New Wave Of Indonesian Comedy

Slapstick was the most popular type of comedy in Indonesia. At that time, it was the most viewed TV show in the country. The popularity starts when “Srimulat” (one of the most popular comedy show on TV) broadcast in local television. The show was mixed from the traditional culture of Indonesia and the commercial type of slapstick comedy. In the show, the cast make the comedy with added some physical activities or maybe some kind of practical jokes (typical of slapstick comedy). This type of comedy was fortunately easy to reach the low economics viewers, which are claims to be the most viewers in Indonesia. From here, there is a lot of TV show that broadcast the same type of comedy show, which claimed easy to get the most viewers. The same type of comedy show in the afternoon, such as “Santai Bareng Yuuk!” is like to be some kind of “happening” in Indonesia.

This type of comedy, fortunately are evolving as the smarter mind of the Creative Section of the comedy show, and the smarter way of thinking of Indonesian. Now, the comedy show in most of television show, has broadcast the less type of “slapstick” or comedy that added some physical activities on it, although some comedy show seems like hanging out on their idealism to added some “slapstick” in their show. Now, television shows such as “Extravaganza” or “Nge-Leong Yuuk!” are the most popular type of comedy show in Indonesia, and has grabbed most of the viewers in the country. The popularity of the comedian and the unique character of every comedian at the show have attracted the viewers to be some kind of idol that will be favorites to all the viewers. This new wave type of comedy seems like to be some kind of symbol of modernism in Indonesian TV show.

In this new wave of comedy, the Creative Section of the show is the most potential person in the show. They must be as creative as possible, making such funny stories and jokes without appealing or using some SARA (Suku, Agama, Ras, Antar Golongan) / (Nations, Religion, Racism, Divisions). Expression and smart jokes are the dominant aspect of the show, covered with the well-arranged backdrop and properties. Comedy shows now days are also added some art aspect that sometime is use, in terms of making the show more filled with interesting “packaging” and unique stories to attract modern viewers. Now, they are often bands that played in comedy show to attract people to watch the show, and listen to their idol bands. People who work at the design graphics can be recruited also to decorate every different scene of the show, which is getting more creative day by day. This is totally making the comedy show are not easily got bored to watch every episode.

Although comedy shows in Indonesia has evolve, sometime, conservative jokes like “Plesetan” or say some word with the unusual meaning of the word itself. Until now, looks like this type of comedy still useful to make some kind of humor to make people laugh. We could still feel the conservative type of comedy, with still adding some traditional aspects and culture with modern type of packaging without wounding one culture. The difference and the heterogeneous of Indonesian culture seems to influenced the comedian show in Indonesia to be more interesting to watch and have plenty of variety in every show that they made.

I hope comedian shows in Indonesia can evolve to be better and better everyday and could get more creative day-by-day to keep the viewers watch the show and appreciate our own country in the positive way. I hope it also could be some kind of potential assets to the country and “perfuming” the name of the country to the world.

Keep on going comedy show in Indonesia!