Trippin' With Skhumba: What you need to know about Schalk Bezuidenhout

In episode three of Trippin' With Skhumba, the CaraCara heads off to Kempton Park for a tour of Schalk Bezuidenhout's hometown.

The Showmax original reality series travels across South Africa, visiting some of the country's best-loved comedians and giving them a chance to show us where they come from.

It gives us a glimpse into what made them into the performers they are today. In this episode, we stop in at Schalk's old high school in Kempton Park.

Interestingly, Schalk's dad was one of his teachers at high school, which it seems caused Schalk a fair amount of physical and emotional trauma.

At home, he couldn't hit me because my mom said, You don't hit him'. But now it's at the school - it's a free for all. It was the first time since I was in school that he could hit me. But now it wasn't just for bunking. It was for all the other stuff from home that had built up over months. That prepared me for life. Because nothing in my life has been worse than that. I'm not scared for anything now.

Schalk Bezuidenhout. Photo: Courtesy of Showmax Schalk's trademark comedy style wasn't appreciated as much while at school. He admits to still having some residual fear about facing kids in school uniforms. Schalk explains:

I was bullied in school, so when I see a child in a school uniform, I'm immediately nervous. You know like when you're in grade eight and the matrics look at you and you look down? Even now, I'm 26, but when a matric in a school uniform looks at me, I'm still like, Sorry, sorry.'

Strip clubs and shrines During the show, we visit the strip club where Schalk did his first stand-up show, with none other than his father in the audience. We also get a look into the room his mother has dedicated to his achievements. He jokes:

If you look quickly, you'll think I had a stalker.

Of course, this is South Africa and Schalk and Skhumba take some time to discuss why it is that generally Schalk is the one white comedian loved by black people .

Tembisa-born comic Skhumbuzo Skhumba Hlophe will host Showmax's first vernacular Original reality series. Image supplied: Showmax/Justin Dingwall While Shalk isn't sure why his comedy has been able to work with different audiences, he reckons:

I am the stereotype but I'm not the stereotype. I'm not a khaki-wearing, big-beard rugby player. But at the same time, it's clear that English is my second language and that even though I'm not racist, I am in many ways still ignorant.

Schalk has won the 2018 DStv Viewers' Choice Award: Favourite Comedian Winner and 2017 Comics' Choice Comic and is currently starring in Hotel as Danny. He can also be seen in Die Ware Naarheid on DStv but is still just a Kempton boy at heart.

I'm disappointed, Skhumba says after going for a burger and waffles in Kempton Park with Schalk.

A lot of people are disappointed by Kempton Park. I wanted to give you that experience replied Schalk.

Read - Trippin' With Skhumba: Get ready for Showmax's first Original travel show

Watch: Trippin' With Skhumba episode trailer 3 Tags: comedianShowmaxSouth Africa

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/skhumba-schalk-bezuidenhout-episode-3/...
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