Posts Tagged → Pinoy stand up comedy
GB’s Got Game
Here’s another Pinoy standup comedian that is rising through the comedy scene pretty fast – GB Labrador, another member of the hilarious stand up comedy group called the Comedy Cartel.
I found this video on the Vimeo account of Tim Tayag, also from the Comedy Cartel group.
I’ve watched GB plenty of times and I know he’s done gigs locally, in the States, and lately he’s been a regular in the Singapore comedy scene of Comedy Masala. This guy is definitely going places and it will just be a matter of time before he becomes a household name in the comedy industry. This video is one of my favorite bits of his. I hope you enjoy it as well.
Congratulations to GB Labrador of the Comedy Cartel
Our very own GB Labrador of the Comedy Cartel, the only group in the Philippines that performs point of view stand up comedy, won 2nd place in the English Division of the 4th Annual Hong Kong Comedy Festival held at Take Out Comedy. Watch him as he performs tonight, Wednesday, at Votre Bar in Quezon City (on top of East St. Louis) near ABS-CBN. Our other Filipino representatives that participated in the comedy festival were the funny Noel Gascon, Eri Neeman, and Raffy Taruc. This is a big win for Pinoy stand up comedy, proving once again that Pinoy talent is world class.
Laugh Out Loud at the RCBC Theater June 4, 2010
What happens when you put together the funniest impressionist in the Philippines and the pioneer of Pinoy point of view stand up comedy? One hilarious show called Laugh Out Loud. I’ve seen both guys perform and let me tell you they are worth every peso. I’m going to watch this show and I suggest you do too. You will truly enjoy.
Tickets to Laugh Out Loud are available at Ticketworld! 8919999 or log on to ticketworld.com.ph
Here’s a little snippet of Tim Tayag’s performance at Votre Bar in Quezon City. Incidentally, you can also catch the Comedy Cartel, the pioneers of Pinoy point of view stand up comedy, at Votre Bar every Thursday at 9:00pm.
Pinoy Comedian Raffy Taruc
One of the promising stars in the Pinoy comedy circuit is a young man by the name of Raffy Taruc. Nicknamed “the Huk”, not because his grandfather was part of the hukbalahap (a group of rebels that fought the Japanese occupiers) but rather because his penis is shaped like a hook, Raffy’s deadpan style and rhythm is bound to have you in stitches once you open your mind and throw away your judgement. Watch him regularly perform with the Comedy Cartel in Spicy Fingers, Greenbelt 2, Makati, Philippines every Monday night.
3 Quick Tips to Improve Stage Presence
I found this article by Filipino point-of-view stand up comedian Tim Tayag to be very useful. I hope it helps…
Most comedians are skilled in delivering jokes. But sometimes they have bad stage habits. And there’s nothing that destroys a funny bit than bad stage management. These are the 3 simple things that I learned that maybe small things but make a big difference in your stage performance. Take it from me, I’ve been performing for 13 years now and counting.
1. Find your light. Some comedians like to make use of the whole stage by walking around ala Dane Cook. But you also have to consider the lighting limitations. If you step out of your light, meaning the audience can’t see your face, you will have a harder time making a connection with them and getting the laughter that you so badly need. So the trick is, to figure out the space that you can move in without losing the light.
2. When you scream for emphasis or lack of a real punch line (sometimes screaming can fool an audience that you’re actually saying something funny even if you’re not), make sure the mic is far away from your mouth. Nothing is more annoying than a comedian screaming into the mic directly and blowing a few eardrums. We understand what you’re trying to emphasize, just hold the mic to the side or at least a foot away from your face when you do so.
3. If you’re the type to take the microphone out of the stand, don’t leave the stand in front of you. It creates a barrier between you and your audience. As soon as you take out the mic, grab the stand and put it to the side or behind you. You want to be as intimate as possible to the crowd without actually taking your clothes off, unless that’s what the act calls for (although I doubt it).
Trust me, with these simple tips you can improve your stage presence. It won’t make you funnier but it can make you look more seasoned as a performer and a speaker.
Original article can be viewed here:
3 quick tips by pinoy comedian Tim Tayag
Filipino American Comics and Their Mothers
If there’s one thing I noticed about Fil-Am comics is their staple bit about their mothers and how funny they sound with their accent. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I find it a bit hacky when a Fil-Am comedian does this because every Fil-Am standup that I’ve seen has a bit that portrays their mother (or sometimes their father or uncle) talking in this funny way. I’ve seen Rex do it (in fact, I’ve noticed most of his act revolves around this premise: 1st generation Filipino Americans talk funny). I’ve seen Jo Koy do this. And I’ve seen about every Pinoy comic do this.
It makes me wonder, do they get laughs because the situation or the character being portrayed is truly funny or is it just funny because they sound funny when they talk? Now I also understand that they are telling a story from their perspective and it just so happens that their reality is that their parents really have a problem with their “f”, “p”, “v”, and “b”. Call me an elitist, but my parents don’t talk that way. The most that I’ve heard them say that’s remotely similar to this accent is the way they pronounce “menu” and when they refer to a band as a “combo”.
In my opinion, it seems that it’s such an easy way to get a laugh. You could just go on stage and because of the novelty of Pinoy comedians, anything they say with this “funny” accent immediately gets a laugh. Also any Filipino profanity will get you laughter: “putang ina”, “titi mo”, or “lintik kang bata ka”. Maybe I’m being judgemental and a hypocrite, but there’s something about this that bothers me. Then again, it just bothers me when someone just goes for the cheap laugh. Or maybe I’m getting this all wrong. Maybe the most important thing is getting the laughs with the risk of being hacky. After all, people pay to laugh and not to really analyze.
In the meantime, since this for the most part is not my reality, I just try to be as real as possible with the characters in my material and represent them as I see them with a little bit of exaggeration.
Comedy Cartel: the Filipino Comedy Revolution
the core of the comedy cartel
If you haven’t noticed, there’s a revolution happening in the comedy scene and it’s being led by a group called the Comedy Cartel. The group was originally formed a couple of years ago when two Filipino American stand up comics named Tim Tayag and Allan Manalo were judging JackTV’s Lafapalooza and had all these new comic talents but had no direction. So one night, while Al and Tim were hosting a late night radio show for peanuts, they thought of creating an organization that would pool all the powers of these stand up comics – the newbies, the oldies, and the weirdos. And the name they thought of was the Comedy Cartel because they just liked the drug and mafia reference, even though these 2 guys’ only violent experience was when some Middle Eastern men danced with them in a club (actually that was just Al’s experience).
The group expanded and included comedians such as Alex Calleja, Marlon Olivan (consistent runner-up in comedy contests), Red Ollero, Ryan Puno, Noel Gascon (Lafapalooza 2 champion), Ryan Rems, Derf Hebrado, Victor Anastacio (Lafapalooza 1 champion), Richie Fernandez (Cool Center champion), Eri Neeman (MTV VJ), GB Labrador, Chino Liao, Eric Villarama, JB Dela Cruz, Trian Lauang, Marcelle Fabie, and others (sorry if I missed anyone but I think I got pretty much everyone covered). The groups is – as far as I know – the only gang in town that does point of view comedy. In a land dominated by gay comedy bars and insult comedy, Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Makati serves as the home nest of these western style comics. In fact, Spicy Fingers has developed quite a reputation for its Monday night comedy that even comedian Jo Koy (who has his own show on Comedy Central) and other comedians from Hong Kong and Canada have dropped by to do guest sets. You can catch the Comedy Cartel every Monday night at around 8pm. You can make reservations by contacting Ecircle Entertainment at +63.2.5339316 or texting +63.922.8596144
Some nights are showcases wherein you will get to watch anywhere from 10 to 15 comedians performing short sets. Some nights are theme nights, wherein you get to see 5 comedians doing longer sets with a headliner. Check with eCircle Entertainment which nights are the ones with more English speaking comedians (in case you don’t understand Tagalog) and which nights are more Tagalog friendly.
The State of Philippine Comedy
Here’s the way I see it: Dolphy, the supposedly king of Philippine comedy, is ancient. No disrespect to the man but his gags are old. I think he should retire and spend his remaining years with his loved ones. I acknowledge his contributions to the comedy scene but he is from a different era. Vic Sotto and Joey De Leon, while still in their productive years, are not really offering anything new besides the old and tired “acheche!” punch line. Willie Revillame, if you can even call him a comedian, has a style that is irritating to the educated but for some strange reason appeals to the masses who don’t know any better. Same goes to Ai-ai. How many times can you play with the title “Tanging Ina Mo”? The horse has been dead for years and she still beats it. Speaking of horses, Vice Ganda’s horse jokes and condescending comments to dance contestants might be funny to an audience that doesn’t think much but it really doesn’t enlighten anyone.
So what is the future of Philippine comedy?
It’s definitely not Jojo A, who tries so pathetically hard to copy Conan O’Brien but has no idea what a punch line is if it bit him in the ass. He just thinks that mimicking Conan’s moves and corky face is about what it takes to get a laugh. Although I must admit, he is funny in a not funny way, if you know what I mean.
The future of Pinoy comedy is actually already here and starting to blow up. It’s point-of-view comedy and it’s being pioneered by a group called the Comedy Cartel. It’s pretty much still an underground movement if you compare it to the mainstream comedy that we’ve been forced fed. But it won’t stay that way for long. With regular gigs on Wednesdays at Votre Bar in Quezon City in the ABS-CBN area and shows at Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2 every other Mondays, the group’s following is growing by the hundreds. What they offer is insightful, funny, and revolutionary comic performances that is changing the way people appreciate comedy.
If you dont’ believe me, come check them out for yourself. But I’m willing to bet my Porsche Panamera that you will agree with me. Of course, I have yet to buy the Panamera.
Let me know what your thoughts, comments, violent reactions, etc. are.