Jokes are no laughing matter for the blokes of the COMEDY CARTEL. Good thing these gangsters are stand-up kinda guys—or someone could get shot.

By Marlon Olivan

Plenty of people think they’re funny. These are your class clowns, office pranksters, and flamboyant homosexuals. They’re not exactly wrong either as many of their friends would attest. I’ve certainly seen enough of them tagged on those Facebook tag-your-friend photos, but only after I check out the people tagged under “sexy,” “who I ask about sex,” and “puts out on the first date.” It’s one thing, however, to be funny amongst family and friends, and quite another to be funny by yourself in a room of strangers. When amongst friends, there’s always that easy target in every barkada to fall back on for laughs. When faced with an audience that doesn’t know about his lazy eye and botched circumcision, the walking set-up to your punchlines is useless. In stand-up comedy, there’s no friendly banter to set up your witty hirits, it’s just you and your material on a stage. Unlike most other performance artists, comedians are the sole writers, actors, and directors of their acts. Here in the Philippines, no one pursues the craft as doggedly and passionately as the comics of the Comedy Cartel.

The comedy scene in the Philippines has progressed little in the past five decades—much like our sewer and drainage systems. Despite the pioneering works of comedians like Gary Lising, much of the industry is still comprised of vaudevillian song-and-dance acts that have been recycled countless times by cross-dressers. Now, for those of you who are tired of hairy homo-divas© singing their rendition of Wondergirl’s “Nobody,” or if you simply get enough of that at home, the Comedy Cartel provides a refreshing alternative that expands the boundaries of local comedy—homophobia notwithstanding. Founded by comedians Tim Tayag, Allan Manalo, and their manager Patrick Cruz some three years ago, and fueled by a generation exposed to the funnies of cable television and YouTube, the group has grown from a stable of three comedians to over a dozen, all of whom are straight, red-blooded, Filipino men. Aside from Tim and Al who got their starts in San Francisco, the rest of the comedians are this generation’s first locally produced stand-up comics.

As with anything new, The Cartel’s unique brand of humor was initially met with some resistance, having been wrongly perceived as elitist, but the comedians themselves come from all walks of life representing every demographic of the Philippines—except that of women, homosexuals, Muslims and most other minorities. In all seriousness though, the diverse group that make up the Cartel brings with them an equally diverse repertoire that talks about shared human experiences anyone and everyone—young or old, rich or poor, circumcised or not — can relate too. All it takes is an open mind and Php150 for door fees…non-consumable. It is at this point where other writers or critics might begin to describe the different styles and materials of the different comics. As helpful as this may be to those unfamiliar to the craft, this sometimes gives the impression of something very deliberate and premeditated, like with murder or grand theft auto, about the personas you see on stage. I assure you, however, that any distinct style or hook that comes across arises from a very personal space within a comic, where he finds his voice.

Whether the joke is about marital problems, being a virgin, or finding a penis on your watch, it comes from somewhere honest and sincere, owing to a comedy truism that “It’s funny because it’s true.” So really, if you want to have a good time and see someone bare it all on stage, skip the strip club and catch a Comedy Cartel show instead. Not only will you be supporting local artists in raising the bar for Philippine stand-up comedy, you’ll also be helping some of them pay for tuition or their mom’s operation. You can catch The Comedy Cartel at Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2 on October 26. You can also watch their big year-end show entitled “The Late Night Comedy Show” at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan on November 27 where they’ll be debuting much of their new material.



Visit http://www.ecircleentertainment.com or contact 0922-8596144 for details and reservations.