Vittorio Leonardi

Vittorio Leonardi (born 2 January 1977) is a South African-born stand-up and improvisational comedian and actor. Sourced I am one of four people in Johannesburg who drives at the speed limit and pays his fines. The city council has us on six-hour shifts, so it works out. Quoted in Helen Herimbi, "Comedy shows are laughing off the recession," Tonight (2009-03-03) My street is fairly quiet, when the neighbours aren't performing construction work on their homes that is. The hammering starts bright and early at 7:30am and is soon joined by the dogs barking at the construction workers that they can't even see. I don't really know my neighbours. I wave to them when I see them and they wave back which is a good sign but there's no real sense of community. I reckon that's part of living in South Africa. We build walls to keep us safe because we don't trust anyone beyond those walls. The same walls isolate us from potential allies. The only time some people meet, let alone get to know their neighbours, is when there's an axe to grind. Actually I don't think they know I am one. They know I keep strange hours and have different people coming to the house sometimes so they might consider me a person of dubious social standing. That is so wrong. I'm the guy that airs their dirty laundry in public. Big difference. If I ever had kids, yes, because of the proximity to Melville and the more Bohemian viewpoint the place fosters. Even if they aren't arty, it helps kids create for themselves a broader view. The old adage is that where you grew up is where your space is. It's a kind of snooty viewpoint that just because you're from an affluent area, it somehow makes you a better person. That really needs to end. In a city the size of Johannesburg we need to learn more about our fellow suburbs and our neighbours. I've had numerous people after gigs want to know where I'm from. I tell them "Westdene, next to Melville" and they look at me as though I just said I'm from Cambodia via Westbury. Some people have never ventured out of their own neighbourhoods. The silence. When the construction crews aren't working and the dogs are sleeping, there's a peacefulness that I really enjoy. When all you hear is a breeze unbroken by the sounds of traffic or sirens, there's nothing better. Well, if we're talking extreme, I'd like turrets, some battlements and a moat. Every morning there would be a flag raising ceremony complete with bugler. Barring that, I'd like to go for a more minimalist feel. An open-plan building with large, double-glazed windows that insulate against the heat and cold or a break-in. I'd like a home that works with solar and wind power and be completely self-sustaining. Funny to Live in - Vittorio Leonardi, Private Property, August 31 2011 External links Vittorio Leonardi Official Website Category:Comedians from South Africa Category:Living people Category:Actors from South Africa