Conference and corporate stand-up comedian
Corporate audiences, conference delegates, gala events, leadership gatherings, and organizations seeking smart, engaging, and culturally resonant comedy.
David Kau is one of South Africa’s most distinctive and accomplished stand-up comedians, known for his bold storytelling, sharp wit, and fearless engagement with social and political themes. Raised in Kroonstad in the Free State, his early life was shaped by contrast and complexity, growing up in a conservative town, attending a Catholic school, and navigating the realities of a country in transition. These formative experiences laid the foundation for a comedic voice that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Originally destined for more traditional career paths, David’s ambitions shifted from medicine to engineering before he ultimately pursued acting at the University of Cape Town. His comedic career began almost by accident when he was discovered during a corporate performance. Within a year, he was touring his first solo show, The Rainbow Nation Tour, at the Grahamstown Arts Festival, where he coined the unforgettable alter ego “Previously Lee Disadvantaged.”
In 2000, David introduced another powerful creative dimension with Introducing the People’s Poet, a theatrical stand-up production that ran for two weeks at the Baxter Theatre. His ability to shift between humor, poetry, and social commentary set him apart as a uniquely versatile performer.
David Kau grew up in Kroonstad – a small and conservative town in the Free State. His mother was a prison warder. His grandmother wanted him to be a priest.
He doesn’t know where his father is. He was always trying to make people laugh – in between dodging tear gas and going to a local catholic school.
In standard two he wanted to be a doctor. In standard nine a civil engineer. Book through Speakers Inc
After Matric he studied at Pretoria Tech towards a career in electrical engineering, but got bored and went to UCT to be an actor instead.
He was discovered by accident while doing a corporate gig, and less than a year later took his own solo stand up show – The Rainbow Nation Tour – to the Grahamstown Arts Festival, and nicknamed himself Previous Lee Disadvantaged.
In the year 2000, he took on a second personality, that of the people’s poet, in “Introducing the People’s Poet”, which ran for two weeks at the Baxter Theatre in 2000.
David Kau was picked for the 2001 ‘Just for Laughs’ comedy fest in Montreal and made the Gala Evening “best of the fest” line-up after storming at his regular venues. Follow Speakers Inc on Twitter
Tech requirements: A good PA system with a good quality mic; good lighting and a stage (if necessary) required …
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