A dose of laughter and entertainment

Some people set aside part of their monthly wages to visit comedy bars for a night of entertainment (well-deserved after slaving it out at work every day).

Comedy bars began mushrooming all over the metropolis in the mid-‘80s and among the finest products of such establishments were Arnell Ignacio and Ai-Ai delas Alas. Yes, these places teem with talents and are the best training ground for anyone who wants to make a career as a host or comedian on TV and in the movies.

I wish I could frequent comedy bars, except that my tolerance level for noise is only this much and I can never stand all the smoking done in those joints. (Maybe I should check these out if only to see if the smoking ban is observed in such venues.)

Thankfully, I can now spend late Saturday night smoke-free  and in the privacy of my own home  but still get my dose of entertainment. GMA 7’s Comedy Bar provides me that.

The show is hosted by one of the most outstanding alumni of the comedy bar circuit, Allan K. The viewers therefore are assured that the program is handled by the very best in this kind of business.

Co-host Eugene Domingo’s only comedy bar experience most probably was just as part of the audience, but let’s not forget that she is theater-honed and the training there is just as exacting if not even more demanding. She is multi-talented and intelligent. You can put her anywhere and she’ll whip up a good job out of it. (Those who watched Babae sa Septic Tank and Kimmy/Dora must all be nodding now.)

Of different background, Allan and Eugene actually make the perfect combination. I wish though that Allan K. would on occasion also do solo stand-up comedy acts because I never saw him in action  when he was still performing at comedy bars. (He was only introduced to me via Eat, Bulaga!)

Quite fittingly, the show has segments that feature amateur stand-up comics. Last Saturday, I think they found a gold mine in this person who uses the screen name Echo.

Still young, Echo brims with so much talent and provided so much entertainment as he comically described the different kinds of chefs in the kitchen. Somebody who cooks for friends  friend-chef (friendship). Somebody who owns his own restaurant  owner-chef (ownership).

That may not be funny on print, but it was different when he delivered his spiels. His timing was impeccable  and no buckles, please.

That Saturday evening actually turned out to be discovery night. In the part where show regular Ate Gay was making his rounds as part of his stand-up act, he accidentally positioned himself at a table where he met his match  another young man named Jonathan.

Jonathan could make animal sounds  in the most hilarious manner. A showdown ensued between the veteran and the newbie. Ate Gay, the true talent that he is, did not allow himself to be outdone. It was tit for tat and his years as a stand-up comic served him well  despite the threat from Jonathan, whom I believe will one day be a big-name in the comic business, along with Echo.

Another segment that used to amuse me is the one with Brazilian Fabio Ide mangling our national language  all for fun, so it doesn’t hurt even the most patriotic among us.

I say used to because this act should be changed. He obviously only reads from a board (manila paper, actually) and gets away with it. While it is still funny, it had already become predictable. The audience surely will appreciate a little more effort and that is the least he could do considering the fact that he is surrounded by talents in that show who all sweated it out to help build a now-established program like Comedy Bar.

Overall, however, Comedy Bar is always a delight to watch late Saturday nights. This show lends credence to the fact that TV will always be the cheapest form of entertainment.