But stand-up comedy is one thing, standing up to Russia and the myriad other problems facing Ukraine is another thing altogether.
Outgoing president Petro Poroshenko says Zelensky's too naïve for hard politics, but it is dissatisfaction with old faces like Poroshenko that has probably benefitted the comedian.
He's campaigned on an anti-establishment, anti-corruption platform; and that seems to have resounded with his supporters.
Zelensky won with more than 70 percent of the vote. But with no previous political experience how will he tackle the many challenges ahead? What's the punchline?
Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Valentin Yakushik, Professor of political science at the National University of "Kiev-Mohyla Academy"; Uly Brueckner, Jean Monnet Professor in European Studies at Stanford University, Berlin; Dmitry Babich, Political Analyst at Rossiya Segodnya news agency
