Who Is Zoran Kesić

Zoran Kesić is a Serbian journalist, TV host, and comedian, known for the sharp socio-political satire he has practiced for three decades. He was born on July 26, 1976, in Belgrade, and achieved his greatest popularity as the creator and host of the show "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić," in which he comments weekly, with humor and irony, on current events in Serbia and the region. Before that, he won over audiences with the cabaret-style show "Fajront Republika," and his journalistic path began while he was still a teenager, at Studio B television.

Over the course of his career, Zoran Kesić has established himself as one of the most recognizable voices of satirical journalism in the Balkans. His style combines sharp social commentary, acting skill in creating characters, and direct communication with viewers, which has kept his audience loyal across different television networks and political circumstances.

Early Life and Childhood

Zoran Kesić was born on July 26, 1976, in Belgrade, in the Vračar municipality, where he spent his childhood and part of his schooling. He grew up in what he himself describes as a cosmopolitan family atmosphere. His father worked as a model across the former Yugoslavia in his youth and was a professional athlete, later working as a police inspector. His mother worked at the former Yugoslav airline JAT.

Kesić has an older brother — sources differ on his name, with some articles giving the name Ivan and others Igor. Following his father's example, young Zoran took up sports from early childhood: he trained in football, basketball, and athletics, and for a time played for the Belgrade football club "Sinđelić." As a boy he dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, and by his own account, sport was for a long time a greater love than public performance.

The carefree part of his youth was also marked by nights spent at the club "Industrija," during the period when Belgrade's techno scene was in full swing. That period of the 1990s, marked by cultural upheaval and the specific energy of Belgrade, left its mark on his later satirical view of society.

Education

Zoran Kesić finished elementary school as an excellent student, while at the Gimnazija he achieved only average grades. Despite this, he was determined to continue his education at university. He long hesitated between the Faculty of Sport, Physical Education and Culture and directing studies at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) in Belgrade, ultimately choosing his love of directing.

He attempted the entrance exam for FDU twice, without success. When he turned eighteen, he told his parents he had decided not to apply a third time. At that point, learning that Studio B television was holding an open call for young collaborators, he applied and was given the opportunity that would shape his future career. Based on publicly available sources, it cannot be confirmed that Zoran Kesić ever obtained a formal university degree.

Interestingly, during his high school years, thanks to his athletics training, he won recognition as the fastest graduating student in the city of Belgrade.

Start of Career

Zoran Kesić began his professional career at just eighteen years old, in 1994 or 1995, at Studio B television, on the morning program "Beograde, dobro jutro" (Good Morning, Belgrade). At the time, the show was edited and hosted by experienced journalist Đoko Vještica, under whom Kesić, as he has said himself, "learned the ropes" and mastered the basics of the journalistic craft.

His task was to join the program live each morning as a field reporter, most often from Belgrade's marketplaces, reporting on current municipal and city topics. He held that position for a full five years, gaining classic journalistic experience "from the ground up." Only after that period did he get the chance to enter the studio and take over hosting the show "Svetionik" (Lighthouse), and he later also worked at Studio B as an author within the documentary program department.

Rise to Popularity

In 2000, Zoran Kesić ended his collaboration with Studio B and moved to B92 television, where he hosted the shows "Bg Direkt" and "Viša Sila." After completing his mandatory military service, he continued his career at TV Metropolis, where from 2003 to 2008 he was the author and host of the shows "Ozbiljne Vesti" (Serious News), "Dezinformator" (The Disinformer), and "Prekid Programa" (Program Interruption). On "Dezinformator," together with Igor Bugarski, he performed a series of satirical sketches on current political events, laying the foundation for his later authorial signature.

A turning point in his career came with his move to Fox television, later renamed Prva TV, and the launch of the show "Fajront Republika" (The Closing-Time Republic). This cabaret-style show, broadcast live from December 2008 to June 2011 across three seasons, was filmed on a set resembling a kafana, complete with a bar and a stage. Alongside Kesić, hosting duties were shared with Igor Bugarski and Aleksandar Todorović Bekan, while editing was handled by Balša Bošković. The show's guests included numerous well-known figures from the domestic and regional scene, and its direct, witty, and somewhat irreverent hosting style brought Zoran Kesić great popularity among younger audiences.

Greatest Achievements

Zoran Kesić's greatest professional achievement came with the launch of the show "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić," which first aired on December 1, 2013, on B92 television. He co-writes the show with the authorial team of the satirical web magazine njuz.net, and through a combination of hosted commentary, edited segments, and satirical formats, "24 Minutes" has established itself as one of the most influential and most-watched satirical shows in Serbia.

After airing on B92 and O2 TV, the show moved to Nova television on February 29, 2020, following pressure on the author and the show itself, and continues to air there today. To date, several seasons and more than 350 episodes have been recorded, making "24 Minutes" one of the longer-running author-driven shows on Serbian television. Through it, Zoran Kesić has built a recognizable authorial signature — sharp yet humorous criticism of current political and social topics, along with his characteristic exclamation "Budale!" ("Fools!") and closing phrase "Ajmo sad ono naše" ("Let's do our thing now").

Private Life

In 2013, Zoran Kesić married costume designer Ivana Majstorović, who works at Radio Television of Serbia. The wedding was organized modestly, without much media attention, among close friends and family, while Ivana was in the late stages of pregnancy. The couple has two sons — Andrej, born in early 2014, and Vanja, born in 2017.

Ivana Majstorović-Kesić rarely appears in public and, unlike her husband, is not a public figure, so the couple's family life largely stays out of media attention. Despite years of television exposure, Zoran Kesić strives to protect his family's privacy, particularly that of his children, from the public eye.

Outside of his television work, Kesić is also known for his love of comic books, a hobby he has nurtured since youth.

Interesting Facts

As a boy, Zoran Kesić dreamed of a professional football career and played for the club "Sinđelić" before deciding on journalism. He began his career at a very young age, working full-time as a field reporter at just eighteen.

His shows are produced in collaboration with the authorial team of the satirical portal njuz.net, an unusual and distinctive working model for Serbian television. Kesić is also known as an outspoken critic of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, views he expresses through the satirical formats of his show.

The phrases he popularized, such as the exclamation "Budale!" and the sign-off "Ajmo sad ono naše," have long been part of everyday speech and internet memes in Serbia and the region.

Awards and Recognition

For his work on the show "24 Minutes" and his contribution to promoting values such as the rule of law, the functioning of institutions, media freedoms, and the protection of minority rights, Zoran Kesić received the annual "Contribution to Europe of the Year" award, presented by the European Movement in Serbia (EPUS). He received the award at the European House in Belgrade, stating on the occasion that the recognition came as a surprise and an honor.

Legacy and Influence

Over three decades of work, Zoran Kesić has established himself as one of the most influential voices of media satire in Serbia. His shows, from "Dezinformator" and "Fajront Republika" to "24 Minutes," represent a kind of chronicle of Serbian society and politics from the late 1990s to the present day. The phrases he popularized have entered everyday speech, and his approach — combining journalistic analysis with satirical formats and acting performance — has influenced the way political satire is made on Serbian television and online. His collaboration with the njuz.net team has also contributed to the affirmation of a new generation of satirists in the country.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Zoran Kesić?

Zoran Kesić is a Serbian journalist, TV host, and comedian, best known as the creator and host of the satirical show "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić."

When and where was Zoran Kesić born?

Zoran Kesić was born on July 26, 1976, in Belgrade.

What did Zoran Kesić study?

Kesić attempted to enroll at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts to study directing, but failed to pass the entrance exam after two attempts, after which he chose a television career instead.

How did Zoran Kesić's career begin?

He began his career at eighteen, in the mid-1990s, as a field reporter at Studio B television, on the show "Beograde, dobro jutro."

What are Zoran Kesić's best-known shows?

He has hosted the shows "Dezinformator," "Fajront Republika," and, since 2013, "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić."

Since when has "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić" been airing?

The show has been airing since December 1, 2013, first on B92 and O2 TV, and since February 29, 2020, on Nova television.

Is Zoran Kesić married, and does he have children?

Zoran Kesić has been married since 2013 to costume designer Ivana Majstorović, and the couple has two sons, Andrej and Vanja.

What awards has Zoran Kesić won?

He received the "Contribution to Europe of the Year" award, presented by the European Movement in Serbia, for his work on the show "24 Minutes."

Is Zoran Kesić still active on television today?

Yes, he remains active as the creator and host of "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić" on Nova television.

What is the significance of the phrase "Ajmo sad ono naše"?

It is Zoran Kesić's recognizable closing phrase from "24 Minutes," which is also interpreted as an invitation to viewers not to give up on critical thinking.

Conclusion

Zoran Kesić has traveled a path from an eighteen-year-old reporter at Belgrade's marketplaces to one of the most influential satirists on Serbian television. Through the shows "Dezinformator," "Fajront Republika," and, above all, "24 Minutes with Zoran Kesić," he has built a recognizable authorial style that combines journalistic analysis, acting, and sharp humor. Devoted to his family in private life and to the critical examination of society in his professional life, Zoran Kesić remains one of the most recognizable voices on the contemporary Serbian media scene.