Comic troupe of Lassy, MC and Chad goes from stage to screen

by Boy ABundA Philstar.com

IT’s not easy to tell what comedy exactly means, but we know it when we see or hear it, especially from people who have the talent to bring that feeling of happiness and make us leave our worries behind.

Lassy, MC Muah and Chad Kinis are among those who can put everyone in stitches without trying too hard. Those who have seen them perform on stage or act in films and on television would agree that there is something in the way they tell their stories that makes you want to listen and laugh and enjoy the moment.

The trio’s style of delivery is oftentimes in a deadpan manner with Lassy leaning towards self-deprecating humor with deeply personal material, borrowing heavily from personal life experiences and relationships.

The comic troupe has been performing stand-up for many years now in comedy bars Punchline and Laffline that introduced them to comedy circles.

MC said the success of their show can easily be gauged on the kind of response they get from the audience.

“Sa stage, may response agad mapa-comedy bars man yan, concert abroad o raket sa probinsya.

Alam mo na agad ‘pag nagustuhan

‘yung show,” said MC, who also revealed that there are those who sometimes get offended by their jokes.

He went on to tell how Lassy, whose comedy material once touched our politics, offended someone who threatened his dear life.

“May napikon sa joke ko at inabangan ako sa labas tapos lalo kong inasar. Sabi ko, ‘O, napikon ka, inaabangan mo ko d’yan sa labas. Sorry ka, dito ako matutulog,’” recalled Lassy, who does and says what most of us wish we had the courage to do.

“The bar owner advised Lassy not to go home and spend the night inside the bar, instead. Kaya kami naman ni Chad, sinamahan namin siya. We were able to get home around five in the morning of the following day,” MC added. Chad said they write their materials but more often than not, their humor comes out naturally on stage. “Mas marami ‘yung bigla na lang nangyayari. I don’t know how because, for us, comedy is magic. I cannot read what’s on the minds of Kuya MC and Lassy, but once they start talking, I would right away know what to say next.”

Lassy and Chad agreed how MC described the big difference between doing comedy on stage and on screen.

“It’s tough to do comedy on screen — whether in film or on TV — because there are restrictions when it comes to throwing your punchlines because there are many young viewers, may mga bata,” MC remarked.

They are also required to follow instructions from the directors “kaya may kaba lagi na hindi namin nararanasan sa comedy bars,” he added. MC, Chad and Lassy shared that directors have preferences in the manner they do their comedy acting.

They recalled how director Wenn Deramas would like them to make a significant move “na acting na parang malaki ang galaw,” MC ruminated.

Director Cathy Garcia-Molina, they disclosed, is a fan of natural acting talent. “Gusto niyang comedy ay yung natural lang, walang big movement,” Chad pointed out. Although they enjoy a higher pay in comedy bars, their onscreen visibility is a great advantage for them to be easily recognized by the public.

Outside of stand-up, MC, Lassy and Chad have successfully positioned themselves on the digital platform. They are collectively known as Beks Battalion on their YouTube channel, now with over two million subscribers.

“We first worked together in Punchline and Laffline comedy bars, pero kami ni Lassy talaga

FINALLY, Coco Martin and Julia Montes fans may now rejoice!

Martin has finally confirmed that he’s in a relationship with Julia Montes for 12 years, putting an end to longstanding speculations about their romantic status.

The “Batang Quiapo” star made the revelation on ABSCBN’s TV Patrol on Tuesday, May 23, where they were asked about the status of their romance. “Napakasarap ng pakiramdam namin dahil 12 years na kaming magkasama, pero pareho pa rin tulad ng dati. Nilo-look forward namin kapag may project na magkasama kami and then kapag may pagkakataon, nakakalabas kami, nakikita kami ng mga tao pero name-maintain namin ang privacy sa buhay namin,” he said.

This means that the celebrity couple started dating in 2011.

The actor also maintained that he and Montes wanted to keep their relationship private, saying they find value in keeping their romance away from the public eye.

Basta kami, hindi naman na kaming mga bata. Kung ano ‘yung nakikita at iniisip ng mga tao, ‘yun na ‘yun. Mas masarap ‘yung pakiramdam na pribado ang buhay namin, tahimik. Walang mga issue. Ito, masaya kami,” he added.

Meanwhile, the “Mara Clara” star seconded her partner’s statement, saying they are thankful to the Lord for keeping their romance alive.

Kung ano ‘yung position namin ngayon, sobrang blessed lang talaga kami. And never nawala sa center si God so hindi nawawala ang mga good stuff. Si God talaga ang center,” she said.

While the couple didn’t disclose how their romance began, they first worked together in the 2012 teleserye “Walang Hanggan” and starred in the film “A Moment in Time” a year after.

Mayor Breed celebrates grand opening of Treasure Island’s first 100% affordable housing development

Maceo May Apartments provides more than 100 units of affordable housing for formerly homeless veterans and their families

SAN FRANCISCO — On Thursday, May 18, Mayor London Breed joined city officials and community leaders to celebrate the grand opening of Maceo May Apartments, located at 55 Cravath Street on Treasure Island. Maceo May is the first residential and 100% affordable housing development to be completed as part of the redevelopment of Treasure Island.

Maceo May Apartments is a six-story modular structure that spans 104,500 square feet and includes 104 affordable units and one manager unit, ranging from studios to two-bedroom units. The building is dedicated to veterans and their families, some of whom are exiting homelessness and others who currently live on Treasure Island.

“Having lived on Treasure Island myself, I understand firsthand what this community means for residents already living here,” said Mayor London Breed. “We need to build more housing at different affordability levels in the city, and we need to build them now. The opening of this housing demonstrates the years of hard work by so many people who care deeply about this community and city, and shows us that if we work together, we can come up with bold ideas to create housing and communities for all San Franciscans.”

Maceo May Apartments is part of the environmentally sustainable new 21st-century neighborhood being constructed on Treasure Island and neighboring Yerba Buena Island for more than 18,000 residents. Upon completion, the redevelopment will feature 8,000 new homes, including about 2,200 affordable units; 300 acres of parks, trails and open space; new restaurants and shops; public art installations, and events.

“The opening of the Maceo May apartments is not only a huge milestone in the Treasure Island Redevelopment Project, but it’s also a symbol of our commitment to support those who have selflessly served our nation,” said District 6 Supervi- sor Matt Dorsey. “As we work toward meeting the city’s Housing Element by 2031, I’ll continue to prioritize affordable housing initiatives, so that all of our residents, including veterans, have a place to call home.”

Swords to Plowshares and Chinatown Community Development Center (Chinatown CDC) co-led the development of Maceo May Apartments in collaboration with One Treasure Island and Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA). Treasure Island Community Development (TICD) is the principal developer responsible for the required utility improvements for the improved Treasure Island and massive infrastructure improvement, which include new roads, streets, and raising the Island to mitigate against sea level rise.

The building is named after Maceo May, a Vietnam War veteran who was the first Board President of One Treasure Island as well as Swords to Plowshares’ first Housing Director. May’s advocacy played a crucial role in ensuring homeless veterans would be recognized and served on Treasure Island.

The number of homeless veterans in San Francisco has decreased 45% since 2010 as a result of meaningful local and federal investments. The city's last Point in Time count estimated around 600 veterans experiencing homelessness, a figure that has remained flat since 2019 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number of unsheltered veterans has decreased nearly 15% since 2019 thanks to ongoing collaboration between the Department of Veterans Affairs, the City of San Francisco, and Swords to Plowshares to quickly help veterans exit homelessness. Maceo May Apartments is the latest joint effort to make veteran homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

“Maceo May Apartments is a historic step forward for Treasure Island and the City of San

THE health of your microbiome (gut bacterial flora) can affect your overall health. Past research has shown the correlation between microbiome and diseases like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Recently, clinical investigators from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, have identified 10 specific types of bacteria in the gut of individuals linked with the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

A well-balanced gut microbiome (having the proper amount of good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract) helps with proper absorption of nutrients from the food we eat which helps keep our immune system healthy and ward off diseases like inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.

Other studies have also shown the link between microbiome and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and neurodegenerative illness like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. There must be an overall balance (good and bad organisms in our gut) in order to achieve gut health, and therefore, general health.

The discovery of specific types of bacteria associated with Alzheimer’s will expedite the development of new strategies to aid in reducing the risk for developing Alzheimer’s and expedite finding its cure. The study was posted in the journal of Scientific Reports.

Role of microbiome

The gut microbiome consists of trillions of microscopic organisms living in our intestinal tract. They are bacteria, fungi, viruses, and others, which assist with our body’s ability to absorb nutrients, recover energy from food metabolism, break down fiber, and maintain gut health and safety.

Poor and imbalanced microbiome leads to inflammation, which is a precursor of diseases.

Each person’s gut microbiome is different, depending on the individual’s genetics, diet, medications being taken, behavior, lifestyle, and their respective surrounding environment.

Unhealthy gut

The signs of an unhealthy microbiome could include bloating, gassy feeling, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, sleep problem, food intolerance, skin issues, heartburns, mood changes, anxiety, depression and sugar cravings.

Oligomeric tau

New discovery: Researcher’s found a particular type of harmful protein, called “oligomeric tau,” which may have a key role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This is different from the amyloid plaques found in autopsies of the brain of Alzheimer’s victims. Studies on this new discovery continue. There are about 55.2 million people around the world with Alzheimer’s; more than 6 million in the United States (10.17 % of Americans 65 and over) have Alzheimer’s, and more than 4 million of those 65 years and older in the Philippines have some form of dementia.

Gut-brain link

The gut microbiome “modulates brain function and behavior via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, a bi-directional communication system connecting neural, immune and metabolic pathways.”

Changes in the gut bacteria can affect the immune system, “causing inflammation throughout the body, including the brain.” This could lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. The gut bacteria could produce chemicals that cross the blood-brain barrier, act as neurotransmitters and impact brain functions, like cognition, behavior and mood. The microbiome could also produce short-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory effects on the central nervous system.

Microbiome aids

Fortunately, there are current practical strategies within our power to improve our gut microbiome: eating a healthy diverse diet (like the Mediterranean Diet), including prebiotic food items, eating fermented foods, taking probiotic supplements, exercising daily, skimping on sugary food items (sweets, soft drinks, carbs in general); getting enough sleep, avoiding antibiotics as much as possible, and staying away from tobacco and alcohol. Our general health, including our gut health, is, indeed in our hands.

M-Diet is # 1

Recent research findings concluded that a Mediterranean Diet “was best for overall cardiovascular health, followed closely by a low-fat diet.” The “M-Diet” em- phasizes fish, vegetables, fruits, and monosaturated fats, like olive oil. Seven diets were analyzed: Mediterranean, the Ornish diet, Pritikin diet, low-fat diet, very-low fat diet, modified fat diet, combined low-fat and low-sodium diet.

The randomized, controlled trials found that for people at risk for cardiovascular diseases, the Mediterranean Diet or low-fat diet are the healthiest options. The M-diet, according to this large-scale study reduced the likelihood of all-cause deaths, cardiovascular, stroke, and non-fatal heart attacks.

Life to 100+

As medicine and the global environment improve because of all the mind-boggling advances in various technologies, so with people living to a ripe old age of 100 and older! Studies showed that these centenarians have a unique immune cell composition and activity, providing them an immune system that enables them to live longer. These findings may be used to develop healthy aging therapeutics for all of us.

Since 1900, our planet has more than doubled in population. From 31 years in the 1900, global life expectancy has increased to 73.2 years in 2023, and is more likely to go up to 77.1 in 2050. The 2015 figure of 450,000 centenarians is projected to go up to 3.7 million in 2050, 27 years from now, a more than 8-fold increase. What is still unknown is why some people live to their 100s and others don’t. This study was published in the journal Lancet eBioMedicine.

Deep brain stimulation

The 55.2 million people with Alzheimer’s around the world experience both cognitive (understanding, confusion, memory loss) and non-cognitive symptoms (depression and anxiety). Clinical investigators from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill “were able to generate new neurons in the brain and stimulate them using deep brain stimulation (DBS) via a mouse model.” This process helped restore both cognitive and non-cognitive functions in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease; the procedure (DBS) could someday be found to be effective for human patients. Posted in the journal Stem Cell, this discovery would inspire clinical evaluation of DBS among human patients. To date, there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali and Astronaut Gus Grissom (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888. com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com.