‘Sour’ comedians need to sweeten up their act

BAUTISTA. Impersonation tilt helped her register in a more upbeat light.

Comedians are supposed to brighten and lighten viewers’ lives with their fun performances, but some so-called mirthmakers opt to go “downbeat” and dispense sour and even nasty jokes, instead.

It’s one thing to be deadpan, like the signature facial expression favored by silent-film era comic greats, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harry Langdon—and quite another to think and talk bleakly and cynically about most anything and anyone under the sun, like US master of the “comedy of insult,” Don Rickles.

It’s instructive to see that the biggest US comedy stars have been “positivists” like Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Ellen Degeneres, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Tina Fey and Jack Black—no sour and surly “comics” like Don Rickles in the whole slap-happy bunch!

On the local show biz scene, the most popular comedy stars have been similarly upbeat entertainers like Dolphy, Vice Ganda, Tessie Tomas, Mitch Valdes, Willie Nepomuceno and Giselle Sanchez.

You would think that the comics coming after them would take their cue from their successfully upbeat disposition and projection. But, some would-have-been comers insist on going the generally sour route, and crack cynical jokes that make viewers wince and groan instead of laugh.

Why do they do this? They may think that it gives their “humor” edge and bite, and make them come off as more daring and honest.

In many cases, however, the “nega” thrust ends up holding them back, instead of boosting their careers.

This appears to be what’s happening to comedians like Bayani Agbayani, K Brosas, Mitoy Yonting and Kakai Bautista.

—Happily, in Bautista’s case, her inclusion in “Your Face Sounds Familiar” has helped her register in a more positive light, and viewers now focus more on her versatility as a singer and all-around performer, rather than on her sardonic and cynical humor of old.

Can the others make the same liberating shift? We wish they would, because negativism is generally a turn off with local viewers, who really just want to have—(more) fun in the Philippines!

Kylie and Kendall

Our recent notes on the Kardashians have elicited follow-up comments and queries, like a request for pointers to “tell” Kylie and Kendall Jenner apart from each other.

Granted, it’s a bit perplexing, since the two young icons are very close in age and type, and became popular in tandem, some years ago.

Recently, however, they have perhaps more consciously and decisively tried to forge separate paths and looks, so they don’t come off like virtual twins: Kylie, the youngest “K-Jen,” has a relatively wider range of interests, while Kendall is focused on her “supermodel” career.

She’s been so successful and in-demand that she has modeled for a veritable Who’s Who of fashion greats—from Givenchy, Chanel, Fendi, Balmain and Diane von Furstenberg to Karan, Jacobs and even Victoria’s Secret.

In fact, she’s been so busy that she’s had to go to the hospital to be treated for exhaustion.

To be sure, the Jenners may be increasingly going their separate ways, but their joint interests and businesses prevent then from being even more independent of one another.

They have launched new fashion, accessories and makeup lines that have made them millionaires many times over, even as some of their contemporaries are still getting  their weekly allowance from their folks!

The Jenner girls have been so successful and visible that they have made it to “most influential teens” lists and are followed by millions on social media.

Most profitably of all, a simple text endorsement from them has been credited for generating big business and bucks for a new product or service. —It pays to be Kendall and Kylie Jenner—both in tandem and apart!

Positive changes

We hear from TV insiders that our reviews are discussed at some channels and that positive changes and improvements are occasionally made. Candidly, we attribute this more to the Inquirer’s clout and circulation than to our perspicacity.

More to the point, this indicates that our TV networks aren’t as “deaf” as some people believe, and are willing to listen to suggestions that are positively intended and expressed.

We hope that this realization encourages other viewers to similarly come up with their objective reactions to the shows they view, so that the two-way communication process via TV is productively completed.

It’s also important to make it a point, as we do, to occasionally praise good work on the tube, whenever merited. We don’t get to see it often, so all the more reason to single it out for industry-wide evaluation—and appreciation.