Bongani Jeranyama

About Bongani Jeranyama

I am a writer, producer, and stand-up comedian with - let’s be generous and call it - an eclectic work history. As a producer and writer, I am a 2x International Emmy Award nominee for my work on Takalani Sesame (South Africa’s Sesame Street). I have worked as a producer within Sesame Workshop in New York for over three years. I like to say that during the day I write jokes for kids and at night I wrote jokes for drunkards/grown-ups. I am also a stand-up comedian based in NYC. I have performed throughout the east coast of the United States (The Rockwell Theatre, Eastville Comedy Club, The Stand), South Africa (Def Jam Africa Comedy Nights), and the UK. But you probably want to know how I went from writing speeches for politicians to writing jokes for kids and adults. The answer: I love comedy, television, and making people happy. If it wasn’t for the happy part, politics would’ve have been great for that! But alas, this is a dream career! I love making fun content and television for folks of all ages.

Experience

1. Associate Producer

   Sesame Workshop

   Jan 2023 — Present · New York, NY, US

Education

• Clark University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

  2011 — 2015

• Clark University

  Master’s Degree

  2015 — 2016