LAUGHTER, THE BEST MEDICINE
By Aj Mallari

Laughter seems to have a therapeutic effect on different forms of illness and disorders. It is being used to help patients with problems as diverse as depression, high blood pressure and cancer. It is hypothesized that laughter stimulates the immune system. Psychotherapists have begun incorporating humor in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders. Okay, so maybe your problems may not be as far fetched as the above mentioned cases, but it remains a fact that humor indeed helps us cope with the stress and problems of our daily lives. From time to time it is highly recommended that you take time off from your busy schedule and indulge yourself in the pleasures of life.

This is where comedy bars become very good alternatives to your usual barhopping nights. Sitcom , a stand-up comedy bar located at Las Piñas has worked its ways towards the hearts of the people who live in Las Piñas and is even catching the attention of people from Manila and even Quezon city. Sitcom on a typical night usually caters to people in their early twenties to late forties, especially the working class. It has become a hangout for these people after work, a chance to unwind, relax and have a good time with your friends laughing all night. For an entrance fee of only 50 pesos you can enjoy all night the shows offered in Sitcom , which starts from 6p.m till the wee hours of the morning, daily! You could go there anytime and they’ll always be a show. Sitcom is just like any other bar when you first enter it, but after being there for only a few minutes it would be clear that your going to be treated to something much more that just drinks and music. Inside the bar is a stage where there are usually three comics. What makes the place more interesting is that, not only are the comics very funny but they also sing very well. The comics were usually gays and women who take turns making fun of each other taking pot shots at each other to the delight of the crowd. But that isn’t the end of it, the customers themselves are also encouraged to go unto the stage and sing, ala videoke in front of all the people. For the brave souls who even thought of singing in front of such a crowd, they had another surprise coming their way, the comics would actually take shots at the customer before letting them get the microphone for them to sing. You had to be a very good sport to be able to take the things that the comics will dish out on you, it seems that if you wanted to take the stage from the comics you had to pay the price and most of them do, to the delight of the audience, me in particular. After all the insults, laughter and off-key singing, it was all good. Another great thing about this comedy bar is that it isn’t just a comedy bar. Recently Sitcom had the Sex Bomb dancers as guest and as expected they danced, partied and even sang the night away. The Sex Bomb dancers rocked Sitcom to the satisfaction of the males in the audience, but not to be outdone the females also joined in the partying and the dancing showing the guys that they also knew how to have fun. It was a night of drinking, singing, dancing and laughing all in all a very fun night, and that’s what Sitcom is all about, good wholesome (sometimes naughty) fun.

In the Las Piñas area Sitcom isn’t the only comedy bar, there is also 22nd Street which was there even before Sitcom . 22nd Street used to be the only comedy bar in the area and had all the customers, naturally. 22nd Street just like Sitcom caters to mature audiences who want to have fun, but if I were to choose between 22nd Street and Sitcom I would choose Sitcom . Not because it is the better comedy bar but because it ia not only a comedy bar it also offers a more complete experience of fun. 22nd Street in itself isn’t bad itself for those people who just want to sit down relax while enjoying a great show. All in all, its really up to you whether you want high-octane fun or just plain fun in itself, either way will do after all. We just have to remember that when we are open to humor, laughter in general, we tend to change our mindset from a serious and objective view of our world into a more playful and creative one. Instead of looking at things from just one point of view we begin to explore things around us, even using different angles to come up with newer and sometimes better ideas. Through humor and comedy we begin to put into our minds that however serious life may seem, there is always another, a much brighter side of life. This way of thinking encourages us to take things seriously, but not too seriously after all we only get one chance to live our life why not make the most out of what we have. Open yourself to humor. Take up the funny life style and share it with others. Read and tell jokes. Watch humorous movies and television. Stimulate your amuse system. Get serious about humor.