Comedian Shanray Van Wyk on telling scam stories and expanding his craft

One of the things that aid a creative in longevity in the entertainment industry is being multi-hyphenate and diversifying yourself.

Comedian Shanray Van Wyk has been in the industry for less than a decade and has seen the benefits of this.

The comic had a chat with The Citizen at the DStv Content Creator Awards nominee announcement at the Radisson RED Rooftop in Rosebank on Thursday, where he was announced as one of the nominees in the Social Commentary category.

@shanrayvwyk Durban??? what is going on in that place. #SAMA28 #thisjustin #News #banter ##southafrica #fipシ #Fyi #jokes #macdonalds #mcdonalds ♬ original sound – Shanray 🍉

On his TikTok account, Van Wyk’s teaches people how to avoid scams, with a touch of humour.

“I basically started this TikTok because one of my friends was scammed and I thought to myself ‘if I make content that explains how someone got scammed. Like pretending to be the person that scammed her and explaining the story of how that person came up with the scam and how they scammed the victim that’s what my content is basically about.”

He is nominated alongside Darren Campher, Politically Aweh, Silas Must Fall and Zethu Gqola. The DStv Content Creator Awards take place in October.

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One of his most viewed videos was of a Durban psychic who scammed a family of more than four million, claiming to be in communication with a loved one.

“The family went to her basically to kind of get closure for the loved one that passed away, but she then used that against them saying ‘your mother is trouble on the other side and she needs guidance and spells’ and the people coughed out money,” avers Van Wyk.

@shanrayvwyk Durban is a wild place 😂😂😂😂 #Durban #SAMA28 #political #banter #fyp #fypシ #jokes #shanray #southafrica ♬ original sound – Shanray 🍉

Scams coming in

So big is his TikTok account from these videos, that people have started coming forward with stories relating to scams.

“There are people that are actually giving me stories where the scam is taking place and I’m like ‘guys wait for the law’, remember these are real people. I either do a video if they’re convicted already and I do the video while the case is still going on, but I always do allegedly,” he said.

@shanrayvwyk #onthisday I really enjoy making content like this… #SAMA28 #fyp #jokes #fypシ #Fyi ♬ original sound – Shanray 🍉

He once found himself on the wrong side of the law for not reporting on something as fact. “I have bumped into some trouble when I made a video about a government institution and that video was immediately banned. I had the prosecutor of the case send me files.”

He said the current trend in the scamming world is one that involves a couple, where the man seduces vulnerable single women.

“They send the male and all he does is gym. He looks sexy as hell and then makes the ladies fall in love with him and he convinces them to withdraw their pension and invest money with him.”

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People Need Comedy

Van Wyk is part of People Need Comedy (PNC) alongside Mpho Popps, Tsitsi Chiumya and Thabiso Mhlongo which creates skits where they provide social commentary on the country’s current events, in a humorous way.

One of their most funny videos was a parody of a prisoner in the Western Cape’s Goodwood Correctional Centre who boasted about his nice living conditions in a video.

South African prisons are nice… until lord Pieter Groenewald finds out 🫣#ItsTheSkitsMyDog pic.twitter.com/YlmXftSEro

— Mpho Popps Modikoane (@MphoPopps) July 25, 2024

“All of us literally come together, we have a writing session and we decide on what our theme is going to be or the week and we just knock it out of the park. All of us are comedians so we just kind of ripping on each other and in a couple of hours and then we just put it together,” said Van Wyk.

“It’s been amazing to see the reaction from the people because that’s who we make it for, as you know our name is People Need Comedy.”

Eubi for the next Olympic Games ladies and gentlemen 🗣️👏🏽#pnc #pncskits #itstheskitsmydawg #PeopleNeedComedy pic.twitter.com/txX4verrwQ

— PNC skits (@Official_PnC) August 15, 2024

Their podcast, which was named by one of their viewers, is guided by what the people want.

“In comedy, we have a saying which is ‘follow the funny’. So while you’re on stage and making jokes about relationships and you can hear that they’re actually laughing louder and then you just pulled out a bag from your relationship jokes and you just stay on that topic because that’s what they enjoy.”

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Dues paid

Van Wyk came into the industry as a stand-up comedian and over the years he has ventured into other forms of entertainment, from acting to being known as the OUTSurance guy.  Van Wyk has been on Binnelanders and Skeem Saam and said he has started taking acting classes.

“I humble myself. Dude, I never say no to anything. I’ve been on a Sir Trill music video…I take anything I can.”

 “I did stand-up and it looked after me for a long time and I could see that you need to diversify and do a lot of things all the time.

At this year’s Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards Van Wyk won the Breakthrough Act of the Year Award.

In 2016 Van Wyk quit his job as a boilermaker.

“I feel like it was the best decision in my whole life because I made a promise to myself I’m like ‘be the best you could be.’ When I’m focused on being the best Shanry it’s much easier than trying being the best comedian.”

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