Red Ollero on his historic Netflix show, and standing up for stand-up comedy

Earning a place in the streaming platform

Having a Netflix special had been a longtime goal of Ollero since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but when getting a referral proved too difficult, he decided to use the power of the internet and post his recorded shows online, hoping to gain some traction.

Netflix took notice of Ollero's burgeoning success when his performances began to resonate with audiences, prompting the streaming giant to cast its gaze upon him.

Upon receiving approval from Netflix for his comedy shows, the seasoned comedian embarked on reshooting enhanced versions of his skits in collaboration with director Ryan Puno from the online comedy channel SOLID OK, along with the acclaimed director Marius Talampas.

Now that his show is being streamed, Ollero harbors hopes that this milestone will serve as a catalyst for Filipino stand-up comedy to ascend to unprecedented heights.

"Kung 'yung accolade na 'yun would mean na the people who would watch my stuff ay madidiscover nila na may stand-up comedy scene pala sa Pilipinas, and then they start watching and supporting the scene more, attending the live shows more, then doon ako matutuwa," he said.

"Ang primary purpose ko is to tell people that we have a growing and rising stand-up comedy scene here na maraming comedians na nakakatawa. Sana ang mangyari, manood sila, matuwa sila sa'kin, tapos maghanap pa sila," he added.

Cracking the joke

In coming up with his humorous material, Ollero said that there's a lot of trial and error going on behind the scenes when writing his jokes.

"I went through a lot of topics and jokes that didn't make the cut," he shared. "There's nothing really special about the topic selection, it's more of 'These are the things in my life that affect me in the past two to three years' and then develop it into a joke."

When questioned about his approach to eliciting laughter from audiences, the I Am Not Big Bird actor revealed that there's no secret formula to tap into their sense of humor.

But the one thing he places high value on is ensuring that his material is original and shows a "very unbridled and unhindered" version of himself.

"'Yung mga Pilipino, when we create something, we're always inspired by a lot of things. Pinoy version ni ganito, Pinoy version ni ganyan. Sobrang hindi tayo sanay na nag-iinnovate ang mga Pinoy entertainers," Ollero said.

"'Yung stand-up comedy kasi, 'yung craft niya is really centered on showing your individuality. So if you believe everybody is unique, then definitely, dapat original 'yung material mo," he continued.

Despite his growing successes, Ollero has faced his own share of failed jokes, particularly in today's climate of heightened sensitivity. He acknowledges this as an inherent aspect of the comedy landscape, recalling an incident where he inadvertently offended someone by joking about a burger.

"Hindi mo siya maiiwasan," he said. "Parang hindi mo talaga alam kung saan sila ma-ooffend, so might as well just be yourself. Hindi ko masyadong finifilter ang sarili ko kasi ang intention ko is magpatawa talaga, wala akong ibang intention. So kung may maooffend or hindi mapatawa, that's fine."

"Ngayon, kapag naooffend 'yung mga tao, gusto nila tumigil na 'yung career ng tao, hindi na siya mag-eexist dahil naoffend lang sila for three minutes. Hindi ba masyadong harsh? Wag mo na lang suportahan, then let other people judge," he added.

The unfunny side to being a comedian

Despite his career centered on bringing joy to others, Ollero candidly admitted that there were numerous occasions when he grappled with doubt and uncertainty about his chosen path, finding himself in low spirits.

"There's a lot of failure kasi in this craft, and minsan talaga it wears you down," he said.

"I've seen comedians na they do such a bad set that they don't come back, parang na-embarrass sila talaga. And I've felt some of those and I felt na minsan, may mga moments na 'Wow, hindi yata talaga para sa'kin ito,'" he added.

He recalls facing crossroads in his career, moments where he wavered in his convictions and nearly compromised his ideals in pursuit of opportunities.

But Ollero pressed on in being a comedian, because, in his words, "Masarap siyang gawin, nakakaadik siyang gawin."

"Para siyang validation and satisfaction and pagpuri all in one bundle. Kapag nakanood ka ng show ng live, kapag tumawa 'yung mga tao, malakas 'yung energy eh tapos nahahawa ka kahit masama 'yung mood mo," he said.

"Tapos 'yung energy na 'yun, kinukuha ko rin 'yun as a performer, nagagamit ko 'yung momentum to perform even better. Nag-eenergy exchange lang kayo. It's a room full of strangers that don't know each other, but for some reason, they're making each other happy," he highlighted.

So what's next for the local comedian?

According to him, his goal following his Netflix debut is to expand his shows beyond Metro Manila, aiming to tour various cities across the Philippines. He has set his sights on destinations such as Naga, Iloilo, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, Baguio, Ilocos, and beyond.

For big dreamers out there just like Ollero, he offers this simple message: "I hope you guys can pursue your passion. Bigyan niyo siya ng importansya, bigyan niyo siya ng panahon na gawin siya."

Red Ollero: Mabuhay Is A Lie premiered on Netflix on March 14.