JackTV Lafapalooza First Round
The first round of eliminations of the Lafapalooza standup comedy competition was held yesterday at Tropezz Bar in Greenbelt 3 in Makati, Philippines. Being one of the judges, I was pleasantly surprised to find some very promising budding comics in the group. Not all of them were funny though, a few need to work on their material if they want to quit school and get far in comedy. Eleven contestants performed (they were supposed to be 12 but one was a no show) and brought their people for support and laughter. But only 8 people made it to the next round. Sadly, we had to boot 4 out (actually 3 since 1 was a no show as I mentioned). I don’t think I’m allowed to tell who made it and who didn’t yet since it hasn’t aired on JackTV yet. But here’s my assessment of each comic’s performance:
Uli Oposa – I thought this guy was funny when we interviewed him on the radio. He has this odd slow delivery. He had some good bits about jeepney barkers but I felt that he stopped short. He could’ve gone further with more punchlines with his premises.
Patty Yap – This half man half woman flowed with his/her performance. He/she was comfortable on stage and with the crowd. However, I’ve seen similar acts. He/she needs more originality but then again he/she can always find clubs along Timog and Quezon Ave. for work.
Ryan Puno – I’ll admit I’m biased when it comes to comics I know and I know this comic. He’s actually pretty funny but he also does a lot of blue material – that’s dirty jokes for those who don’t know. His performance was so so but maybe because I expected more from him since I perform with him every week at Capone’s. His advantage over the others is that he’s clocked in more stage time but his Achilles heel is the blue material. That’s why it’s always good to have clean material.
Melo del Gallega – This comic is quite goofy. He’s got good act outs. He has a memorable bit about how macho guys react when they see a cute dog. This guy’s got potential. Hopefully he keeps at it and polishes his act.
Chip Balbueno – This guy has more energy than Gary V. He was fun to watch since he was very lively and spastic. He’s more of a mimicer though, as he talked like he was from the ghetto. His material needs to reflect more of his point of view. If he can write material that expresses his views and attitude, this boy will go far. Among all the contestants, he has the potential for broad reach.
Red Ollero – This guy looks like a comic – big, bulky, and curly haired. He has riffing skills too, which is rare in a newbie. He had a funny bit about Manny Pacquiao but then again Manny provides comedy without really trying. He threw some pretty good punchlines – Red that is not Manny. With more practice, this guy can be successful.
Aimee Rabago – You got to give props to this woman for being the only female in the group. She bared her soul to the audience with her amusing stories. However, the stories were drawn out and the punchlines were a bit weak. A good comedian knows that the longer the story, the bigger the punchline should be in the end. That’s why I keep my jokes short so I can get away with a cheap punchline. Now you know my secret… oh no!
Chuckie Manio – This guy has a unique style and has writing skills. I believe he’s taking philosophy. He’s got his own world and what I like about him is he doesn’t really care what you think. However, he did one joke which was too similar to Dave Attel’s. When I called him on it, he said he wrote his joke before he realized Attel had one. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Jahan Kalam – The only Muslim in the group. He had a couple of jokes about his religion but he didn’t go too far with it. Too bad, he could’ve milked that topic especially now. He needs to control his nervous energy and use it to his advantage.
Victor Anastasio – This guy is just funny. It’s not his material but his delivery. He could just say a simple story and you’d just laugh the way he says it. Because of his comic timing, he gets away with mediocre jokes. I’d like to see this guy in a couple of years to see where he goes with his talent.
Trian Lauang – I’ve seen Trian perform a few times with his Mitch Hedgberg-like style. This time, he seemed a bit more jolly unlike his old persona which was more aloof. His material is a bit advanced like an acquired taste. Personally, I find him funny but he’ll have to work his material to adjust to different kinds of audiences.
That’s all I can tell for now without giving away the winners for this round. I won’t be around for the next round next Thursday but I’m pretty excited for these comedians. I’ll see them again in the finals… but only 4 of them. Good luck, to all of them. The new wave of standup comedians has begun thanks to the help of everyone including JackTV.