Lesson 3.

2: Stand-up Comedy

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you shall learn more about stand-up comedy, its definition, reasons why it
is popular in the world and in the Philippines, and its relation to politics, economical views, and
social views.

Learning Outcomes
In this lesson, you are expected to:

1. Define stand-up comedy;

2. Know the new format of stand-up comedy; and
3. Discover and appreciate Filipino stand-up comedians.

Motivation Questions
What is stand-up comedy? Who is your favorite comedian/comedienne?

Image source:https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/thats-not-funny/399335/
Discussion
Stand-up comedy has been in the entertainment industry for two decades now. However,
it has only been blossoming recently. But what makes stand-up comedy different from other types
of comedic styles? For one, stand-up comedians have to perform in front of a live audience. They
involve the audience in their performance. In reality, they actually do not do this since they have a
script they stick to. Stand-up comedians share their jokes through a storyline or storylines in
succession and in a fast-paced manner. These short, fast-paced jokes are called bits. A bit is
basically a story. It has a beginning, which is a background story of the story or characters; a
middle, which has the meat and climax of the story; and the ending, which has the punch line.
This structure is called a typical structure of a joke.

Through efforts of Filipino stand-up comedians to create organizations that highlight

stand-up comedy, it has garnered a spotlight. Mostly, these comedy organizations are in Luzon.
How does stand-up comedy reach the other region? It is through social media platforms. Filipino
comedians living in other countries spread their reach through Facebook. Others use Netflix. An
example is the stand-up comedian with the stage name Jo Koy. His content is very much Filipino.

Figure 11. Jokoy. (Image retrieved from https://www.pep.ph/guide/tv/143744/fil-am-stand-up-

comedian-jo-koy-talks-about-his-greatest-source-of-pinoy-pride-a3438-20190608 )

In the Philippines, stand-up comedy is still taking its baby steps in making its stand in the
entertainment industry since it has a hard time rivaling classic comedic styles that Filipinos
prefer.

Read the article below to understand the sociological effect of comedy in people’s lives.

The Power of Comedy

By Sociology Lens
Mark Twain once said “that the human race has only one really effective weapon and that is
laughter.” Even if this is an exaggeration, it might explain our love for humor, specifically the art of
comedy. Humor allows people to approach sensitive issues. No one is better at this than the Stand-
up Comic. The Comic’s job is to create, sustain, and guide the audience throughout their
performance. In doing so, the comic touches on material that is taboo to the host society.

Jokes are obviously meant to be laughed at and understood by the way in which the comedian
communicates their craft onstage: in front of their audience under terms and conditions that are
both relatable and comical. The more a comedian works on their craft, knowing their audience,
honing in on the jocular, the more they earn trust and respect from the people that pay to laugh.
This trust and respect is crucial to the comic to not only obtain laughter, but also to send a message
to the audience, that even in times of difference, we are more similar than we think

Polished comedians allow for their audience to learn about the society by forcing them to think
about the infrastructure that orders our daily lives. Jokes become the chisel chipping away at the
preconceived notions which perpetuate the inequalities of today’s world.

Because of the nature of a joke, topics that are often taboo can carve out a space that can work at
creating a new understanding of a sensitive topic in its parody. It also allows the comic/audience
a dynamic space to openly discuss and contemplate these sensitive issues. Humor provides a key
site for reversal and resistance to the inequalities that society perpetuates, encouraging its
incongruity through disturbance, thus offering a stylistic redefinition of reality. One such issue that
has been going through this redefinition is the notion of sexuality.

Two weeks ago, Buffalo, NY celebrated their 21st annual Pride Parade. It also celebrated a year in
which equal marriage rights gained traction in the socio-political arena. With each successful
movement there comes hardships and down times, but what we should really focus on is the work
being done every day to create the compassion needed in order to rid our lives of the tyranny that
inequality creates.

At the heart of this work lies Kristen Becker (Buffalo Art Voice’s 2012 Best Comedian).

Laughter as a weapon is something Becker takes close to heart. Comedians like her succeed
because they help individuals to rearrange the way we all understand social relationships. Topics
such as sexuality forces the listener to reevaulate their understanding of identity from both their
own understand as well as the one being conveyed by the comedian. Under her guidance, the Queen
City is armed with an arsenal of humor (both by performance as well as mentoring) that is helping
to redefine the reality of this Blue Collar city. Her comedy began over ten years ago and she has
travelled all across the United States promoting her no-holds-bars progressive comedy on a
plethora of sensitive issues. Her success brought her home to Buffalo six years ago, where she
started reinventing a comedy scene downtown that had previously been dead for over a decade.

Starting with Doin’ Time Comedy at a music venue aptly named Nietzsche’s, Becker has given a
voice to those who want to speak their mind about issues that matter in life through the art of the
jocular. Doin’ Time is in its sixth year and has had over 90 different comics take its stage to not only
develop, but educate those who come out to watch. Shortly after starting Doin’ Time Comedy,
Becker hit the road on one of the first ever tours featuring lesbian comics, going to places in which
progressive comedy can be frowned upon. The success of the Dykes of Hazard Tour gave birth to
the Comedy Variety Hour at the Babeville Arts Center, located in the heart of Buffalo. Notably, the
show consists of more than just comedy, focusing on music as well as a burlesque show.

These shows not only combat long standing prejudices; they are also a part of Buffalo’s rebuilding
process. The growing comedy scene, according to Becker, can help stimulate the economy by
making it a place where people come to see comedy. With a downtown comedy club, people can
focus on coming to shows that represent the local culture but also see national acts, which up until
now, have shunned the Nickel City for cities like Cleveland and Rochester. As a Buffalo native,
Becker wants the city to regain the popularity that made it one of the most progressive cities at the
turn of the twentieth century.
Her motivation to make Buffalo succeed is best understood by her focus away from individual
differences that constrain our development (both individually as well as a City) and focus on the
importance of similarity.

As a sociologist, I cannot agree with her more. A good joke does not divide us in its incongruity; it
makes us laugh at how petty we can be concerning difference, and by seeing how we are in fact the
same, can have monumental effects on all of us regardless of our sexuality, race, ethnicity, or
gender.

Although the conversations I have had with Kristen Becker (and this article) might seem like nothing
more than reinventing the wheel, it is important to remember that the more we talk about individuals
like Becker, the more we can focus on those everyday occurrences of similarity that will help us
push for the equality we all deserve.

Stand-up comedy, and humor in general, covers or euphemizes issues and topics that are
considered as controversial. The article sums this up. In the Philippines, the use of humor in TV
shows and movies, allow anyone to think about issues (such as political, social, and economical
issues) in the country. Stand-up comedy has brought this kind of branding in the platform. Stand-
up comedians, with careful writing, and delivery, put controversies on a platter and serve them
their audience, the Filipinos who make decisions during elections.