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YoI’m a morning radio producer, so I spend countless hours scouring the internet for comedy gold. I’d love to say that outside of work I’m decidedly unplugged, enjoying real-world activities like running, baking, and not being permanently afraid of the news. But that would be a gross lie. Nope, this 21st century girl is hooked! And if compiling this list has taught me anything… it’s that I’ve been glued to the internet for quite sometimes.
So, in honor of my decades-long, crippling addiction, let’s begin with some gems from the good old days of dial-up. Cue the modem chime of yesteryear!
1. Charlie and his friends go to the mysterious Candy Mountain.
First, a video that YouTube claims is 16 years old. 16! Take that, misplaced feelings of lingering youth! It’s… Charlie the Unicorn. Remember this? My sisters and I watched it almost daily when we were in school, loudly quoting “reject the nonbeliever” to my dad until he left the house. How funny.
2. Jurassic Park Theme Song (Melodic Version)
Here’s another classic. It takes something I love (a brilliant movie) and ridicules it by introducing a melodica into the mix. PS: I realize you’re probably already worried about my sense of humor. I get it, but bear with me.
3. Rest in peace the poet of the people
I love Rik Mayall. He is part of a group of British comedians who have greatly influenced my sense of humour: Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Laurie… You get the idea. In this video, we see a young Rik Mayall performing his poem “Theatre” in front of a live audience. I love seeing the evolution of Rik’s character as time goes by: you can see look here for another interpretation of the same work. Rest in peace, the poet of the people.
Don’t make fun of the famous Dan Brown! 🤣https://t.co/n7w5t7nCyF image.twitter.com/hbpcKMR4fR
— 𝓧𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪 ❣︎ 璦 (@xantababy) August 1, 2023
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This is a review of Dan Brown’s book, Inferno, written in Dan Brown style. It’s cruel, unnecessarily perverse, and fucking wonderful. Among my favorite lines are: “Critics said his writing was clumsy, grammatically incorrect, repetitive, and repetitive.” “Renowned author Dan Brown smiled, the corners of his mouth curling upward in a physical expression of pleasure.” If you haven’t read any Dan Brown and therefore don’t understand the references, I envy you.
5. Liza Minnelli tries to turn off a lamp
Every golden online comedy list needs a solid, if overly long, SNL sketch. It’s the rule. So for mine, I’ve stuck with Kristen Wiig’s bafflingly funny Liza Minnelli Tries to Turn Off a Lamp.
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6. WUG
Chris Fleming is an American comedian and actor. He’s done a ton of stuff online, and I love it all. But Wildly Unlikable Guy is particularly brilliant. It makes me feel less bad about some of the conversations I’ve had at parties (which is saying a lot, because I feel bad about most of the conversations I’ve had at parties).
7. Never say no to Panda
I like it when things that are normally “good” behave badly. Dogs destroying entire sofas. A little boy running with a knife.Never Say No to Panda was a series of commercials for Arab Dairy’s Panda Cheese. They feature a friendly-looking giant panda who gets sick when people (politely) opt out of using their brand of cheese. Here are some of my favorites from the campaign.
8. Shooting stars
Okay, I’ll be honest… I see a lot of AFL memes (particularly those from the Instagram account Carlton Memes, and especially after winning a game). But last season, a player named Tom Hawkins was pushed to the ground and had way too much sauce poured on him, if you know what I mean. Almost instantly, this video surfaced on the internet. And for some reason, I found it funny and have been laughing at it ever since.
9. Rejected lyrics from HBO’s Succession theme
Demi Adejuyigbe is a brilliant comedian, who I first discovered online thanks to his hit show. September music videos. It really set a new standard for exceptional online content. This clip is much more lo-fi, but just as brilliant. Warning: once you watch the video, you won’t be able to stop singing this song, and it’s willpower I ruined the succession for you, but I still think it’s worth it.
10. Men and tampons… in a perfect world!
Finally, I want to leave you with Men and Tampons by Watson. Watson was a comedy trio that I was part of for a few years. And I know what you’re thinking… she’s hyping herself up! First of all, I’m insulted that you’re even thinking about me, let alone me hyping myself up! But seriously, Adam McKenzie and Liam Ryan are two of the funniest people out there and I love watching them do their thing.
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Tegan Higginbotham is a comedian and writer who is executive producer of Triple M’s Marty Sheargold Show. She is also a contestant on Big Backyard Quiz, which will premiere on SBS and NITV on Saturday 13 July at 7.30pm, during Naidoc Week.