By Jae-Ha Kim
Tribune Media Services
October 14, 2008
Comedian Jamie Kennedy is used to getting laughs in the United States, thanks to his work in the “Scream” films and his TV show “The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.”
But making foreign audiences laugh wasn’t something he felt confident he could accomplish. That is, until he went to the Philippines.
“It was amazing to see that the 5,000 people in the audience not only understood exactly what I was saying, but they also got my humor,” says Kennedy, 38. “Clearly they were all smarter than I am. I can barely speak one language much less two.”
Kennedy, who currently is promoting the DVD release of his documentary “Heckler,” can also be seen on CBS’s “Ghost Whisperer.”
He takes a moment to talk about his trip to Manila, and why he’d love to go back.
RECOGNIZED OVESEAS: I loved the people in the Philippines. They treated me like a rock star and knew everything about me. They were so respectful, but also so appreciative of my routine. I loved them! I learned a few phrases there, although I’m sure I pronounced them ridiculously badly. I felt very lucky to have gotten to see the country.
MISCONCEPTIONS: I’m so used to Americans who can only speak English. So it still shocks me when I travel and meet someone who speaks perfect English as their second or third language. Bands do well overseas ’cause the music transcends language. But for a comedian, words are pretty much it for us. And looking funny. I was a little worried that my act wouldn’t go over very well, but so many Filipinos speak English. Better than me! It’s crazy and great for tourists like me. But it also makes us Americans lazier ’cause we don’t have to work that hard to be understood outside of America.
THE GOOD AND THE BAD: I was treated incredibly well there and stayed in a really nice hotel. But driving around Manila, you could see that the really rich live incredibly well but the really poor live in a Third World atmosphere — just like most countries, actually. One minute we were driving around this really congested area that had shacks. The next I was attending a party at a diplomat’s mansion.
MEMORIES: Manila is gorgeous. The beaches there are amazing and the people are wonderful. But I still remember the food. The food is awesome. You can eat really well in the Philippines without breaking the bank.
THE FINE ART OF PACKING: I’ve got it locked down to a science. I have a travel drawer at home where I keep all my 3-ounce bottles of shampoos, socks, underwear, computer bag, iPod case and stuff like that. So when I go on a trip, I just shove all that into my luggage and a few clothes. I’ve been through five bags in almost two years so now I spend a lot of money on really good luggage that lasts. People think it’s crazy to spend that much money, but I hate going out and buying more all the time.
WHAT I’VE BROUGHT BACK: Once I had about 200 DVDs when I was going through customs. The retail value was probably about $3,000 and the customs guy just looked at me like I was nuts.
NEXT STOP… I haven’t been to Vietnam yet, but I hear that country is amazing.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES:
FULL NAME: Republic of the Philippines.
WHERE IT IS: It’s east of Vietnam, between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea.
POPULATION: 96,061,68.
TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC plus 8. If it’s noon Monday in Chicago, it’s 1 a.m. Tuesday in Manila.
CURRENCY: Philippine Peso (PHP). $1U.S. equals 47.85PHP.
LANGUAGES: Filipino (Tagalog). English.
FACTOID: Filipino hunters invented the yo-yo in the 16th century.
To read more about the Philippines, check out www.wowphilippines.com.ph. To keep up to date on Jamie Kennedy, go to his Website at www.jamiekennedyworld.com.
© 2008 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
