South Africa and USA / 2011 / 84mins / Documentary, Portrait / English

As the child of an interracial couple, a union that was illegal in South Africa at the time of his birth, Trevor Noah’s life reveals the story of an outsider who has somehow figured out a way to relate to everyone through his comedy.

David Paul Meyer

In 2011, David Paul Meyer produced and directed his debut feature film, You Laugh But It’s True, a documentary about stand up comedy in South Africa. The film follows multiracial comedian Trevor Noah as he creates material from his experiences during apartheid in preparation for a show that will be the biggest risk of his career. Acclaimed actor Anthony Anderson (Law & Order, Guys With Kids) is the executive producer, and the film premiered in 2011 at IDFA and the Austin Film Festival. It also won the jury award for Best Documentary at the Lighthouse International Film Festival and the Friar’s Club Comedy Film Festival. It broadcast on TV in Canada and South Africa. Meyer’s previous feature projects include Noah’s stand up comedy specials That’s Racist (2012) and Crazy/Normal (2011). Meyer directed the short documentary D Minder (2012) for GE’s Focus Forward competition. Meyer also directed Digital Troubadours (2008), a short documentary about Rhett and Link (IFC’s Commercial Kings), a successful comedic duo from rural North Carolina. David also wrote, directed, and produced several comedy sketches and spec commercials, including material for comedian and actor Danny Pudi (NBC’s Community). Meyer wrote the feature screenplay Raeford’s Grill, a comedy-drama. Presently he is directing and producing segments for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Learn More