Nik Rabinowitz

Nik Rabinowitz is a South African stand-up comedian, actor, author, TV presenter, and podcast host, known for his multilingual comedy and social commentary. He has appeared in various television shows and feature films, and has performed stand-up comedy internationally, including on the British panel show Mock the Week. He was born in 1976.

Rabinowitz was raised on the farm Eagles Nest, in Constantia, Cape Town. He learned to speak isiXhosa growing up on the farm, where he developed the multilingual abilities that would later become a distinctive feature of his comedy. He initially attended a Waldorf School, later moving to Grove Primary and matriculating at Westerford High, before graduating from the University of Cape Town (1999) with a Bachelor of Business Science (Hons in Organisational Psychology).

Rabinowitz began his comedy career in the early 2000s, quickly establishing himself in the South African comedy scene. His comedy often draws on his Jewish heritage, his observations of South African society, and his ability to mimic various South African accents and languages. His one-man specials include Pension Killer (2024), Rambunctious (2023), Unmuted (2022), Late Bloomer (2019), Dry White (2018), Fortyfied (2016) and Power Struggle (2016). In 2012, Rabinowitz performed Stand and Deliver at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg. In early 2012, he published his first book (co-authored with Gillian Breslin) entitled South Africa: A Long Walk to a Free Ride, a satirical look at contemporary South African society.