MANILA, Philippines—Remember when the group of comedians from Comedy Manila said that they are going to change the stand up comedy landscape in the Philippines? If you don’t, then check this out and let me tell you that boy, they are dead serious about it.
On Thursday, March 27, at around 7p.m. in what seemed like a typical school day at the De La Salle University in Taft, a historical shift in the stand up comedy industry was actually taking place at the Yuchengco Auditorium. Yes boys and girls, a stand up comedy in a university. It happened, for the first time in history, and we were there.
When INQUIRER.net arrived, the room that usually housed academic seminars and programs were filled with laughter, brought about by no other than the ever-funny Comedy Manila fellows — Red Ollero, Eri Neeman, GB Labrador, James Caraan, Victor Anastacio, and Alex Calleja.
The show, dubbed United Colors of Comedy (UCOC), offered every tint of comedy there is – and that in itself is pretty revolutionary as today, “green jokes” are almost the only things that come to mind when “stand up comedy” enters the scenario.
From tackling how growing a mustache can keep you safe while in the streets of Manila to how difficult rainy days are for “manananggals” given their circumstances, the UCOC covered pretty much everything that mankind can laugh at. Sure there were a few hits on adult jokes, but by the way the DLSU crowd laughed their hearts out for the witty lines delivered, you can tell that the “green” color was completely overlooked by the Green Archers.
But apart from the silly punch lines, each comedian also made room for “unfortunate facts” that matter in the Philippine Society. It was rather more eye-opening than funny when GB Labrador, the third performer of the night, stressed the irony about how our love for Mother Earth can offer only an hour worth of lights-off during “Earth Hour” when we have around 8,765 hours at our disposal each year. And how in foreign countries, you get systematic answers when asking for directions but in the Philippines, you get jargons as instructions, as story-told by headliner Alex Calleja.
James Caraan was extremely relevant when he shared his anime-imitating antics. The auditorium burst out in amusement when Caraan enthusiastically demonstrated how while being held up somewhere near his university back in his college days, he tried teleporting by mimicking Son Goku’s iconic teleportation position. Well of course, it didn’t work, he ended up getting stabbed. And the crowd subtly went “aw” for Victor Anastacio when he narrated his struggles living with a family of doctors and lawyers.
Eri Neeman and Red Ollero fulfilled not only their comedy but also their hosting tasks for the night. When the show paused for a five-minute restroom break, Neeman and Ollero kept the audience fixed when they raffled Ever Bilena freebies and a Red Bull case. They were given assistance by Taft Beatbox Movement, a homegrown Uprising Vocal Percussions Organization, in entertaining the crowd.
After Calleja wrapped up the show, the audience then went to the stage and by group, they systematically lined up to collect a groupie with the comedians.
Manila–no–the Philippine stand up comedy industry, you can say, is definitely in for an enormous laughter therapy treat as the night is young, the youth are just starting to feel the wonder of this revolutionized industry, and the gang of Comedy Manila is just getting fired up. The Philippines will definitely see more of this type of comedy and the Filipinos will surely want more of this group.
Now in case you want a dose of Comedy Manila for yourself, like https://www.facebook.com/ComedyManila on Facebook then you’re all good. Comedy Manila everyone, something you might want to bookmark.