Macoy Dubs and Baus Rufo: The Dogshow Divas Are Giving Us All Permission to Laugh
In a world that can be chaotic and confusing, comedians and content creators Macoy Dubs and Baus Rufo show us just how much we need to have a laugh.
There had been no plan.
“He told me, ‘Wala tayong topic ah.’ Sabi ko, ‘Walang topic, paano yun? Sure ka diyan?’ Sabi niya, ‘Sure!’ O, sige, ‘Yes, and…’ na lang ako. So, the dynamic was, siya talaga ‘yung nagbibigay, and then, sasaluhin ko.”
Macoy Averilla, otherwise known as Macoy Dubs, is telling us how he and Baus Rufo went into his guesting on Rufo’s podcast, Kaya Pa Ba, on its one-year mark—an episode that has surpassed 500,000 listens on Spotify, and that sent terms such as “Market! Market! Theory” and “Genevieve Gozum” into a tailspin straight into the zeitgeist.
That guesting turned into what they call episode zero of their new, joint podcast, The Dogshow Divas. “The public—and I say this with love—,” Rufo clarifies, “low-key harassed us into doing a spin-off.” Even without a plan, the improv-loving duo’s humor, wit, and ultimately, the seamlessness of their tandem came through and had listeners begging them for more.
For Averilla and Rufo, comedians, content creators, and celebrities on their own, theirs was an alliance that began with mutual appreciation of the other’s work, and grew into a real friendship—so much so that they now perform together in the same improv troupe, Noted With Thanks. Rufo had convinced Averilla to take improv classes, which, when you take note of their freewheeling approach to Dogshow Divas, and the way they feed upon the other in their conversations, is obviously a stark influence.
In Filipino slang, the term to “dogshow” generally means to “make fun of something.” Rufo clarifies what it means to them: “Ang definition ng dogshow is jinojoke time, pinagtatawanan. [At the core of our show], we’re giving ourselves permission to laugh at the things that are beyond our control.”
Jharwin Castañeda
Social commentary, mostly on the everyday injustices that your average Juan experiences, is sandwiched in between the free-flowing discussions and seemingly inane, everyday topics. But the duo is quick to point out that they are not hard-hitting journalists, nor political activists. “We just try to really echo what public sentiment is on certain topics,” Rufo clarifies.
Comedy comes first and foremost, with Averilla acknowledging the power that it holds. “Whenever you use comedy to explain certain topics, for example, politics or social issues in the country, when you put satire and comedy together, siyempre, yung audience, napapaisip din sila.”
Finding humor in life’s everyday trials is practically ingrained in the Filipino, and the Dogshow Divas are highly aware of this trait. “With all the news that we receive today—heartbreaking, nakakagalit, nakakadisappoint—gusto lang namin magdagdag sa mga parts that make you happy and laugh,” Rufo says. “Kahit papaano, we swing the pendulum a little to the other side, the best way we can.”
The power of laughter, it turns out, is strong enough to break through the heaviest of days, and the darkest thoughts. “Comedy has saved me during a lot of dark days,” Rufo shares. “When you smile, when you laugh, you become lighter, you heal a little better, a little faster.” “It is truly the best medicine that there is,” Averilla agrees, admitting, “Ako, bago ako matulog, I watch funny reels and videos because marami tayo na experience every day. And before you sleep, ayaw mo namang isipin yung lahat. So, anong kailangan? Kailangan, tumawa ka.”
And so we hit play on the next Dogshow Divas episode on our queue, for our next rock-your-body, gasping-for-breath, belly-shaking laugh that leaves us a little breathless, and a whole lot lighter.
Art direction by Nicole Almero. Beauty direction by Larissa Joson, Sacha Mancera, and Mikiyo Ricamora. Production design by Riza Rosal. Makeup by Celine Cabildo (Macoy Averilla) and Angeline dela Cruz (Baus Rufo). Hair by JA Feliciano. Styling: Geno Espidol of Qurator.
