"Humor is coping. Hindi rin naman maganda na lahat na lang ng suliranin natin, lahat ng challenges natin iisang style of coping lang na tinatawanan lahat."
Tayong mga Pinoy, kilala bilang resilient na mga tao. Kahit anong pagsubok sa buhay, minsan, dinadaan lang natin sa tawa at pagbibiro. Pero sa lahat nga ba ng pagkakataon, pwede natin tawanan ang ating mga problema?
Ang kahalagahan ng timing sa pagpapatawa, pag-uusapan ni Doc Anna kasama ang stand-up comedian na si Victor Anastacio sa episode na ito ng #ShareKoLang.
Tayong mga Pinoy, kilala bilang resilient na mga tao. Kahit anong pagsubok sa buhay, minsan, dinadaan lang natin sa tawa at pagbibiro. Pero sa lahat nga ba ng pagkakataon, pwede natin tawanan ang ating mga problema?
Ang kahalagahan ng timing sa pagpapatawa, pag-uusapan ni Doc Anna kasama ang stand-up comedian na si Victor Anastacio sa episode na ito ng #ShareKoLang.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Comedians are the biggest artists in the Philippines.
00:03 Are we happy or just happy?
00:06 According to the World Happiness Report,
00:09 Filipinos are ranked 76th in the world's happiness ranking.
00:15 I'm from Japan.
00:17 You know, I don't appreciate being a Filipino
00:19 because if you're a Filipino,
00:21 you'll be impressed by any country you go to.
00:24 This is so ugly.
00:25 My standards are so low.
00:29 When I get to the airport, I'll be like, "This is a sidewalk!"
00:32 Is it true that humor is coping?
00:36 According to stand-up comedian Victor Anastasio.
00:40 That's what Doc Ana will talk about in Shareko Lang.
00:44 Hello, Kapuso!
00:51 I'm Dr. Ana Tuazon,
00:53 your storyteller and psychologist in Shareko Lang.
00:56 We asked you if Filipinos are happy or just lucky,
01:00 and what are the things that make you laugh?
01:03 We'll talk about your shenares
01:06 with the well-known stand-up comedian,
01:08 Victor Anastasio.
01:10 Hello, Victor, and welcome to Shareko Lang.
01:13 Hello, good afternoon, Doc, and hello to all Kapuso fans.
01:16 We asked Filipinos,
01:19 because Filipinos are well-known for their sense of humor.
01:23 It's always written in our coping, right?
01:26 When there's a storm, there's no electricity,
01:29 the prices are high,
01:32 we go through jokes, humor, right?
01:36 But maybe you, as a professional comedian,
01:41 how was your experience with the Filipino audience?
01:46 The Filipino audience,
01:48 they laugh easily,
01:52 but they also have a testing period.
01:55 Because Filipinos,
01:57 celebrity and fame are important to them,
02:00 in my experience.
02:03 So there's a testing period,
02:05 "Who is this?"
02:06 If you're just a normal person,
02:07 "Who are you?"
02:08 You have to prove yourself.
02:10 Sometimes, it's like that.
02:11 At least in my experience.
02:13 There's a barrier,
02:15 not just in off-tack,
02:17 but does your jokes make you laugh?
02:19 Does your content make you laugh?
02:21 They have to know you.
02:23 "I know this person I'm watching."
02:27 Yes, maybe stand-up comedy is not that popular here in the Philippines.
02:33 So they get confused.
02:34 Because what's known here,
02:36 there are people in costumes,
02:40 those who banter,
02:41 those who insult the crowd.
02:44 But when we're on T-shirt,
02:46 they get confused.
02:48 "Why is he laughing while he's in a costume?"
02:50 Maybe that's how it is.
02:51 So, speaking of which, Victor,
02:54 maybe we have some audience
02:56 who are not familiar with stand-up.
03:00 Maybe they're thinking of the comedy we see in comedy bars
03:04 or in gag shows.
03:07 What's the difference between stand-up
03:10 and the other forms of comedy we see?
03:14 Our stand-up is material-based.
03:16 So you'll practice.
03:17 You'll write a joke.
03:19 The writing is a bit question mark
03:23 because sometimes it's just bullet points.
03:24 So basically, you'll think of a joke,
03:26 a material to say.
03:28 And then we'll practice on open mics.
03:31 So that's like a rehearsal.
03:33 "Is this funny?"
03:34 And then you'll go back next week.
03:36 "Is this joke really funny?"
03:38 Or is their mood good?
03:40 Is their food delicious?
03:42 And then you'll go back.
03:43 It's like a repeat until it's 10 minutes, 20 minutes.
03:47 Or what we do is 1 hour.
03:51 We emphasize originality.
03:55 We can't just borrow.
03:56 "I'll borrow your material and perform it."
03:59 So that's taboo for us.
04:02 Because as a comedian, you need to have your own voice.
04:05 And I think, Doc,
04:08 I'll just go back to your question about happy-go-lucky.
04:10 Sometimes, I think
04:14 that's why Filipinos are happy-go-lucky.
04:16 It's like a last resort.
04:18 Sometimes, since there's a tragedy here,
04:21 you'll feel helpless.
04:23 Filipinos are like that.
04:24 Just laugh.
04:25 Just laugh because you have nothing to do.
04:27 That's why a lot of stand-up comedians joke
04:30 about how hard life is in the Philippines.
04:33 It's hard to understand relationships.
04:37 It's hard to find a job.
04:41 Just laugh.
04:43 I guess that's how our culture was formed.
04:46 We asked our fans
04:48 if Filipinos are happy-go-lucky.
04:52 One of our fans said,
04:55 "We're used to laughing at problems."
04:59 It's like what you said earlier.
05:00 Yes.
05:01 We laugh at problems.
05:02 We're Filipinos.
05:05 That's why we say,
05:07 "Happy-go-lucky."
05:10 That's what she said.
05:12 Now, happy-go-lucky is like
05:17 there are pros and cons.
05:20 Happy-go-lucky is when you don't dwell
05:25 on negative things,
05:27 you can laugh at situations.
05:32 At the same time,
05:33 that's why you said earlier,
05:35 "I'm not just happy-go-lucky, I have a strategy."
05:38 I'm also sitting down.
05:40 Because sometimes, happy-go-lucky
05:42 has a connotation of having no plan,
05:46 having a flow,
05:48 which in an unpredictable, chaotic world
05:52 might be the most important skill,
05:54 to be honest,
05:55 that might be planned
05:57 if we don't have control.
05:59 At the same time,
06:01 you said earlier,
06:02 there's helplessness.
06:03 How if the situation isn't helpless?
06:07 What if there's a solution,
06:10 and we have something to do,
06:11 but you just accept it
06:13 as if we have nothing to do?
06:17 What's your experience with
06:20 the reaction of Filipinos
06:24 when it comes to that?
06:27 Do they want to say,
06:29 "No, there's a solution,
06:31 we need to do this."
06:33 They take the topic seriously,
06:37 they don't want to ride the joke.
06:40 Is there something like that?
06:42 Because you hit their passion.
06:46 Yes.
06:47 There's a doc,
06:51 sometimes there are people who comment,
06:53 mostly online,
06:55 because I think,
06:58 it's also in the psyche of the person.
07:00 So there are a lot of misinterpretations
07:02 like, "Why are you complaining?"
07:05 "That person is a pervert."
07:07 "He's so strict."
07:09 They think I'm just complaining,
07:12 but I'm doing the opposite.
07:15 We learned from Comedy Manila
07:18 that we're just making a joke
07:20 to make people laugh.
07:22 To make the live audience laugh.
07:25 And when we post clips online,
07:27 we don't post it
07:29 to get famous,
07:31 just for likes and follows.
07:33 It's a marketing trick
07:36 to go live
07:37 to make people laugh.
07:39 Because it's different live.
07:41 It's a different experience,
07:43 it's a bit bonding.
07:45 Imagine you're in a room,
07:47 in a theater,
07:49 everyone's laughing.
07:51 And before you get offended,
07:53 you'll laugh first.
07:55 Then you'll think,
07:57 "Yeah, we shouldn't be too serious."
08:01 That's all.
08:03 You said that sometimes there's a solution.
08:05 It's also true.
08:07 Because sometimes you're just sitting,
08:10 and you have a solution to get.
08:14 So you need a balance.
08:17 That's what I think of Happy Go Lucky.
08:19 Because if you're not happy go lucky at all,
08:21 you'll go crazy.
08:23 Especially in our country.
08:25 It's hard to live.
08:28 What are the hard things
08:30 about being a comedian in the Philippines?
08:33 A big part of my job
08:35 is public reaction.
08:37 Because if you're not public, you're not...
08:39 So there are a lot of hate comments.
08:42 Or not hate comments,
08:44 sometimes,
08:46 they're convinced,
08:48 that's what we say,
08:50 they're convinced of their perspective
08:52 that you're wrong and they're right.
08:54 So that's what you need to endure.
08:56 Sometimes you think,
08:58 "I need a social media break."
09:00 "Oh, I have a show next month."
09:02 You can't do that.
09:04 Because you need to promote,
09:06 to push.
09:08 Especially now,
09:10 before, you relied on TV and radio.
09:13 Now, the battle is on social media.
09:16 So you can't stop.
09:19 Sometimes I don't read the comments anymore.
09:21 But if you read the preview,
09:23 your day is ruined.
09:25 So that's one of the downsides
09:28 of being a comedian.
09:30 It's very reaction-based.
09:32 It's really reaction-based when you're a comedian.
09:34 Like you mentioned, Doc,
09:35 the lack of security.
09:37 Or in the academe, you don't have tenure.
09:40 For example,
09:42 you were hired by a restaurant or a bar.
09:46 You don't have the assurance
09:48 that you can renew your agreement.
09:51 The stability of income
09:54 where you don't earn a single cent a month.
09:57 It's like a double-edged sword.
10:00 If you work hard,
10:02 you'll earn more.
10:03 But if you relax,
10:05 you'll lose it.
10:07 And also,
10:09 the misunderstanding
10:11 that people think you're just complaining.
10:14 People think you're just
10:16 making fun of a group.
10:18 Or you're just making fun of a group
10:21 that they don't understand.
10:23 I'm making fun of myself.
10:25 I think it's an important life skill.
10:27 You know, making fun of yourself.
10:29 It's all personal.
10:31 Because in the end,
10:34 that's where friendships and relationships are formed.
10:38 When you're laughing.
10:40 One person said,
10:41 of course, it's a joke.
10:43 But the ones who get angry are funnier.
10:46 Because jokes are offensive.
10:49 It's a bit hot to talk about it now.
10:52 If it's offensive.
10:54 Or if we're in the mood
10:58 to think about the comedians.
11:00 What's the balance?
11:02 Right?
11:03 When is a joke offensive?
11:06 For me, laughing is still the basis of life.
11:12 Because this is a very difficult topic, Doc.
11:15 Maybe it's just my intention.
11:17 I just know that
11:20 I'm not really...
11:23 It's not hate speech.
11:26 That's why we have open mics.
11:29 Sometimes I have jokes that I don't repeat.
11:32 Because I realize that
11:33 I'm just really angry at that situation.
11:36 And whether they laugh or not,
11:37 when I calm down,
11:39 I can't do it anymore.
11:40 When someone laughs,
11:42 I think,
11:44 "Wait a minute.
11:45 I want to exaggerate
11:47 what they're saying about jokes."
11:49 "It's too much of a joke."
11:51 And then I'll leave the topic
11:55 that's on the other side of the balance.
11:59 This is too conservative.
12:01 There's also too much of a joke.
12:04 You need to listen to it.
12:07 And that's my defense against stand-up comedy.
12:10 You really need to...
12:12 If you just mention the topic,
12:17 you'll be canceled.
12:19 It's not a conversation.
12:22 You need to listen to everything.
12:24 Comedians are mostly
12:26 curious.
12:28 I think that's our trait.
12:30 You're an observant comedian.
12:32 You question everything.
12:34 You're critical.
12:36 Sometimes you're...
12:37 Because if you're like what you said earlier, Doc,
12:39 if you have the same perspective,
12:40 it's not funny.
12:42 It's like everyone has thought about it.
12:44 But you have a unique perspective.
12:46 That's what we're looking for.
12:48 That's what we talked about earlier.
12:50 The hard work.
12:51 That's what's rewarding in our work.
12:53 When you think about it,
12:54 and you find a new perspective,
12:57 that's what it is.
12:59 So they'll laugh.
13:00 That's what's rewarding for us.
13:02 When they laugh and clap,
13:04 it's like...
13:05 Eureka moment.
13:07 It's like, okay,
13:09 I'm happy. I'm happy. I have a job.
13:11 So actually,
13:12 when we asked the Kapuso
13:14 what's funny about them,
13:16 interestingly enough,
13:17 they also became comedians,
13:19 Victor,
13:20 because they answered
13:21 a lot of sarcastic questions.
13:24 So what the Kapuso said,
13:27 what's funny about them now
13:29 is the price of buying,
13:31 massage,
13:32 and additional expenses.
13:35 The low cost.
13:37 The fluttering around them.
13:40 Our wrong decisions in life.
13:44 So again,
13:45 we have a theme today,
13:47 right, Victor?
13:48 We said that our humor is coming from
13:51 hardship.
13:52 For us, our humor
13:54 is coming from despair.
13:56 Right? That's where it comes from.
13:58 We don't humor because of despair.
14:00 Yes.
14:01 We humor because of problems.
14:04 Yes.
14:05 And we have our own problems.
14:07 Like what he said,
14:08 validate the feelings.
14:10 Now, if this is the problem,
14:12 it could be like that.
14:15 It's not a problem.
14:16 Why are you so angry?
14:18 The perspective could be like that.
14:20 That small things make you angry.
14:23 That's how jokes come from.
14:25 And then,
14:26 but mostly,
14:28 it really comes from negative experiences.
14:31 Our jokes,
14:33 at least in our type of jokes,
14:35 the story type.
14:37 Right?
14:38 Because it's like,
14:40 "Woe is me."
14:41 That's how stand-up comedy is.
14:43 "Woe is me."
14:44 "I feel sorry for what happened to me."
14:46 "What happened to me?"
14:48 Even with friends,
14:49 we talk like that.
14:50 Right?
14:51 No one laughs at us.
14:53 "Bro, what's the news?"
14:55 "I have an affair with a girl."
14:57 "And then?"
14:58 "I answered."
14:59 "And then?"
15:00 "I got promoted to work."
15:01 "Now, we have a baby. It's so nice."
15:03 But if you ask your friends,
15:07 "Bro, I have an affair."
15:09 "What happened?"
15:10 "I got busted."
15:11 You laugh at that.
15:13 "Ah, busted."
15:14 "What happened to your job?"
15:16 "Bro, I was late for a meeting."
15:18 "Everyone was looking at me."
15:20 That's what makes me laugh.
15:24 In my perspective,
15:26 even with our friends,
15:28 we need to laugh.
15:30 I guess that's okay.
15:33 That's how we laugh.
15:35 That's okay.
15:36 It's a way to--
15:38 Because the situations you mentioned,
15:40 like "Busted!"
15:41 or "You look bad at the meeting."
15:44 It's a way to soothe the embarrassment, perhaps.
15:48 The cringe moments.
15:52 - The cringe moments. - Exactly.
15:54 There are a lot of emotions.
15:56 We talked about the situations that make you angry.
16:00 But the cringe feelings,
16:03 the cringe emotions,
16:05 that's the best way to be relieved by a doctor.
16:09 Just laugh because it's already happened.
16:12 - Right? - Yes.
16:14 If something embarrassing happened,
16:16 laugh.
16:17 They also say this, right, Victor?
16:19 Just laugh at what others are laughing at.
16:22 - Just laugh at yourself. - Yes.
16:24 Because if you're sad or you can't see the levity of the situation,
16:29 it hurts.
16:30 I guess in the end, Doc,
16:32 it's good that you mentioned the cringe moments.
16:36 Maybe comedy, or at least stand-up comedy,
16:40 we just accept that we're not perfect people.
16:43 It's a good summary, right?
16:46 Maybe that's why others get angry
16:48 because the solemnity of something breaks.
16:52 I believe this is perfect.
16:55 This is it.
16:56 If you're sad and someone laughs,
16:59 that the person who believed it was wrong,
17:02 this is perfect.
17:03 But the laughing,
17:05 if there's a bad meeting,
17:07 or you're busted,
17:08 you just accept it.
17:09 And you assure the other person that it happens to everyone.
17:12 It happens to me, so don't be too embarrassed.
17:14 Let's just laugh.
17:16 And at the same time,
17:18 is there a downside to using humor?
17:23 Like everything, Doc,
17:25 it needs balance.
17:27 It can't be extreme.
17:28 So if your humor is not in the timing,
17:32 timing is a big thing in jokes.
17:35 They say, "Too soon."
17:38 For example,
17:39 you have a friend who has a problem or a tragedy,
17:44 humor is not always right.
17:47 Sometimes they're not ready to see the bright side.
17:50 They still need to grieve.
17:55 They still need to feel that they're understood.
17:59 You're right.
18:01 Just like humor is coping,
18:04 it's not always good.
18:06 All of our challenges
18:10 are in one style of coping
18:12 where everyone is just laughing.
18:14 We have situations in life,
18:17 especially our loved ones,
18:19 they don't laugh at the moment.
18:22 They want to stay,
18:24 they're either laughing or laughing.
18:27 Because humor is escapist,
18:30 it's like, "Okay, I'll change my mood."
18:32 So we have situations where we don't laugh at our grandfathers.
18:36 So, timing is important,
18:38 as Victor said.
18:39 Timing is important
18:41 so that humor can be useful and helpful
18:45 to us, to our society.
18:48 There are things we can laugh at,
18:51 things that we can take seriously.
18:54 This situation is like that.
18:57 Maybe the value of laughing at ourselves
19:01 and missing out on the things we believe in
19:04 because we feel that we're not perfect
19:08 and our beliefs are not perfect.
19:12 And our idols are not perfect either.
19:15 So, that's it.
19:17 Yeah.
19:18 We're all just humans.
19:20 Yes, we're all just humans.
19:23 We all make mistakes,
19:25 we all have cringe moments,
19:27 mistakes, missteps,
19:29 or even if we're not at fault,
19:31 we're unlucky.
19:32 Happy-go-unlucky.
19:34 Sometimes, that's what happens.
19:37 When we can't do anything,
19:39 we laugh at ourselves.
19:41 Maybe, for me, my last advice to you,
19:45 that inspired me in our conversation with Victor,
19:48 is take life sincerely, not seriously.
19:52 Thank you so much, Victor!
19:54 If you have something to say,
19:57 just leave a comment below
19:59 or email us at sherecolang@gmainews.tv.
20:03 We're also streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
20:09 Thanks for tuning in!
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