I remember writing an article about the way Pinoys need to change their comedy and this is more or less an extension or expansion of that article. See, besides annoying slapstick that seems more like cheap ripoffs of cartoon shows, Pinoy comedy is rife with stereotypes that would otherwise be deemed offensive in other countries and would easily earn one a good sized lawsuit or two and perhaps even a lynching from the people concerned. What makes things worse is that Pinoys can be so hypocritical in that they just love to make fun of other people but when someone, namely foreigners in their own comedy shows, turn the tables on them and make fun of them, they cry bloody murder and demand an apology.
So here are three stereotypes in Pinoy Comedy that need to be phased out or changed:
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The Flamboyant Gay And The Masculine Lesbian
Granted, these stereotypes actually exist but they are never portrayed in a way that is fair or truly sympathetic. At the end of the day, these characters are just made to look like idiots who want to be the opposite sex with little else to them asides from their envy of the alternate gender. Rarely are they portrayed as actual people, human beings with their own feelings and interests, and are just depicted as perverts who are interested in people of the same sex.
The Dark-Skinned Native
Another offensive stereotype that is common in Pinoy Comedy is the depiction of Filipino natives. They are almost always portrayed as either primitive-minded people or outright savages with no real understanding of modern living. They are almost never portrayed as educated people who can be every bit as competent as anyone from the city. What’s worse is that their short stature and dark skin is almost always shown as “ugly” and are often regarded as somehow less than human by the main cast.
People With Mental Disorders And Disabilities
Well, Pinoy media is already well-known for getting their facts wrong just about everything. In typical shows on prime-time TV, mental disorders are all too often downplayed or outright wrong. Instead of making these people sympathetic by portraying them accurately and encouraging people to understand them, they are shown as dangerous individuals who are either evil or possessed. In real life, these disorders and even some disabilities can be controlled using therapy but don’t ever expect this kind of thing in the local media, especially in our brand of comedy.
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Thing is, this is the kind of comedy that has little to offer people asides from developing their bigotry and ignorance. Indeed, like some of our commenters here, I long for the day when we’ll have a smarter and less offensive form of comedy. Looking at the kind of comedy we have today, I can only say that the things we love to laugh at are all too often ourselves and that by bullying those people mentioned above, we only show that we are a nation of bullies who are deeply insecure.
I HAVE RETURNED TO LAY WASTE TO OUR ENEMIES!
Hey grimmy, you forgot the ugly/fat/buttmonkey sidekick comic relief, though i guess they do fall under the dark-skinned native category.
most pinoys only get slapstick, shaming and parody (thanks to tito vic and joey. which makes me wonder why isnt weird al worshiped in this country?). they do not appreciate satire and black comedies (not chris rock standups you dumb animals). sarcasm is usually used by vice ganda, though the people do not laugh at the joke – they laugh at the person at the receiving end of the joke. so its basically a shaming/public humiliation kind of joke.
kudos to those who can name the category of this statement though: “i find the pinoy comedy scene in a very sad state”.
Grimwald, another article that I like from you because this nation tries to be like western countries. In America it is really rare to see Ladyboy, dyke lesbians and they are greatly outnumbered by regular fitting into society without flaunting sexuality everyday normal lesbians and homosexuals. Everytime I watch TV here I am reminded of how all minorities in the shows and movies from the 1960’s had minorities playing the roles of servants to the bad guys and nothing else. It really surprises me in a modern society where the race is the same people only lighter skin to darker skin.
Mostly comedians are used as powerful marketing tools has nothing to do with talent. People who enjoy offensive jokes are the same people who dont mind eating pagpag. Sad state of reality un our country.
TV has the most influence on our culture and morals, and it feeds Filipinos with cheap comedies that are offensive if not mean and discriminatory, toilet humor and intellectually insulting punch lines. I grew up with Eat Bulaga, then came Wowowee, Vice ganda and many others. At times you hear news reporters throw some cheap humor too. In as much as I want to patronize Filipino shows and movies, they are just painful to watch. I am still rooting for our show business to evolve. Someday.
how about in song? here’s an example, which probably has offended scores of short folk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NvgLkuEtkA
and so today, how often do you get to hear this?
or how about this infamous tune by Eric Clapton:
or how about this one by Weird Al Yankovic:
American humor, is much different, from British humor…German humor is different from French humor; and so forth and so on…
Filipino humor is different also. Sexual orientation; dark skinned; mental disorder; etc…maybe to Filipinos, these things are humorous to them; at the expense and humiliation of these people.
You just look at our leaders and politicians. There is a professional clown, who is elected as Senator. Almost all of our political leaders are behaving like clowns. “Ang sarap salpukin sila!”…instead, of “nakakatawa ang ginagawa nila”…
What is humorous to me; maybe an insult or offense, or outrage to you…we have individual differences, on how we perceive things…
no doubt many Canadians would be offended by this clip:
Browned-skin punk’d pigsnout English-challenged Filipinos are hanged-out to dry, they are:
1. RCBC Bank Manager deGuito
2. Renato Corona
3. The Binay Crime Family
4. Duterte
Who are protected by the Philippine Media that are run by U.P.-Graduates?
1. Of course, RCBC Lorenzo Tan
2. Two Chinese Money Launderers that were allowed to return to China but Filipino browned skin deGuito was IMMEDIATELY STOPPED!
3. Chinese traders were never ever shamed in Philippine Media
4. Spanish Industrialists were never ever shamed in Philippine Media
5. Chinese and Spanish businessmen were never ever involved in shenanigans, bribery and thievery
IT IS THE FATE OF BROWNED SKIN FILIPINOS TO BE SHAMED BY THEIR OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THEY ARE ALSO DEPICTED AS CROOKS AND THIEVES.
Non-traditional looking, half-bred half-white English-snob claimed-to-be Filipinos becomes beauty contestants to REPRESENT browned-skin punk’d pigsnout thick-lips curly hair Filipinos
They are:
1. German Wurtzbach
2. American Megan Young
3. Canadian Miss Internationale
FILIPINOS, LISTEN! DO NOT EVEN TRY TO APPLYING FOR MISS PHILIPPINES UNLESS YOU LOOK LIKE AN AMERICAN OR EUROPEAN.
Inquirer’s Preen Magazine is promoting caucasian not the Filipinos. Because Inquirer’s Preen Magazine finds Filipinos ugly and their Tagalog got no class.
Miss International is Canadian? Who??
Here are stereotypes of browned-skin punk’d nose Filipinos:
1. OFWs are browned-skin and English-challenged
2. They are houseslaves in movies
3. They are chauffer in movies
4. They are crooks in movies
5. They are sidewalk vendors in movies
6. They are SIMPLY WORTHLESS SCUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
7. If they are brown they are patriotic
8. If they are brown they are nationalistic
BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GO NOWHERE. THEY CANNOT IMMIGRATE. BECAUSE THEY ARE UGLY.
Here are stereotypes of Mestizo, mestiza, tsinito, tsinita half-bred half-white blue-eyed English snob actors and actresses:
1. They are always wealthy
2. They always travel abroad
3. They are addressed Senorito, senorita, don and dona
4. They speak foreign language
AND TO THINK THEY ARE ONLY THE MINORITY.
That is why Filipinos do not have pride in their looks.
That is why Filipinos do not have dignity in their work
What are you talking about?
Filipinos are vain with their looks. They love beauty pageants, keeping the sweat/oil off of their face, and trying to look and smell good (plus keeping their skin white).
They have dignity in their work. They don’t really know what they’re doing most of the time, but they usually try and be as good as possible if they take pride in what they’re doing. It’s mostly not up to Western standards, usually it’s just the “good enough” standard.
Reducing a group to a slur or stereotype reduces us all.
I have a Filipino friend who immigrated to America right after his high school graduation in the Philippines. He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. He hasn’t told any of his high school classmates about his mental disorder because he knows they’ll just make fun of him.
btw-is that Mike Allred’s artwork?
No idea. I don’t choose the pics for the articles. The admins do. I’m just a contributor.