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Your letters: Expressing sarcasm through comedy
Abdur Arsyad
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Abdur Arsyad. Kapanlagi.com
There are many ways of expressing ideas, thoughts, opinions, feelings and emotions about something or someone. One way of doing so is by telling a joke. Stand-up comedy provides an outlet for people to share ideas and emotions in a humorous way.
Stand-up Comedy Indonesia (SUCI) , is a stand-up comedy competition participated by comedians from all parts of the nation in which they share stories about where they hail from.
Abdur Arsyad, from Larantuka, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, who studies at a university in Malang, is just one of the contestants who succeeded in making people laugh at his performance. Abdur as an orang timur (a person from the east) sometimes gives his opinion in a sarcastic way.
It is unclear whether he is criticizing the government in his act or if he is criticizing orang timur for not picking up the habits of those in the western parts of the country.
Abdur is never ashamed of revealing the many new truths about the lives of orang timur, especially in his hometown; where there is a lack of Internet access, traffic instruments and entertainment venues. Orang timur are known for being tough. Soccer matches involving orang timur usually end in brawls.
Even though his opinions are shared in a comedic manner, there is also serious intent behind his act. Abdur hopes to represent minorities that he feels the government often ignores.
Vesper Drada
Jakarta
