Gola describes himself as "very reserved and shy" before his exposure to comedy. After performing a stand-up opening act for comedian Marc Lottering at his high school, his drama teacher introduced him to the Cape Comedy Collective at the age of 17. He subsequently job shadowed stand-up comedians from the comedy troupe for a school work experience programme and began performing on stage regularly with the group.[1][4][13][14]
He matriculated in 2002,[12] and won the Sprite Soul Comedy Tour in December of the same year,[15][16] after which he relocated from Cape Town to Johannesburg.[17]
His younger brother Lazola Gola is also a comedian.[18]
Career
His television career began with appearances on SABC 1 in the Phat Joe Live talk show in 2002,[7] and subsequently on the SABC 1 Pure Monate Showsketch comedy series created by comedians David Kau and Kagiso Lediga in 2003.[4][14][19]
In 2007 he became the co-host of the SABC 2Dinner with the President talk show created by Pieter-Dirk Uys, playing the role of the black grandson of the satirist's alter ego Evita Bezuidenhout.[19][20]
In 2010 he became the host of the Late Nite News satirical series he co-created with fellow comedian Kasigo Lediga,[21] which aired on e.tv and eNCA.[22][23]
Gola has performed stand-up comedy in various one-man shows on the South African comedy circuit since 2006,[24] as well as in several international comedy festivals.[13]
In 2012 Gola was named one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans, in the Media & Film category.[26]Men's Health describes Gola as having "divisive mass appeal" due to the openly critical nature of his humour, and being "a genuine thinker masquerading as a fool and the reluctant voice of a cynical generation".[4]
^ abPotgieter, Marelize (5 July 2012). "Dis sinloos om skool te sluit, sê grapjas" [It's senseless to close school, says comedian]. Die Burger (in Afrikaans). Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
^ abcNicolson, Greg (6 May 2013). "In profile: Loyiso Gola". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
^ abBlignaut, Charl (12 December 2010). "Laughing Stock". Times LIVE. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
^Brodie, Nechama (21 December 2010). "Late night laughs catch on". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
^ abcdMoncho, Kgomotso (30 January 2007). "Funny/Stupid". The Star. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2014 – via HighBeam.