The Class Clown Podcast With Chino Liao

Chino takes you on a trip to one of the cities he never expected to have stand up comedy in, Almaty, Kazakhstan. He talks with one of Almaty's top English comedians Dosmukhamed of Good Night Comedy and asks about the local comedy scene, how it began, what Kazak perception of comedy is, how their shows are run, and where he wants to see the comedy go. He also asks how Borat has affected Kazak comedy, for better or worse.

Chino is joined by acclaimed spoken word artist Leandro Reyes. Leandro tells Chino about how he go into spoken word, the differences and intricacies of written poetry and spoken word, and the validation he gets from championing the artform. He also talks about being a descendant of Severino Reyes aka Lola Basyang and how being part of that lineage has shaped his career.

Chino welcomes one of Comedy Manila's hottest acts, Daniel Arboladora to the show. One of the champions of this year's open mic competition, Daniel talks about how he discovered stand up, how he crafts his material, and the unique system he uses to build his sets. He also talks about being a data analyst and the hopes he has for his young career.

Drag superstar and new stand up comic Pura Luka Vega joins Chino this week! Pura tells Chino how he got started in drag, how he discovered stand up, and how he started training to be a professional wrestler. They also talk about cultural sensitivities, the act that got him in trouble, and how his perception has changed since the incident.

Chino is joined by one of the newer faces in comedy, Pau Katigbak. Pau talks about how he learned about comedy, watching Chapelle in grade school, how Route 196 closing led to him doing comedy, and how he feels being the rare English language comedian in the Philippines.

Chino welcomes two amazing Filipino American comics and producers from the San Francisco Bay Area scene, Debra Belale and Alan Manalo. Alan talks about starting the comedy scene in the Philippines, teaching comedy classes in Ateneo, and rekindling his love for comedy. Debra talks about discovering stand up during the pandemic and how writing jokes helped her through the lockdowns. They also discuss the open mics, performing online, and the importance of Filipino representation in stand-up.

Dex Conche, one of Comedy Manila's up and coming performers, joins Chino to discuss his young stand up career. He talks about how his father introduced him to comedies at a young age, how his consumption of pop culture affects his writing, and branching out into more personal material. He also talks about his first headlining experience, what he loves and hates about producing, and handling the shade of GMA fans.

Up and coming comedian Pao Sampang joins Chino to talk to him about Table Top RPGs. He tells Chino about his start in comedy, how he discovered it, and how he discovered Dungeons and Dragons. They then do a deep dive into DND mechanics, what they both love and hate about it, and how DND influences comedy and vice versa. Chino may or may not have also called other nerds out on this episode.

Chino welcomes FlipTop OG and Uprising artist Apoc The Death Architect this week! He talks to Chino about his start in the rap game, how he got into battle rap and his creative process when it comes to writing verses and songs. He also talks about how comedy and rap are intertwined, how he chooses to stand out in the industry, and why he doesn't want to stop anytime soon.