The need for Comedy talk during these 'Quarantimes'

08/28/20 11:20:56 PM

It's tough times in 2020. People are getting anxious with all that's happening here and around the globe – even before this pandemic locked us down to our homes. Some were even to the depressing extent.

As a person, it's hard for me to live by each day. I'm jobless, turning 30, and am really struggling to get by. Obviously, watching newscast programs with stories surrounding current events had been my thing ever since. This year, however, I have to take it to only a certain extent and ditch them on right away when too much politics and uncontrolled public opinion already hit my nerves.

There goes comedy shows – the most entertaining genre of all media content and my personal favorite. Maybe I had endured too much drama already at this point of time. There are so many hit shows on my Netflix and iWant apps, but they seemed dragging from the paper, to which I would reserve watching it for later on. I'm sorry that I wasn't ready, man.

At least, sitcoms could help me get by during wee hours, where I am basically sleep-deprived in my bed (thanks for the tip, JDL!).

A few days ago, my partner hooked me up with a screenshot of an online film discussion about comedy writing. It turned my switch on in a snap, like “Damn it, I wanna go! Where do I sign?”

The talk featured no less than Mark Meily, a known producer, directors, and educator, in the country's film industry. Some of his iconic gems include Crying Ladies, Baler, La Visa Loca, the movie adaptation of Bob Ong's ABNKKBSNPLAko?, and El Presidente, to name a few. He was also the main man behind the critically-acclaimed Filipino edition of Camera Cafe, the short comedy sketch aired late nights on GMA and QTV during mid-2000s.

It was an interesting discussion for the better part of a two-hour hangout with Direk Mark and the rest of Quarantimes. Well, maybe because I was then a frustrated satirist. No wonder I fell love with the likes of Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata, Sic O'Clock News, and The Dictator.

And with comedy being the hardest thing to do during this era of political correctness, it seems everyone needs to take a very smart approach. It has to be self-deprecating. Quite toughie for a lot, eh?

Another interesting idea is to not to attack the icon, but the one who supports them without blatantly telling them they're damn wrong. It's like asking your hardcore political fantard who claims about “finally, we will have discipline here in the country,” only for him to end up being a hypocrite by doing one action that says the other way around.

And as the talk goes on, there I learned how some situational comedy programs turned into a full-blown gag like AaSnK and FRIENDS. Probably some of the blockbuster Vice Ganda movies would be a good thing to study the case on why there are so many punchlines to digest in 30 seconds or so.

Of course, there are the displayed mechanics of romantic comedy, too – something that I don't prefer touching my hands on. I'd rather watch these bunch of lovers spat to a funny pulp instead. Though it's still interesting to know how they work really well.

Did this reignited my hope to do this shit soon? I hope, even for a bit. I have yet to get my mojo on writing.

But hey, I'm no expert, and I'd rather not spoil anything there. So if I were you, go to the Facebook page of Quarantimes and watch the afternoon-long video right there.

Sorry, there are no punch lines here, by the way.

Author: slickmaster | © 2020 The SlickMaster's Files