Kevin Fraser Went Viral, Toured the World & Still Can't Figure Out Amsterdam

South African comedian Kevin Fraser is celebrating ten years in comedy with his Decadence tour  and he is doing it the hard way, with sold-out shows across South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and now Europe. Known for his viral observational comedy and character work, Kevin brings something most comedians do not, twelve years as a professional DJ before he ever picked up a mic for a punchline. That background shaped everything about how he performs, from the pre-show DJ sets he runs before every gig to the way he weaves music, dance and physical storytelling into his stand-up. In this episode Kevin talks about what ten years of touring actually costs you, why Amsterdam is one of the strangest cities in the world if you have never been here before, and what happens when you go from being Spin Doctor the DJ to just being Kevin Fraser starting over from scratch. He also opens up about losing his father in 2014, the DJ year that nearly broke him with 49 gigs in two weeks, and why he is launching an entirely new wellness and entertainment platform called Jim and Tonic on September 1st. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction & Ten Years as a Comedian 00:32 - The European Tour Dates & Why Amsterdam Is Always Weird 01:59 - How Being South African Shaped His Observational Comedy 03:38 - Replacing Middle East Tour Dates With Europe in Three Months 05:16 - Almost Getting Killed by Amsterdam Bicycles & Tiny Cars 06:27 - How Do People Get Furniture Into Amsterdam Apartments 07:33 - The Decadence Tour: Celebrating Ten Years in Comedy 08:28 - From Character Based Content to Finding Himself on Stage 09:17 - 12 Years as a DJ Before Comedy & Starting Over From Scratch 11:41 - The Emotional Difference Between a Dance Floor & a Silent Room 13:02 - What the DJ World Brought Into His Comedy Show 14:20 - Robin Williams, Jim Carrey & Eddie Murphy as His Comedic Influences 16:15 - Kevin Hart, Michael McIntyre & Learning What Polished Really Means 19:09 - What It Feels Like to Play 2500 People & Dreaming of Arenas 21:11 - The Pre-Show DJ Set He Runs Before Every Performance 23:49 - Using Music & Nostalgia to Support a Live Comedy Show 25:29 - Building an International Audience Beyond South Africa 27:11 - The Melbourne Train Ride: His First Viral Video 29:00 - How a Comment on a Stolen Video Changed His Career 31:29 - The Transition From Long Form Videos to Instagram Reels 33:14 - Comedy During the Pandemic & the Rise of Keyboard Warriors 35:22 - How His Gogo Shaped His Characters & Voice Work 37:03 - The Honorable Teletubbies & South African Parliament at Its Finest 39:00 - K December: The South African Month That Lasts All Year 40:12 - What the Decadence Tour Actually Covers: Old Hits & New Stories 43:14 - 22 Years of Gigs & Whether He Is Ever Going to Slow Down 46:52 - Jim and Tonic: His New Wellness & Entertainment Platform 50:24 - Low Rocks, Two Left Feet & Making Fitness Fun 53:38 - 49 Gigs in Two Weeks, Drinking Too Much & Getting Seriously Sick 55:28 - Avicii, DJ Culture & Why Comedy Requires a Clear Head 58:58 - Was He Always the Funny Guy in the DJ World 01:01:19 - His Sister in Amsterdam & How She Made Him Funnier 01:04:45 - His Father Naming Him Spin Doctor Off a Microsoft 98 Printout 01:07:01 - His Father Passing Away in 2014 & What He Would Think Today 01:09:40 - His Father's Comrades Marathon Gold Medals & Being a Machine 01:10:37 - Personal Life, Touring & Why Cape Town Will Always Win 01:12:52 - The King of Clubs Tattoo & Creating Your Own Luck Follow Kevin Fraser: https://www.instagram.com/kevinfraserofficial/ Follow Dam Yankee:  https://www.instagram.com/damyankeepodcast   Website:  https://damyankeepodcast.nltimes.nl/ Connect with me:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharynewmark   This podcast is produced and recorded by 301 Studios in Amsterdam.