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Kuala Lumpur. The creator of a popular three-man stand-up comedy show called the Malaysian Association of Chinese Comedians wants to explain to his audience how he was elected as its chief “since Malaysia is big on transparency nowadays.”

“Me, Jenhan and Chi Ho sat down and voted. And I won,” says Douglas Lim.

“By 600 votes.”

Grinning broadly, he adds: “Let me assure you, it was a clean and fair election.”

The 100-minute, three-man show under the acronym MACC, which is largely in English, played to sell-out crowds at the PJ Live Arts Centre this month. It featured Lim, Kuah Jenhan and Phoon Chi Ho, each doing his own routine, poking fun mostly at political and social issues here.
The MACC's annual show, now into its third year, has been one of the biggest successes on the local comedy circuit. Despite expanding from six to eight shows this year, tickets sold out two weeks early, faster than in previous years.

Indeed, Malaysia's comedy circuit has been booming in the last three years, local comedians say, thanks in part to such influences as YouTube.

Lim, 34, feels that the popularity of the video-sharing website has exposed more Malaysians to the largely Western style of stand-up comedy.

With video clips available at a click of the mouse, YouTube also proved an invaluable source for budding comedians who want to learn from top international stars like Chris Rock. Such material was not easily available in the past.

It was also three years ago that Time Out KL magazine started a monthly stand-up comedy show called Time Out Comedy Thursday, which is currently held at local nightclub Zouk, located in town. Its goal was simple.

“To get KL laughing,” says its founder and magazine editor Matt Bellotti.

With no stand-up comedy scene to speak of at that time, the show focused more on nurturing local talent. It featured mostly young aspiring comedians and charged only RM15 to RM20.

And laugh they did. The audience for Time Out's shows quickly grew, from 60 for its first show in May 2008, to 100 the next month, and 150 soon after. Today, it regularly draws 350 people.

In that period, its regular pool of comedians has grown, from five to almost 20 now. Many comedians here have day jobs, although some, like Lim, work in related fields like acting and songwriting.

“It helps that Malaysian audiences have the right attitude,” says Bellotti, who is an Englishman. “Malaysians come for a good time. They don't heckle like audiences may do in the UK. That makes it easier for comedians who're starting out here.”

One of them is medical doctor Jason Leong, 26, who did his first tryout at an open-mike night at a Time Out show in June last year at the suggestion of his wife.

The five-minute routine was so well received that he went back for more shows, and was asked to perform in other gigs.

Eventually, he caught Lim's eye, impressing him enough to ask the newcomer to open the latest run of MACC's shows.

Malaysia's scene has grown big enough for Leong - who in his MACC routine says “he's new to comedy, unlike seasoned performers like [politicians] Ibrahim Ali and Samy Vellu” - to consider giving up his day job if he makes a name for himself, perhaps in five years' time.

While it is unlikely to make him the same amount of money, comedy event organizer Rizal Kamal feels that those with talent can make a living from it.

Corporate functions rarely hired stand-up comedians before, he says - only one out of 10 company dinners or events at best. Most favored singers or bands.

“But now, three or four out of 10 shows would feature a comedian, because the scene has developed. Some comedians have become familiar faces,” says Rizal, who is the managing director of LOL Events, an events and talent management company which was formed in 2009 and stages only comedy shows.

LOL Events started a regular series of stand-up comedy shows under the name, Comedy Club KL. Held in different venues, it features local and foreign comedians. Like Time Out's shows, it has grown - from one show a month to five shows now - and charges about RM60 a show, which attracts 300 people.

A premium show held at KLCC's Plenary Hall last year, featuring top comedians from the region with tickets costing up to RM300, sold out all 3,000 tickets. This year, LOL is planning to do the same show for two nights.

These developments have put Malaysia on the international comedy map. Mr Bellotti pointed out that a few years ago, a top international stand-up comedian like Ahmed Ahmed from the United States would not have come to Malaysia.

Ahmed is famous for being part of the acclaimed Axis Of Evil comedy tour, which has ethnic Middle Eastern comedians milking laughs about their identity and status in a post-Sept 11 world. Egyptian-born Ahmed is performing here next month.

The success of comedy has led to sponsors coming on board. Last year, Comedy Club KL lured leading telco Celcom to be one of its main sponsors, joining budget airline AirAsia. More companies have expressed interest to come on board this year.

“Stand-up comedy targets the older and urban market. It's intellectual, it's premium, which is why corporate money is coming in,” says Rizal.

The growth of the market also means that stand-up comedy is increasingly becoming a viable career for budding comedians here. A good young comedian can charge about RM3,500 for a half-hour corporate set after working in the scene for about two years, Mr Rizal estimates.

Top comedians, such as veteran Harith Iskandar, can charge more than RM10,000.

With its humor catered specifically for Malaysians - and with a lot of material that you will not see on TV - people are likely to keep flocking to watch stand-up comedians, says Harith, 45.

It is no coincidence that the MACC shares the same acronym as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the beleaguered government agency that has been embroiled in controversies, including the death of opposition aide Teoh Beng Hock.

Current affairs have become a goldmine for local comedians. Issues that may sometimes seem off-limits often draw the loudest laughs.

But while they may milk these issues, comedians here say that they are not here to push buttons or advocate causes.

Political and social issues have become a natural focal point because jokes require a common topic that the audience understands, says Lim.

In urban Kuala Lumpur, such issues fit the bill. And, Leong adds, they are often already funny to begin with.

“Ultimately though, despite our show's name, as comedians, we're not here to change your allegiance or empower the Chinese. None of that,” says Lim.

“We just want your laughs.”

Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.