How Wacky Kiray adapts to limited opportunities during pandemic

Wacky Kiray (left) with partner Jereck Ty

The pandemic has the most debilitating effect particularly on comedians and live performers. “It’s difficult to be funny when you’re worried about your health and that of your loved ones,” said Wacky Kiray, who is a stand-up comedian and a live events host. “I had an event only recently and performing had been a struggle. Parang nabobobo ako. Unlike when you’re performing in a comedy bar every night, you tend to have a sharp mind.“But since there’s no regular work for us and we’ve all just been sitting at home for the past six months, adjusting to work had been difficult. You don’t know what’s happening out there. You don’t know any more what’s in fashion,” he pointed out.

What he did was put up his own YouTube channel (wackykiray), “Para mahasa ako.” He explained: “I get to practice being witty again. My partner (of 15 years, Jereck) has been helping me with it. In turn, I also get to share what I’ve been busy with at home, like trying out different ways to cook sardines,” he said, laughing.

Except for Punchline in Quezon City, most comedy bars have already closed shop as a result of the lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic. “The owner of Punchline has promised to resume operations as soon as the government eases restrictions on live events. He can very well do this because he owns the building and the lot. But the other equally known establishments, like Zirkoh, Klownz and Laffline, have all closed,” Wacky Kiray reported.

This has added to Wacky Kiray’s depression, he confessed. “Not just me, but also my other workmates. I had to closely monitor the condition of some of them because they said they were close to giving up,” he said. “I would sometimes ask myself, ‘What will happen to us after this?’ Indeed, the pandemic has greatly affected everyone, both the rich and the poor. My other gay friends simply went back to their old jobs like being beauticians; some sold food online.”

Wacky Kiray

Wacky Kiray said his colleagues would sometimes share with him their regrets. “They told me that had they known earlier that this lockdown would happen and would cause them to lose their jobs, they would have saved their money. They said they wished that they had valued their earnings more,” Wacky Kiray recalled. “It was good that Jereck, who is Chinese and is good at handling money, would always remind me to save for the rainy days.”Wacky Kiray then recounted his personal struggles. “I started feeling anxious when I realized that the lockdown was already dragging on. As a result, I became irritable. Napapraning agad ako. My partner and I would start quarreling over small stuff. I feel that we’ve both changed because of the isolation. It didn’t help that we all couldn’t go out for fear of catching the virus.”

Wacky Kiray fought anxiety attacks through cooking and tending to their home. “I thought of different ways to cook the sardines that were given by the LGU (local government unit). I cleaned the house every day—I cleaned it until there was nothing more to clean. I also started growing potted plants in the house.”The comedian has also started accepting online jobs. “It was a huge adjustment, especially since I’m used to performing live and onstage. I also had to buy streaming gadgets like microphones and ring light,” he recalled. “That was also when I decided it was time for me to pursue vlogging.” INQ