Hard work a key to Bagito's 22-year survival
JAKARTA (JP): Local stages have given birth to many comedy groups, but only a few have survived the tough and competitive entertainment business as a respected, qualified group.
Bagito group is among the few. The group comprises a trio of comedians, Tubagus Dedi Suwandi Gumelar whose stage name is Mi'ing, his younger brother Tubagus Didin Zaenal Abidin and Hadi Prabowo "Unang" Suwardi.
Many say the trio's survival is a result of their hard work and professional attitude practices since their debut in 1978.
Now they are harvesting the days of "working like a dog and learning like you will never get smart."
In a plush five-star hotel in Jakarta, the group celebrated their 22th anniversary last week. Unfortunately, Unang was ill and could not attend the celebration.
Among the guests were former Indonesian Military Commander Gen. (ret) Wiranto, former minister Adi Sasono, politician Hatta Radjasa, former state official Ishadi S.K., monologue artist Butet Kertaradjasa, senior writer and journalist Arswendo Atmowiloto, activist Debra Yatim and political observer Andi Mallaranggeng.
The varied backgrounds of the guests showed how widely the group has been embraced by society, commented artist Debby Sahertian, the emcee.
"It's not easy to have access to those guests today. Figures like Pak Wiranto and Pak Adi Sasono rarely make public appearances. But for Bagito they were willing to come," Debby said.
The group's goals have been simple -- that humor and jokes would be a catharsis for the people. That someday, the country would grow mature enough that people could laugh at themselves and not just make fun of other's shortcomings.
"We also hope that in the future, our grandchildren will someday say that once there was a comedy group named Bagito," Mi'ing remarked.
A business management expert, Rhenald Kasali, praised Bagito for its ability to understand and translate the word "professionalism" into real works. He said in the celebration of the group's anniversary that professionalism is indeed one of the keys to success. The shallow understanding of professionalism in the industry could result in the end of an artist's career.
Management consultant, Mario Teguh, shared the thought, saying that surviving in the country's entertainment industry was not a simple achievement. Hard work alone is not enough as it must be accompanied by professionalism.
Along with his younger brother Didin, Dedy established the Bagito group in 1978. Another comedian, Yanto, joined the group but was later replaced by Unang.
Their star started to shine when state-owned TVRI hired them to appear on a musical show.
To those who are informed, read the newspapers and understand what is going on in society, Bagito's humor is a satire of the political, social, cultural and economical situation in the country.
Bagito is now the leading comedy group in the country and usually accepts only high-profile invitations and highly rated television shows.
The group can earn Rp 35 million for a single show.
Mi'ing, 42, believes that almost 80 percent of comedians are born with natural talent but some fail to nurture their abilities.
"My curiosity and hunger for knowledge were probably the keys that nurtured my talent. We are comedians but nobody can stop us from learning. Reading, the social situation and socialization provide the material for our jokes," he commented. (emf)