Charuth: Tickling the Filipino’s Funny Bone
From getting her first laughs from her family as a child, to cracking the whole country up as a comedian, actress, and content creator, Charuth shares with Allure Philippines about how she’s seen Filipino humor—and her own—evolve.
If you’ve ever had a laugh watching one of Charuth’s skits online, know that the content creator and actress has been making people laugh since she was a child growing up in Biñan, Laguna.
The way Charuth, or Charlize Ruth Reyes in real life, tells it, being sandwiched in between her older sister Cherry, and younger sister Chloe led her to develop her funny bone in a bid to get extra attention. “Middle child kasi ako, ako yung hindi masyado napapansin sa fam,” she tells us, in her deadpan way that makes you unsure if she’s leading up to a punch line or not (in this case, not). ” Ang way ko, pag napapatawa ko sila, yun yung ipapa-catch ko ng attention. Doon nag-start.”
This was way back when Charuth was in elementary school. By the time the pandemic hit, to alleviate boredom, the self-described “bibo kid” began experimenting with trending filters and music on TikTok, until she was regularly posting funny content that the rest of her close-knit family—and eventually, the rest of the country—looked forward to as well.
Things happened fast after her first viral video—a skit about a student attending online class back in 2021. “March ako nag-start,” she recalls. “By November, nakakuha na ako ng inquiry to do a TV gag show, Quizon CT. Under po ‘yun sa mga anak ni Dolphy.”
Nowadays, Charuth straddles the worlds of content creation, acting (having taken on roles in both television and film), and live comedy (performing with Pencilbox Comedy). It’s an impressive trifecta, the kind that would be #goals for someone just starting out in the business.
For Charuth, there are many differences across the board, such as having full control over her content versus working with a large team for a comedy show and even a TV series. But when it comes to the core of it, in terms of the kind of humor that cracks Pinoys up, there are certain things, she finds, that appeal across the different mediums.
One is relatability, and another, is smart material. She explains: “‘Yung comedy dati, pag may nadapa or napukpok, nakakatawa na. But now, yung audience ngayon, thinking audience na sila, at gusto nila, ‘Wag mo naman kami bigyan ng, for example, nagmura lang, nakakatawa na, o naghampasan lang, nakakatawa na.’”
Jharwin Castañeda
Charuth feels that she can most connect with audiences through relatable topics, “Kung ano ‘yung pinagdadaanan talaga day-to-day. For example, sa commuting. Gagawin ko lang humorous yung napagdadaanan ng mga tao ngayon na hirap doon. May i-highlight ka lang na nangyayari sa bansa.”
Even when it comes to gag shows, she feels that Filipinos’ humor has evolved. “Sa ginagawa po namin, mas clean na. Dati kasi green jokes talaga yung sikat. Ngayon, na-le-lessen na yun.”
What has remained constant, she observes, is the Filipinos’ ability to humor even in seemingly humorless circumstances. “Parang yun yung nagiging pahinga ng mga tao,” she muses. “[Dahil] sa nangyayari sa Philippines now, iba din yung may light kang mababasa o mapapanood. Rest din siya ng mga tao. Need talaga natin ng humor, kahit papaano. Hindi lang lagi seryoso or galit yung emotions natin.”
It’s an approach that Charuth herself uses when life’s stressors get to her. However, in her case, ever the comedian, she turns it into material. “Mas doon pa ako nakakakuha ng content, eh,” she shares, “sa personal experience.” No doubt she’s come a long way from the little girl in Biñan trying to make her parents laugh for attention. Except now, we’re all laughing along with her.
Art direction by Nicole Almero. Beauty direction by Larissa Joson, Sacha Mancera, and Mikiyo Ricamora. Production design by Riza Rosal. Makeup by Angeline dela Cruz. Hair by JA Feliciano. Styling: Geno Espidol of Qurator.
