Matt Kay is a Cape Town-based photographer who came up through photojournalism, spent formative years on a Texas ranch with a Pulitzer Prize winner he didn't know was a Pulitzer Prize winner, and has spent the better part of two decades thinking seriously about what photography is actually for.

In this episode, we get into why a photograph is never real, the collapse of photojournalism and how weddings filled the gap financially, why the boudoir work is less about taking saucy pictures and more about giving someone permission to be seen, and how the saturation of imagery has made it almost impossible for a single photograph to change anything anymore. We also get into snake catching clubs, growing up in the Midlands, and a yellow-billed kite named Napoleon. Enjoy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conrad Koch is South Africa's most well-known ventriloquist, and his puppet Chester Missing is more famous than he is - a character who has interviewed presidents on television, and who has spent years at the centre of a genuinely complicated conversation about race, comedy, and who gets to say what.

In this episode, we talk about writing material that works in Gqeberha and Edinburgh, the implications of making Chester white and not brown, how millions of views on TikTok doesn't necessarily translate to a packed house, and why Conrad thinks the "I'm an artist, man" position in comedy is a lot easier when your country isn't the most unequal on earth. We also get into his new show Chester's Got Talent, the uncle joke that isn't quite working yet, and why he should stop replying to comments. Enjoy.

Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chuma Bentele is a Cape Town-based animator and comedian who is part of the Comics Choice Award-winning That's Not Funny team, and has worked on the Disney animated Afrofuturist anthology series, Kizazi Moto. With a love of the absurd, and a fearless approach to dissecting race dynamics in South Africa, Chuma has steadily built a name for himself as one of the most exciting new voices in South African comedy.

In this episode, we talk about how Chuma’s creative process flows between organising and performing stand-up gigs, animation, and writing, we dig into the nuances of the Cape Town comedy circuit, and why bombing on stage can sometimes be the best thing for your career. We also get into his experiences of living in Jeppe for 3 months, and the time he was mistaken for Tshepang Ramoba from Blk Jks in Stellenbosch. Enjoy.

Keep up with Chuma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chumanotchuma/

Follow That's Not Funny: https://www.instagram.com/thatsnotfunnycpt/

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Joans is a theatre-maker, comedian, and the kind of performer who doesn’t just toe the line — she cartwheels over it. From playing the devil in a satirical German production where Elon Musk stands in for Faust, to getting her tits out for laughs at the Armchair, Sophie’s work blurs the boundaries between clowning, comedy, and full-blown chaos.

In this episode, we talk about Sophie’s recent international tour, creepy encounters in Germany, and why she believes live theatre will always be “AI-proof.” We also get into the origins of her production company Spark in the Dark, how it launched 14 shows at the National Arts Festival (7 of which won awards), and why building community beats chasing algorithms. Along the way, there are stories about Andrew Tate-inspired satire, nipple-related nicknames, and the ethics of turning exes into punchlines. Enjoy.

Keep up with Sophie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solo_joans/

Check out Spark in the Dark: https://www.instagram.com/sparkinthedarksa/

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melt Sieberhagen has been part of South Africa’s entertainment industry for over two decades - acting in beloved Afrikaans TV shows, performing stand-up, and dabbling in everything from insert directing to voice work. But beyond the credits, Melt is a sharp social observer and cultural critic who’s unafraid to talk about the complexities of identity, privilege, and navigating a creative career in a country as layered as South Africa.

In this episode, we reflect on Melt’s comedy roots, the absurdities of Afrikaans conservatism, and what it means to perform for an audience that doesn’t always want to be challenged. We dive into uncomfortable truths about race, language, and culture - from Afrikaner myth-making to the politics of pride and prejudice - all while remembering that the first job of a comic is to make people laugh. Enjoy.

Keep up with Melt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meltsieb/

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm still in the trenches so we're running back this interview with Muzi from 2019.

"Muzi is a musician who was successful long before you (or I) knew who he was. The DJ, producer, singer, and recent father is starting to blow up in South Africa, but he’s been making moves around the world for the better part of this decade. Muzi is the musician who I’ve interviewed the most in my career. His continued growth has been a beautiful thing to witness and is something I draw inspiration from, from time to time.

In this episode, we get into going where you’re wanted and finding your tribe by being yourself. We get into how Muzi’s navigated the music industry and avoided most of its pitfalls by continually reinvesting in himself. Muzi explains why he dropped out of med school and how it lead to him diving headfirst into making music. We also talk about necessity being the mother of invention when a set getting shortened lead to a whole new element being added to Muzi’s repertoire. There’s a lot of advice here for up-and-coming independent artists of all industries but musicians, in particular, should enjoy Muzi’s perspective on “The Industry” and his career. Enjoy."

Keep up with Muzi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mvziou/

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for those of you wanting new interviews, I've been hella busy lately. So, we're digging in the archives once again to bring you one of my favourite interviews, now with slightly better sound quality and a less annoying introduction.

"Loyiso Madinga is a comedian, actor, writer, and MC. Loyiso is one of four South Africans to have a half-hour special with Netflix as part of their Comedians of the World series. He’s the African correspondent for Trevor Noah’s Daily Show. Locally, he’s featured on LNN with Loyiso Gola and Bantu Hour and has two one-man shows under his belt. Oh, and he stars in the upcoming Netflix original series Queen Sono with Pearl Thusi. He’s achieved more than most in the SA entertainment industry but that doesn’t mean everything is going great for him.

As you’ll learn on this podcast, success can lead to self-doubt and insecurities that can be debilitating. While from the outside it looks like Loyiso has a career many would be jealous of, internally there are struggles that many of us will find relatable. This is a candid and open discussion about what success really means as a South African artist from someone who is well on his way to greatness but is scared he may never achieve it."

Keep up with Loyiso on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loyisomadinga/

Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things have been a little slow at Almost Perfect headquarters so I decided to re-release an old episode from the archives with updated audio. The original Loyiso Gola episode didn't have the best sound quality, but thankfully technology has gotten quite a bit better since then and I've been able to spruce up the audio a bit. I'll be back with new episodes soon enough, but for now, I hope you enjoy this blast from the past.

"Loyiso Gola is a comedian. The twice Emmy-nominated host of Late Night News with Loyiso Gola has had a phenomenal career. He's travelled the world telling jokes and earned many milestones that used to seem out of reach for South African comedians. He's performed on Live at the Apollo, was a guest on QI, and recently dropped a one-hour special on Netflix that he's been working on for the last six years called Unlearning.

On this episode of the podcast, we get into the intricacies and nuances of learning and unlearning. Loyiso is a deep-thinker who sets aside time to just ponder about the world, and we get to enjoy some of the fruits of that pondering. We discuss the value of extending empathy and understanding to people we disagree with. We get into balancing career and personal life and spending one's time intentionally. And we learn some behind the scenes details about how Unlearning got put together. Enjoy."

Keep up with Loyiso Gola on Instagram.

Support the podcast on Patreon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yaaseen Barnes returns for the second half of our rather extensive chat. This time we get into the history of the Cape Town comedy scene and the important role the Armchair Theatre has played in South African comedy, we hear how Yaaseen handles the responsibility of being a prominent Muslim figure in typically haram spaces, and we discuss Zionism in South African comedy. Enjoy.

Keep up with Yaaseen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ya_a_seen_him/

Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/almostperfect

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.