MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Veteran standup comedian Red Ollero, arguably the most recognizable headliner in the Philippine comedy landscape today, has launched his raunchy maiden one-hour comedy special on the global streaming platform Netflix. In this special Red Ollero: Mabuhay is a Lie, he takes aim at fast food, awkward sex, and the trouble with being not-quite-famous.
This Netflix release is a milestone for the Philippine standup landscape, making Red the first-ever homegrown Filipino standup comedian to have a comedy special released on Netflix. Red also takes pride in the fact that they were able to assemble an all-Filipino village or barangay of passionate people to make Mabuhay is a Lie. Red remarked: “This Netflix comedy special was written, performed, directed, produced, made by Filipinos, made in The Philippines.”
To bring this project to life, Red worked with comedy director Ryan Puno of SOLID OK and onboarded avid comedy fan and award-winning director Marius Talampas as a producer to create the Philippines’ first 100% Filipino comedy special on Netflix. The show’s production was backed by the reigning production house of the year at Kidlat, Arcade Film Factory.
Long-time collaborators finally pulling off a long-time dream
When the time came to create his first Netflix special, Red had only one person in mind to direct it: Ryan Puno. A writer, video director, and executive producer in the comedy studio he founded in 2018, Ryan has worked with Red since the first time Red thought of taping one of his comedy specials. In fact, Ryan himself is also a standup comedian who was doing gigs with Red when they were all starting out in the scene.
Together, they crafted the look and feel of Red’s first special, which will appear on Netflix. “We watch a lot of standup,” Ryan shared. “In crafting Red’s special, we felt like it was a tribute to the world’s classic standup specials — the red curtains, the carpet. Just like Chris Rock’s, Sheng Wang’s, and more. We wanted a very intimate show with just around 200 people; that’s why we shot it at the Teatrino.”
Arcade Film Factory’s next level: Entertainment Production
After cementing its name as an award-winning production house in the advertising industry in just five years, Arcade Film Factory is now dead-set on conquering a new industry: entertainment production and content.
“Our next five years are our next chapter as an entertainment company,” said Marius Talampas, Co-founder, director, and now a producer at Arcade Film Factory for Red Ollero’s comedy special on Netflix. “Nakakatuwa kasi one of the first entertainment ventures pa lang ng Arcade, Netflix agad. So the bar is set high and excited kami kasi maraming nakapila at marami kaming inaabangan… sina GB Labrador, James Caraan, at Victor Anastacio para sa specials nila, and pati na rin mga shows and series na we have lined up for content production. We’re really excited because Mabuhay Is a Lie is just the beginning.”
Watch Red Ollero: Mabuhay is a Lie, now streaming on Netflix
