History has been made. With the release of Mabuhay Is A Lie, local standup comic Red Ollero becomes the first homegrown Filipino to ever have a standup special on Netflix. It’s a first that opens the door wide for other comedians like him, and maybe even mainstream comedy acts to consider taking their talents to the streaming service. 

But with all that in mind, is Red’s inaugural effort something we can be proud of? Let’s take a look at the things you can’t help but take note of while watching the special.

8. This is more of a storytelling comedy show than a one-liner show

If you were expecting something along the lines of a Pork Chop duo special, you might end up being surprised to discover that Red’s comedic styling lends itself to a more laid-back storytelling approach. It’s not the type of comedy that goes for a high laughs-per-minute rate, but one that tries to piece together various funny stories that strike at the core of Red’s expertise, which is…

7. Red clearly writes what he knows

Most comics who are edgy and push the envelope nowadays are exactly that because they know as little about the topics they take shots at as humanly possible. Red is the opposite. The things he pokes fun at are things he’s lived and experienced, which makes his thoughts on the matter insightful, if not outright funny.

Think about other comics who joke about trans people without ever really taking the time to know what they’re actually about. Comedy borne from ignorance tends to be shallow and mean-spirited.

This comedy is a little more thoughtful, even at its edgiest moments, because Red clearly did the legwork to only make jokes about things he has some grasp of understanding of.

6. There’s something for everybody here

If you’ve heard of Red, you’ve heard some of his detractors handwave his comedy as “eh nagmumura lang naman yan, eh.” But that doesn’t reflect the full extent of his comedic arsenal. From fat jokes to jokes about being a pseudo-celebrity to his love and sex life and a host of other topics he cycles through effortlessly, he has a range of material that a good chunk of people can relate to. Although…

5. Still, it’s not for everyone

You can’t really fault a comic if certain types of audiences will have a hard time connecting with them, but it has to be pointed out that Red’s humor will probably not resonate with the general masses. In writing what he knows, Red makes no pretenses about having jokes that can easily hit with every socio-economic class, and that’s fine. The problem is when people pin that unfair expectation on a comic — any comic at all.

4. The audience really helps

Red’s material has its moments, but given his raconteur approach, which isn’t going for quick and easy laughs, those moments are fewer and further in between than what you’ve come to expect from the one-liner style or insult comedy approach that’s more popular in the mainstream. Thankfully, Red has full control of his audience, who is on board with his sense of humor the whole way. 

3. It’s surprisingly wholesome

Yes — despite sex jokes, a lengthy bit about stepping in dog poop, and a host of other off-color material, Red has demonstrated that you can still make a comedy without having to punch down. The care he took to not kink-shame when that was the easiest thing to do was pretty impressive, especially when he still found a way to see the funny side of it. Again, it’s the kind of thoughtful comedy that goes beyond knee-jerk anti-wokeness that needs to be commended here.

2. It’s surprisingly vulnerable

Was this by design? Maybe or maybe not, but Red’s comedy reveals a lot about him. Possibly even more than he originally intended. We won’t be here to spoil those insights you can glean about the comic, but this is the closest a comedian can get to baring his or her soul onstage without actively doing so.

And at the risk of this being considered a backhanded compliment, here goes: what Red’s special lacks in huge laughs, he makes up for in genuine insight and thought-provocation, even at the shallowest of his material

1. It’s at least worth a watch

While we’ve established that it’s not the kind of comedy that’s for everybody, as a historical first, you owe it to yourself to at least find out if that’s the kind of comedy for you.

If not, the good news is that with Red’s foray into Netflix Standup, his other contemporaries — whether they be from Comedy Manila, Comedy Cartel, or Comedy Crew (It’s a looooong story, don’t ask) — are sure to be following in the coming months or years. There are even other comedy styles such as improv from SPIT and their countless spinoffs, comedy erotica from Deus Sex Machina, and of course, mainstream Pinoy comedy. The possibilities are officially endless.

Red Ollero blazed a trail, and nobody can take that away from him.

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