guarantees.
But as soon she saw that I was doing well she fully supported it."
Biggest achievement in comedy
"I still cannot choose which one is bigger: Opening for Trevor Noah in 2017 or being the World Champion in the Delphic Comedy Championships in 2017 with comedians from over 18 countries around the world."