Mitchells Plain comic Justin-Ray Stoffels is making his debut at the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival and is ready to tickle your funny bone.
The 27-year-old says his background is “comedy gold” and he’s sure mense are going to crack a few smiles when he gets on stage.
The festival, which started Monday, runs until August 7 at the Baxter Theatre.
“I was born in Greyton, I went to high school in Genadendal and then I moved to Mitchells Plain,” explains Justin.
He describes himself as a “ plaaskind at heart” and says there are still mense back home who are surprised to hear he’s a comedian.
“Like, I wasn’t the funniest guy in the class, I was more of an observer, I had funnier friends, I still have funnier friends,” says Justin.
But now he’s the one laughing, and all the way to one of the biggest comedy stages in town, and he’s in really good company.
“Last year friends were sending me photos of the Jive Comedy show and I thought one day I will be there, now I’m on stage with Marc Lottering,” he says, shaking his head in wonder.
The road to funny fame hasn’t been easy, just 12 short months ago, Justin was a struggling waiter, telling jokes on the side.
Giving the Daily Voice a taste of his humour, he saks af: “I lost my ex-girlfriend to a guy who works at Lewis. You know how embarrassing it is to see your ex-girlfriend in a Lewis bakkie... like she’s being repossessed. She just waved at me like I missed my last instalment with a you can’t afford me attitude.”
In January he decided to take a leap of faith and quit his job to focus on his comedy career.
He says: “When I told my mother this is what I wanted to do... I just remember this look of death on her face, it was tough.”
He admits finding his unique comedy groove is still a work in progress.
“I admire Eddie Murphy so I used to swear on stage and try to be him and I realised it wasn’t for me.”
“Now I still get that adrenaline rush of course, (but) when I’m backstage and someone is out there and they’re killing it, I just think that I must be myself,” he adds.
“At the Jive Comedy Festival it’s all about learning, learning from the guys who are more experienced than me. Because the bigger the stage, the bigger the pressure,” says Justin.