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EXCLUSIVE: Comedian Jon Santos on doing live shows again: ‘The last two years have been so tough’

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Rhea Manila Santos

<p>After more than two years of not being able to perform in live shows, comedian Jon Santos returns to the stage this month with his upcoming show Jon Santos: LiveScreaming. The veteran comic, whose career has already spanned more than three decades, said he is most excited about interacting with stand up fans again.</p><p>“I am most excited to be bonding face-to-face, finally, with my audiences... not just via streaming, but &#x27;Live na Live&#x27;, (and yes, Screaming... and Singing ... and Dancing). It&#x27;s perhaps what the country needs most right now! We are lucky to be alive but we just want to scream, to let it all out! The last two years have been so tough, we deserve to be insane, to let loose, for one night! I will lead the screaming, they will do the laughing and the clapping and we will have a good time!,” he told PUSH in an exclusive interview. </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdFcW5xrExA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdFcW5xrExA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 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style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CdFcW5xrExA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Resorts World Manila (@resortsworldmanila)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Jon said that performing comedy during this time has never been more needed in the country.</p><p>“Seriously, comedy is having a tough time. With the toxic online environment pre-election, everybody is getting angry so easily these days— All I can say is, lighten up! Laugh a little, give your angry hearts a rest and live to fight another day! In a way, LiveScreaming is a reset. I want to show the audiences where we left off in standup before the pandemic, and present them the shape of things to come,” he added. </p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2017/2/11/fresh-scoops/exclusive-jon-santos-shares-the-secret-to-his-last-54559" target="_self"><u><strong>READ: EXCLUSIVE: Jon Santos shares the secret to his lasting marriage</strong></u></a></div><p>Jon revealed how he was able to keep his humor and maintain his mental health during the height of the pandemic.</p><p>“Through yoga, yoga and more yoga. I somehow regained my perspective through the pockets of &#x27;MindfulTime&#x27;. I was able to fight hopelessness. Through artist friends, I was reminded that we do not have to fight this alone. I was reminded that Art will always find a way.</p><p>“Technology helped a lot, kasi nga face to face was next to impossible. I was lucky to have been invited to some really fulfilling theatrical collaborations that (I feel) brought comfort to our kababayans, either manning the frontlines or trying to heal at home.</p><p>“It was also through a couple of advocacies like PLDT, The Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, and Theaterspace (Theater in Cyberspace, where we did real-time-Shakespeare with actors simultaneously playing roles in three countries!), we were able to connect through art,” he explained. </p><p>While doing virtual performances, the Jon Santos: LiveScreaming performer admitted he had to learn a lot about online culture.</p><p>“I had to learn (still learning) to navigate the &#x27;Social Media Waters&#x27;. Everything, when put online is out of context. You are giving a joke out of love, but edited out of context, it may look like you are bashing someone. But comedy is all about context! That is why it is so difficult, and that is why a good comedy show is a miracle in itself. Watch the show and find out if I make it na walang nag-wi-Will-Smith sa akin!” he shared.</p><p>Jon Santos: LiveScreaming will also feature stellar performances from Alisah Bonaobra, Gian Magdangal, and OJ Mariano. The show, produced by Full House Theater Company and Resorts World Manila in cooperation with Ultimate Shows, Inc., is a collaborative project with Jon Santos’s conceptualizing and writing with Dingdong Novenario, Enrico Santos, and Joel Mercado with Jamie Wilson stage directing.</p><p>Jon Santos: LiveScreaming is on May 14, 8 pm at RWM’s Newport Performing Arts Theater. Tickets are now available at all TicketWorld and SM Tickets outlets: P6,500 (Platinum), P5,500 (SVIP), P4,500 (VIP), P3,500 (Gold), P2,000 (Silver), and P1,000 (Bronze). For inquiries, contact Girah Manaligod (0917 872 8309), Kenneth Navoa (0917 807 9387), Neil Crisostomo (0917 658 9378) or call Ticketworld (02) 8891-9999, or SM Tickets (02) 8470-2222.</p>

Veteran comic Jon Santos returns on stage this month in ‘Jon Santos: LiveScreaming’ with guests Alisah Bonaobra, Gian Magdangal, and OJ Mariano.