Celeste Ntuli is jet-lagged when we meet at her favourite restaurant this week: "I feel like wearing huge underwear and sitting in pyjamas."The 37-year-old actress and comedian has cancelled everything else for the day after getting into bed at 3am, having jetted in from a holiday in France and Spain with her sisters for their annual catch-up."We are four sisters. We always meet up in July because it is summer in Europe." Two live outside the country, one in France, the other in Senegal.While on holiday, Ntuli got a last-minute opportunity to do a gig in Switzerland. "It was cool," she says of her set at the international conference Comedy for a Change, something she felt she needed at the time.story_article_left1"I was feeling like my things are not going well - you know when you don't have control."Being in Marseille in France when the Bastille Day attack happened in Nice didn't help."That was shubile [tense]. When you understand that death is just upon you, it is freaky."For the first time Europe was not safe, Alexandra [township] was safer," she says, laughing loudly. Ntuli laughs a lot, cracking jokes at any opportunity."It was like, damn, really? I'm going to go to the mall and anything can happen usabambe upholoni [while you are loitering],"she says, laughing again.The sixth of eight children, she grew up in Eniwe, near Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal. Her parents owned a tuck shop where she used to help out behind the counter, something she still does when she visits, much to the delight of the locals.After matric at Khula High School in Esikhawini, Ntuli studied performing arts technology at the Durban University of Technology, but dropped out. A friend asked her to do a short comedy set in a tent doubling as a church near The Workshop shopping centre.She was paid R500, which she blew on partying. "I always tell other comedians to respect me because I never had an open spot - they paid me from the first time," she says through explosive laughter. That is sad for us. Men don't even know how nice it is to be in love. Really, the idea of being in a quality relationship is undersold to men Her next cheque was considerably more - R2,000 for a stint in 99% Zulu Comedy. Back then, Bhelez, as she is affectionately known to her friends and family, was still a call centre agent, but becoming a regular on the Durban funny scene."I was being dubbed the Queen of Zulu Comedy and I didn't want that to box me [in]," she says. So in 2009 she entered SABC1's So You Think You're Funny. She came third.To fans she is also known as Siphokazi Zungu, her character in the popular telenovela Isibaya on Mzansi Magic.She remembers her start in the acting business. She was so hungover that she considered not going to the audition. "It was my first time auditioning. They asked me for my agency, I didn't have ... photos ... I didn't have," she laughs."I'm starting to feel the pressure of being Siphokazi. People are starting to call me Siphokazi instead of Celeste." Her portrayal of the traditionalist means she can no longer do her nails.She is so convincing in her role that she has been nominated for acting awards every year and last month won the Simon Sabela award for best supporting actress.Unlike her character, however, she would not consider polygamy. "I don't understand how it works."She does hope to have children, but still needs to "find the person, that's the tricky part". So many women were single, she said, it was an epidemic. "It can't be that we are all she-devils." I mean, why do we need two weddings? That's why you can't even divorce, because you paid R300,000 Her career choice adds to her woes, "because men feel intimidated, and I speak like this", she says, exaggerating her gruff voice."That is sad for us. Men don't even know how nice it is to be in love. Really, the idea of being in a quality relationship is undersold to men. As a result, little things make them feel inferior."Despite her easygoing persona, Ntuli mentions stress a few times. Her bitten nails are a visual confirmation. Even the title Queen of Zulu Comedy gives her sleepless nights.story_article_right2"That very same title is the same thing that makes me wake up at three o'clock, look at the ceiling and be like, 'Are you really a queen?' You can't be common when you're a queen, but you need to be you because that's the best you can be."These days, downtime is important. "I think I've partied enough for my life."Her upcoming show, in English and Zulu, is called Black Tax and covers topics she believes black people tax themselves with. "I mean, why do we need two weddings? That's why you can't even divorce, because you paid R300,000!"The biggest black tax? Ntuli mulls her words carefully before answering, sipping on her second cappuccino."I want to put it in a nice way ... my biggest is o-ankela, those guys who are not doing anything. Why are they not doing anything? These are men who could be trying [to get a job]."Her future plans include doing a sitcom."The main reason I moved to Johannesburg, for me was to do comedy clubs, then hustle for a sitcom. I'm really, really hoping it comes through now.""Black Tax" is at The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City, Johannesburg, on Friday and Saturday..