Laugh and Stack Open Mic Showdown: Laughing Out Loud All Night with the Boys of Comedy Cartel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Being a stand-up comic is really hard work. For one, you need to match your jokes to your audience profiles. You can only find out what tickles their fancy once you're already in the middle of the stage and doing your thing. Thus, you need to have a lot of stuff as reserve. Find their soft spot first by trying out a few short jokes, serve the similar ones that clicks, and continue pushing the experience further to that point where they will really laugh out loud, and you're good for the rest of the night.

The experience on stage and performing for a huge crowd must have been totally out of this world. I can imagine the stage fright, and that "mental block" state when you forgot all of your lines, plus all the sweaty foreheads and armpits due to nervousness especially if the crowd does not react to your initial jokes. I would have fainted and almost died immediately.

I therefore admired those who were able to finish their few minutes of fame or shame, whatever they may call it, but the courage they showed to get up on that stage really points more to respect towards the boys of Comedy Cartel during the Laugh and Stack Open Mic Showdown held at Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge located at Bonifacio Global City last July 12, 2014.

The night was filled with jokes coming from both newbies and veteran stand-up comics who all fought for the votes of the audience on who will emerge as the crowd's favorite. With special guests like Uli Oposa and Mike Unson, the night promised to be full of laughter.

I was early at the event and fortunate enough so was Mike whom I got to interview up close and personal. I will be writing a separate special article about him because I believe he deserves a bigger spotlight than just a mention here.So watch out for that soon.

I didn't get their exact names but the likes of Chip, Miguel, Nonong, Hugh, Chris, Winer, Rene, Haresh, Franco, and Justine performing on stage was actually overwhelming. I think it's the first time I've seen a lot of comics perform in juts one night. Come to think of it, it's also the first time I've seen a lot of comics as young as these boys who shook Relik with an intensity that was damn damaging already.

Yeah! I swear I had my eyes and ears glued to everything they've said (after I took photos of each and every comic while they were starting their lines so I could post their pics on Instagram) but just like everything around us, there was bound to be one that would get my vote for being the most entertaining that night which eventually turned out as the over all crowd favorite as well.. I had no choice. I had to pick one but was proud for it was a great choice indeed since he got majority of the votes. It only means I also do recognize talent.

Hosted by the vibrant Abe from the Switch Improv group, this guys really made the night more lively as he maneuvers through the night like a pro. I loved the way he consistently gave energetic introductions for every comic who joined in the Laugh and Stack Open Mic Showdown. This guy probably drank a lot of energy drinks before going on stage.

Chip or Joel bravely came out first to set fire on the stage. Did he get burn? There was no fight against a giant squid that night but he sure inked a memorable impression that will last for days. Being the first one to set the mood was a really tough thing to do but he sure prepared the audience to see a glimpse of what's in store that night.

Rene was hilariously fascinating. Must be because he's a writer for GMA 7's equally hilarious comedy show Bubble Gang. Did he used some of the jokes he wrote for the gang of misfits on TV? Get to watch him perform after you've seen an episode and you'll find out.

Justine proves that being drunk let's you become more creative with your jokes, but was it me or do I feel his jokes a bit dragging at the latter part. But his friends seemed to like him and his antics, so I want to make friends with him as well so we could all be happy while drinking our favorite beer....or make that beeeerrrrssss!

Haresh may be the defending champion but it seems he was overthrown that night by the man with the big belly. I liked his jokes that much.... and felt he earned the right to be a previous champ. The future must have been so bright that he had to wear shades. On one hand was a bottle of beer, and the other was a microphone, he has his hands full of what's to come...and hoping it's all good funny.

Chris deserves an applause for the effort he made that night. He may not have uttered a single line that made sense and got goosebumps so early, he's still so young so there's a lot more time to improve and gain more confidence. He may not yet have nerves of steel but he probably has a lot of heart to continue with his passion.

Franco had me worried for a while but he sure showed me that I was wrong to judge prematurely. He was able to serve a few good punch lines but apparently it wasn't enough compared to what the other boys shared.

Miguel had his better half nearby and was surprised he mentioned her during his time. I would have been so distracted having my wife watch me as I perform but it seems she was his inspiration to motivate him to do well with his lines. It would have worked but I guess he was just too pretty to grab the crown from the other guy who looks like a cop.

Nonong (confused as Nonoy that night) made fun of himself that night so that's probably why he stood out. He took advantage of his "indecent" features and worked his way to develop strong punch lines revolving around the premise of looking like the traditional "kotong" cop.  Pssst!! Malapit na muli ang pasko.. siguradong dami na namang aaligid sa paligid.

Hugh (I heard Lou that night) would have elicited a few more laughs from us if not for the level of his jokes. I couldn't really relate probably because I'm not that socially aware or he was too charming to become a comic. Seriously, he had the guts to be there and confront a crowd that may be hard to fathom, so I admired him for that.

Winer went to try his luck after everyone else. He's also a big guy just like Nonong but he looks a lot more like a bouncer than a policeman. I was strangely addicted to his time to shine and expected a lot more but the time was just too short for me to see more of what he can do to evoke laughter out of me.

While gathering the votes, Comedy Cartel proudly presented two professional stand-up comics to entertain the crowd while they were busy tabulating the results. 

Uli Oposa tickled the crowd with a lot of engaging lines that will make you wish you were there that night. I actually know her sister from a previous event that I attended where she was guest speaker, and just like her, they seem to have inherited a lot of creativity from their parents. Don't worry, Uli...you're not that fat! But I have to admit her sister from the seas is as sexy as a mermaid.

Headlining for the night was Mike Unson who really brought the house down with his Shaider stories. He seemed to be a huge fan of the superhero and the Time Space Warp. I was also hoping he would mention Annie and her revealing white panties, but I was probably asking a lot already. Thank you for mentioning Wazzup Pilipinas as among the distinguished guests.

Overall, the night couldn't be any better. After a great dinner (of which I'm going to do a review on a separate blog article) served by Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge, the entertainment brought by the participants of the Laugh and Stack Open Mic Showdown was extremely fulfilling already. In fact, I felt really good right after since I couldn't get rid of that awfully contagious grin that was right smacked in my face for the rest of the night until your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger got home and got scolded by my wife for coming home at the wee hours of the morning...hehehe. I wish I had the comics talent so I could make her laugh instead of raising her eyebrows and screaming loud at me. Lol!

Seriously, I had a blast listening to these guys who made everyone laugh and cheer. Making people laugh is harder than making people weep. But when all of these guys start conquering the stage one at a time, you'll probably become teary-eyed as well because of all that laughing.