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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Music and Concerts devider GOSSIP GIRL - Imah Dumagay: The Filipina who made the Middle East laugh

GOSSIP GIRL - Imah Dumagay: The Filipina who made the Middle East laugh

Published Oct 21, 2025 09:16 am
Clockwise: Comedians K Brosas, Ethel Booba, Alex Calleja, Giselle Sanchez, Imah Dumagay, and Tuesday Vargas will rock the World Trade Center in Dubai on Nov. 29.
Clockwise: Comedians K Brosas, Ethel Booba, Alex Calleja, Giselle Sanchez, Imah Dumagay, and Tuesday Vargas will rock the World Trade Center in Dubai on Nov. 29.

LAS VEGAS - The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas glittered brighter than usual last  Oct. 17 as Filipinos from around the world gathered for the TOFA Awards 2025 (The Outstanding Filipino Awards) — an annual celebration of global Filipino excellence spearheaded by Elton Lugay with celebrity performers like  The Voice USA Champion Sofronio Vasquez, Christian Bautista, Rachel Alejandro, Pops Fernandez, Jaya, Nonoy Zuñiga,  and comedienne Aiai de Las Alas. The event was hosted by no less than Dr. Boy Abunda, the country’s King of Talk.

Among the night’s biggest honors went to an extraordinary Filipina representing a region rarely seen on comedy’s world map: Imah Dumagay, a Filipina stand-up comedian based in Dubai, recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the World.

I was able to interview the award-winning comedienne, and as a comedienne myself, I asked her to define humor, and she answered so brilliantly, like she was Emma Tiglao in Miss Grand International 2025.

“For most of us, humor is entertainment. For me, it’s a bridge — between cultures, between homes, between the laughter of resilience and the silence of migration. I was born in a humble home in Cotabato City.  Now I call the United Arab Emirates my stage and my second home. This is a region where Filipinos are more often known for their hard work than their spotlight moment. I really worked my way  to carve an unlikely career as one of the first Filipina stand-up comedians in the Middle East.”

I have seen this celebrated performer. Her comedy is both bold and beautiful — witty social observation wrapped in warmth. She jokes about cross-cultural marriages, sand, the obsession with rice, and the peculiar realities of being a Filipina abroad, but behind every punchline is truth. 

Through laughter, she dismantles stereotypes, uplifts her kababayans, and shows the world that Filipino humor travels well — even under desert skies. 

Her journey from executive assistant in Dubai to award-winning comedian, producer, and trainer is a narrative of courage and creative persistence. 

In 2019, she co-founded Comedy Kix, now one of the UAE’s longest-running comedy platforms, where she mentors aspiring comics and produces shows that celebrate multicultural humor. 

Through her workshops, she teaches professionals how to use comedy for confidence and connection — proof that laughter is not just an art form but a life skill. Together with DXB Live, Midas Events, and Eva Live ME, Comedy Kix will be bringing Alex Calleja, K Brosas, Tuesday Vargas, Ethel Booba, and me to Dubai for the grand OG Comedy Concert entitled Pinoy Comedy Mixtape scheduled on Nov. 29 at the World Trade Center Zabeel Hall. UAE Pinoys, for your tickets, kindly DM @comedykix on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp (+971564848596). Because when OG Pinoy comedians make the Middle East laugh, the whole world listens.

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