Tim Tayag: ‘Imported’ from America

With his looks, he could pass for a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer or a banker. For a while, he did play the part, having a day job as a computer analyst while dabbling in stand-up comedy.

Tim Tayag, a nephew of chef and culinary expert Claude Tayag, grew up in the Philippines but moved to the US with his family. While in the Philippines, Tim studied at the Ateneo where he honed his skills in comedy doing impressions of his teachers, particularly the Jesuit priests. It was a prime source of amusement for the whole class that got him into trouble occasionally. "I remember this one teacher, he was a German priest who spoke in Tagalog, and it was really funny," says Tim with a laugh.

After college in the US, Tim landed a job as a computer analyst. But he never forgot his comedy. In 1997, he started working at daytime and doing comedy at night. That year, he signed on to do a gig at a small café in San Francisco where, he recalls, "I played to a huge crowd of four, mostly my friends."

It took only a few performances before Tim realized he was hopelessly hooked. He started taking his act to bigger venues and became a regular at the world-famous Cobb’s Comedy Club and San Francisco’s Punch Line where famous comedians like Robin Williams and Tim Allen have also performed. In 2003, Tim – who was then working for a dotcom company – lost his job. When he lost his girlfriend soon after, he realized there was nothing left for him in the US and he decided to return to the Philippines.

"I lost everything, and the only thing left was the comedy. So I came to the Philippines to see if I could do it here," says Tim.

It was thrilling, says Tim, to find that local comedy had evolved from the basic slapstick routines to something more cerebral. Thanks to cable TV, Filipinos were now more discriminating when it came to comedy. A few weeks later, Tim was strutting his stuff at places like Sanctum and Comfort Room, where he now has a loyal following.

The beauty of Tim’s routine is he jokes about what would otherwise be ordinary slices of Pinoy life – anything from dating to buying pirated DVDs at Virra Mall. "I usually carry a small notebook where I write down ideas for my routine," says Tim. "Some of my friends tell me, ‘You’re not going to put me in your routine, are you?’ But it’s a real-life experiences that make the best material."

Asked to describe his brand of comedy, Tim says, "It’s hard for me to describe myself since I am always evolving." Audiences, however, describe his style as witty, cerebral, weird, edgy and sometimes self-deprecating. And when a joke falls flat, he just laughs at himself and works his way through it in such a deadpan manner that becomes the joke itself.

Tim’s friend and colleague, Rex Navarette, is also making a name in the Philippines." Rex and I knew each other in the US; we even did shows together," Tim says. "Actually, I got here before he did and I did a scouting trip for him. Fortunately, the results were good." Rex and Tim are managed by Girlie Rodis of Talentworks Asia.

I Carry No Stick

IBO, a group of independent musicians who have banded to create beautiful music, releases its third album, I Carry No Stick available at Tower Records, Music One and Odyssey stores.

IBO was formed in 2000 when Irish songwriter Sean Power sought the help of Victor Oria, keyboardist of Parliament Syndicate to help him arrange songs for his demo track.

During the meeting, ideas were formed and eventually an album, Love Is Where We’re Going, was born.

Love Is Where We’re Going was appreciated by the public. With Sean being Irish, and Victor, Filipino, there was no way for the album but to carry distinct Irish and Filipino sounds. Love Is Where We’re Going has sultry vocals, easy rhythms, keyboard, saxophones, trombones and lyrics that are easy to follow.

IBO’s new album, I Carry No Stick is a fusion of Latin, jazz, Eastern and world music also evident in the group’s earlier albums.

I Carry No Stick contains the cuts Cebu Sunrise, This Could Be, WYCD, Peace Belong Everywhere, Xpand ur Mind, Lumulutag, To Think That I... I Carry No Stick, First Night in Beijing, West and Into Shifting Sands, The Lamp Flickered and I Remembered.

The IBO clan is composed of John Power, Victor Oria, Dodjie Alegarbes, Rowena Michael, Judith Alegarbes, Alex Fidel, Tim Lesaca, Tata Balane, Riki Gonzales, Johnny Alegre, Ronnie Marqueses, Isla Antinero, JD Villanueva, Ike Dyliacco and Ruel Cabrera.