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TEN Philippine comedy powerhouses unite LOL: Last Smiling Philippinesa series that premiered on Prime Video on July 4. LOL is a six-part competition in which participants compete against each other in a test of strength, with the aim of making others laugh without panicking themselves.
For six hours, the ten contestants test their comedic skills and self-control, with every moment captured by multiple cameras to accurately determine the winner.
The show gives viewers a front-row seat to the clash of wit and endurance of the participating comics – Victor Anastacio, Jayson Gainza, Pepe Herrera, Chad Kinis, Empoy Marquez, Kim Molina, Jerald Napoles, Negi, Tuesday Vargas and Rufa Mae Quinto. The host of the show is box office star and comedian Vice Ganda.
While most of the contestants have been in show business for decades, one stands out as the biggest threat to the rest.
“Pinagtulungan nila or kaya lagi akong galit (They tackled me and that’s why I was always angry),” Ms. Quinto said at a press conference at Okada Manila in Parañaque City on June 28.
As a Filipino actress and comedian with naturally exaggerated mannerisms and tone, she viewed the show as an opportunity to show off her skills to younger comedians.
For Ms. Molina — the youngest in the cast but with a background in singing, theater and acting — it was a challenge to be with comedians she admired.
“Tinitingala ko kasi lahat kasi ako ang pinaka-bata. Idol ko silang lahat (I have looked up to them all since I was the youngest. They are all my idols),” she said at the press conference.
She said that at one point she simply chose to cry so she wouldn’t laugh at the others’ hilarious antics. Another challenge was that her longtime on-screen and real-life partner, Jerald Napoles, was also in the cast.
Mr Napoles explained that they both didn’t allow their relationship to get in the way as they were just focused on the competition.
He did mention the effect of making the series in the era of cancel culture. “People are now more opinionated and can choose and filter what they like. We hope that thanks to social media, people will be more aware of different types of comedy. We as comedians can enjoy the variety,” he said.
The LOL: Last one laughing format is available in 13 countries on Prime Video, with the Italy, France and Germany versions being the most watched in their respective territories. There are also versions of the show in Mexico, Australia, India, Spain, Canada, Netherlands, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil and Sweden.
In addition to the recently released Philippine adaptation, LOL: Last Laughing Thailand And LOL: Last Laughing Indonesia also premiered in July.
“Filipinos can expect local touches in their edition, such as the setting bah ni lola (grandmother’s house), with a set built from the ground up and backed by months of planning and pre-production,” said Darin Darakananda, head of central scripted series and films for Amazon’s International Originals.
However, the mechanics of all franchises are the same: every laugh, smile or even lifting the corner of the mouth will warrant a warning. The second time an individual receives a warning equals their elimination.
The cast was carefully chosen to ensure an interesting mix of diverse professional backgrounds, from comedy bar stalwarts to stand-up performers to funny theater and film actors.
Randolph Longjas, director of LOL: Last Smiling Philippines, added that he watched other versions of the franchise before filming theirs.
“I am now very proud of our brand of comedy that can match and even surpass the others. Vice Ganda is also the only host of them all LOL franchise that comes from the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer plus) community,” he said.
Mr Ganda explained that as host it was his prerogative to sit back and enjoy the “six-hour free show” that the ten contestants put on – but he also had to watch them to make sure no one was laughing .
“If you have a natatawa costume, you can do this (At first I felt the laughter, but later it turned into admiration). In comedy you can see the soul of the person,” he said.
“Napapangiti nito en mukha en napapasaya nito ang puso (Comedy lightens the face and also brings joy to the heart).”
LOL: Last Smiling Philippines officially premiered on Prime Video on July 4, with two more being released each subsequent week. Prime Video is available in the Philippines for P149 per month. – Brontë H. Lacsamana