The comedian touring Canada to bring Filipino communities joy

Filipino comedian and television personality Jobert Austria – who goes by stage name Kuya Jobert – is performing in Yellowknife next month.

Austria moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2021 to entertain overseas Filipino workers and families living far from home.

Though he has visited Yellowknife before as a tourist, April 10 at the Explorer Hotel will be his first time performing in the territory’s capital. He said he has already toured larger centres such as Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver, but is now focused on smaller and more isolated communities.

Austria said he is excited to meet the Filipino community in Yellowknife and spread some joy on his arrival.

“I have been doing shows all around Canada. I’d like to entertain our family – especially those who are not with [their families],” he told Cabin Radio.

“Yellowknife is a beautiful place. It’s kind-of isolated, but that’s why I wanted to come here and make people happy … It’s important because it’s relatable to Filipinos, especially if I do jokes comparing our life in the Philippines to our life here now in Canada.”

Austria’s comedy centres on family, work and everyday life – themes he said resonate strongly with Filipino audiences, particularly immigrants adjusting to life in Canada. He often draws comparisons between life in the Philippines and life abroad.

He began his career nearly 20 years ago as a radio host before moving into television with the Filipino media company ABS-CBN, where he appeared in gag shows, films and TV dramas. That experience shaped his career as a comedian.

Now a Canadian citizen, Austria said he stepped back from his showbiz career in the Philippines to be with his family in Canada. Much of his performance is improvised, relying on crowd interaction rather than a written script.

“To my Filipino friends in Yellowknife, wait for me. I’m coming and make sure that you wear your diapers because you will pee in your seats [laughing],” he said.

A day after his performance in Yellowknife, he is expected to briefly attend a Filipino basketball match at the city’s École St Patrick High School.

EJ Cruz, who helped organize Austria’s visit to the city, described him as a beloved figure in Filipino entertainment and a powerful voice for those living abroad.

According to Cruz, what sets the comedian apart is his deeply relatable material on topics like homesickness, hard work and the immigrant experience.

He said Austria was also part of Banana Sundae, which went on to become one of the longest-running programs in the Philippines.

“‘Kuya means brother – to us, he’s like a brother,” he said.

“What makes him special is that even if you’re not Filipino, you can still connect with the stories because they are very human and very real.”