Q&A with comedian Phil de Lange

De Lange will also be featuring in Trevor Noah’s upcoming TV series; Trevor Noah’s Nation Wild airing on M-Net later this year. I caught up with him, last week.

When are you happiest?

When someone who thinks something I thought was funny, is funny too.

What does comedy mean to you?

Comedy is a space for you to hold the attention of a group of people who are looking for a laugh but also want to get to know you and the weird thoughts you have.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

The process of discovering something that I think is funny and fleshing out the idea until I take it to stage.

What drives you: ego or humility?

A bit of both.

Your heroes?

Scooby Doo; my parents; my brothers; and people who like Marmite (don’t listen to the haters).

Which living person do you admire most and why?

Charlize…that accent is flawless. Inspired as a voice-over artist.

What is your most treasured possession?

My Makala tenor ukulele.

It’s your round what are you drinking?

Lime and soda.

Dream gig to do?

Saturday Night Live.

What makes you stand out?

My complexion (seriously I can get sunburnt at night); my ukuleles.

Nicknames?

Phillie; Uncle Fester.

Pick five words to describe yourself?

Self-deprecating, introspective, cute, funny.

Who do you love?

Pizza with enough garlic to make colleagues put in a complaint with HR.

Your greatest achievement?

Performing at Trevor Noah’s Nation Wild showcase in 2018 at The Lyric in Joburg.

What do you complain about most often?

Lack of sleep.

What is your fear?

Going viral on Twitter for the wrong reason.

Happiness is?

Going viral on Twitter for the right reasons.

Where would you like to be right now?

In front of a full house at my next one-man show.

Wishes and dreams for 2018?

Reach more audiences, write more songs, travel with my show more, and stay fresh.

Social media links

Twitter - @takeyourphil
Instagram - @takeyourphil
Facebook – Phil de Lange