When Red Ollero announced his Netflix special “Mabuhay Is A Lie” – a first for any local stand-up comedian – the first words that came to mind were “It’s about damn time”. There is no shortage of talented funny people in a country that uses humor as a defense mechanism for its laundry list of problems. Filipinos have materials for days about nosy neighbors, “memorable” family reunions, and our everlasting love for karaoke, to name just a few.
Among the current crop of funny people is another Comedy Manila member, Victor Anastacio. When he’s not doing stand-up, Victor is on TV shows and commercials (yes, he’s on that iconic ad that parodied infomercials) Lately, he’s busy with his Intellectwalwal podcast, produced by ANIMA Podcasts, where he guests fellow comedians as they people watch and comment on slices of life.
True to his material of marrying opinion with humor, Victor Anastacio talks to Complex Philippines about the local standup scene, the consensus on Jo Koy, and the wokeness in comedy.
Victor Anastacio ℅ ANIMA Podcasts
How did you end up in standup comedy? I’d imagine it’s a very intimidating industry.
Ito yung alam kong gawin at ito yung magaling akong gawin. To put it in modern terms—Instagram terms, ikigai, ganun. It’s what the world appreciates [about me], and what makes money somehow.
May mga times na jin-joke ko yung mga fellow comedians ko na “Bakit naman ako nag-resign sa banko, ang hirap naman nito?” Pero nandoon na kami sa point na hindi na tayo pwedeng bumalik—nasa point of no return na.
You mentioned that this is what you’re good at. So what makes a good stand-up comedian?
I guess hinahanap ko yung sabihin nating brand. Sinabi ni George Karl before, and I’m paraphrasing “The key is not to make your audience think, but to show your audience that you’re always thinking.” So parang ganun lang yung material ko—mga iniisip ko, reklamo ko; mga idea na gusto din ng mga tao, fortunately.
How is stand-up [comedy] in the Philippines? Do you guys feel underappreciated first of all?
Yes, I think may feeling na ganun kasi na-kumpara namin sa United States, pero matagal na yung eksena doon.
[Malaysia] ang naging peg namin kasi hindi katulad ng ibang stand-up scenes sa Southeast Asia—hindi expats yung mga nag-sstand up, talagang locals, born and raised. Nagiging household name halos yung mga stand-up comedians doon. Dito medyo malayo pa. Pero thankful kami sa eksena ngayon—lumaki nasobra. I think nasa nature lang ng stand-up comedian na mag-complain and hindi ma-kontento sa buhay.
Speaking of the US, Jo Koy is absurdly popular. What’s the consensus on Jo in the local stand-up community?
Noong naging successful siya, parang may envious aspect na, “Teka lang, pag pumupunta siya dito na pupuno siya yung arena, eh bakit yung mga shows namin hirap na hirap kami at least before the pandemic?
Ngayon kasi nakapuno na ang Cool Pals ng Solaire and Samsung Hall. We were like “Nasaan kayo pag kami yung nag-perform?” Fan ba sila ng comedy or more of “celebrity” fans na parang “O may sumikat na Filipino”?
Is there a mystical element to Jo Koy’s success?
Noong pinanood ko si Jokoy nung nag-stand-up siya in 2009 sa Greenbelt, makikita mo na “Iba ito, magaling talaga nito.” Grabe yung stage presense niya, nakakatuwa yung material. Then lumabas yung second special niya, parang na-enganyo yung lahat. “Ano ito? Sobrang Filipino baiting.”
Inisip namin na “Paano kaya nating ma-tap ang audience na nanonood sa Fil-Ams na sumisikat abroad?” May mga podcast fans na nagsasabi [sa akin] “Ang hirap i-convince ng mga friends namin manood ng Comedy Manila, pero fans sila ng American stand-up.” So may colonial mentality na hanggang ngayon hindi ko alam paano maaalis.
Let’s go to your podcast, “Intellectwalwal”, which we’ve heard has many avid listeners. What is it all about?
Anything under the sun from a comedian’s point of view. Mga iniisip ko habang nasa banyo ako. The podcast comes from curiosity rather than controversy. May nabasa or napanood ako, then sumusunod yung utak ko na “Kausapin ko kaya ang tao na ito at ano ba trip nila?”
There’s an element of “woke-ness” nowadays. Do you think it limits comedy?
Definitely mas mahirap ngayon pero sa live, nagkakatalo kayo at mas na-gegets ng mga nanonood yung context.
Kasi pag kumuha sila ng two-minute bit from my one-hour special, talagang i-cacancel ako sa internet. Pero kung napanood nila yung buong special, makikita nila yung context. Ma-gegets nila “Oh, comedy show ito at lahat kami nandito para tumawa.”
With social commentaries, it’s tough to balance comedy and being heavy-handed. How do you toe the line?
Yung main goal ng comedian ay magpatawa. Yung balance mo is the [comedy] kasi minsan mararamdaman mo na “Okay, masyado marami yung poot dito, masyado galit,” so hindi na nakakatawa. Yung “woke-culture,” importante rin sa conversation kasi [it tell us if] sumusobra na ba kami o hindi.
Pero depende parin sa audience. Kung mas bata, mas liberal, then habang tumatanda, mas nagiging conservative. Ganyan talaga yung general trend.
Importante na hindi maging out of touch sa current issues. Sabi nga ni Sarah Silverman, gusto pa rin niya pakinggan yung mga bata kasi historically, nasa right side of history sila. Hindi niya totally sinasabi na “Ayokong joke diyan.” So ayan din yung approach ko.
