The Almost Perfect Podcast

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

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

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

Reflections on death and dying.

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

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