Darren Maule

Darren Maule is one of South Africa’s leading radio personalities and stand-up comedians. The SAFTA and SANRA award- winning entertainer is well known not just for making people laugh, but also for making a difference in the lives of others.

Darren first realised he could make people laugh back in primary school. “I was small and skinny,” he remembers, “I noticed that I couldn’t defend myself but if I made people laugh, they didn’t want to beat me up! I also found that if I made girls laugh, I didn’t need muscles or to be brilliant at sport – it was a win-win!”

Darren’s journey into the arts solidified when he went on to study dramatic arts at Pretoria Tech. “I didn’t go there to earn the diploma, I studied to learn everything about the craft,” he says. Darren took on as many as ten productions each student year, before landing his first paid gig as a character in an improvised Afrikaans radio drama, “in my thirteenth language” he explains with a grin. Darren went on to become resident master of ceremonies at the legendary Parker’s Comedy, played the role of Mr Font in the popular SABC sitcom Font, hosted the TV game show Out of the Box and is well remembered for SABC’s Play TV, along with his appearance on the reality show Survivor South Africa.

Currently in his fourteenth consecutive year as host of East Coast Radio’s Breakfast Show, Darren is famous for championing and celebrating the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The award-winning show sets listeners up for their day and Darren’s delightful blend of fact and funny, recently saw him recognised as the Best Local Radio Personality in the Best of SA, Best of Durban Readers’ Choice Awards.

He admits, “I spent years trying to understand my ‘why’.” At first, his comedy work was just survival and getting a reaction, but he now knows it is about how he makes others feel. While he understands that he brings smiles, laughter and a distraction from the everyday, he recognises that the ‘everyday’ can be hard for many. His work for multiple NGOs and CSI projects is well known but it took time for him to realise the impact he has, when he puts his weight behind a cause. He feels proud of the incredible teams he has been part of over the years and the collective efforts to make a difference.

BALANCE IS KEY
Darren credits comedy club owner Joe Parker with the best advice he has ever received: “Never let a good gig go to your head, or a bad gig go to your heart.” This has stayed with him for years and is advice he’s passed on to young talent. “In any field, you can get wrapped up in your successes or get dragged down by your failures. But keeping that balance is key.”

When asked about his biggest challenge, Darren says openly, “The biggest challenge I’ve ever faced is sobriety. To quit drinking and drugs forever – that was tough.” Darren has been clean and sober for over fourteen years. “At first, it was a battle every day. But over time, I learned to empower myself to live without them. It’s my proudest achievement.”

Reflecting on who inspires him, Darren says that there isn’t one person. “Inspiration floats in and out. It could be a courageous actor, a quote from Michelle Obama, or something from Marcus Aurelius.” There is no shortage of heroes and Darren is constantly on the lookout for those who inspire positive change within him.

THE FUTURE OF KWAZULU-NATAL
Darren believes strongly in what needs to happen now for the future of the province, “I believe the solution to many challenges in KZN, is empowering our youth.” Darren was proud to have represented East Coast Radio alongside a group of incredible colleagues, as Programme Director for the KZN Department of Social Development’s launch of their Integrated Youth Development Strategy. They partnered with the Honourable Premier, the Honourable MEC, consulates, political leadership and captains of industry to lay out a strategy to uplift the youth and support meaningful change. Darren agrees with the idea that by empowering young people to be self-reliant, we are building a foundation for a more prosperous KZN. In terms of the role businesses play, he believes the bottom line shouldn’t be about profit to benefit the few but about the number of people a company can bring wealth to. “I want to see more of our youth supported, mentored, employed and skilled, and more businesses playing a role in that change,” he says. Darren sees this task ahead as one of critical importance and is committed to do whatever he can, to support it.

When asked about his motto to live by, he says, “My motto has always been, ‘Sure, I can do that.’” Darren explains that from his early days, he never backed down from a challenge, even if he didn’t have the skills. “When I was asked to do a radio drama in Afrikaans, a language I didn’t know well, I said, ‘Sure, I can do that.’ When they offered me the Breakfast Show even though I’d never done radio before, I said, ‘Sure, I can do that.’” Now, he says, he’s learned to extend that motto beyond himself. “It’s now become, ‘Sure, WE can do that,’” he says, explaining that he sees himself as part of an amazing team, where collective action brings real joy and real change.

When he isn’t busy on air, entertaining a crowd or doing his bit to help others, Darren likes nothing more than relaxing with his wife “Anna Banana” and their daughters, at home on the North Coast. His journey is a testament to his resilience, courage, and ability to inspire and bring smiles and laughter, not only to his listeners but to those he encounters every day.