No mention of That Guy with the Glasses or Angry Video Game Nerd? I know AVGN isn't that well liked around here for some reason, but the That Guy with the Glasses site has a good bit of talented people on staff.
And I like pretty much everything James Rolfe (AVGN) does.
Improvolone: Obviously, you don't really wanna put it out there on blast, but I do admit, I'm curious as hell what it was you did that had facebook stalking groups set up surrounding your meme vid.
It was something stupid that no body should have cared about. But no. I pissed people off by doing something so close to nothing...
Improvolone on
Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
That Guy With Glasses has never made me laugh. Never. I'll admit that I've not delved too deep into the site, but why should I when the stuff I've already seen was terrible?
And I guess Channel 101 isn't strictly internet humour, but it couldn't exist the way it does without the internet. And it's been consistently great for years now. By consistent I mean that there are always at least 2 good Prime Time shows.
I've watched a fair bit of AVGN. He's much better when he just plays and talks about the games. His skits outside of the games are rarely funny or even interesting to watch. And he tries too hard with the profanity.
Now that derrickcomedy are done making their movie with all its fancy they're back to making more youtube sketches. I guess they all take the time in between being superstars to get together and be awesome again.
Internet comedy is like porn - every variety you can think of is out there and at least one other person in the world shares your tastes.
But how is it trending in the future? Porn, for example, has moved at least in part away from the "So lady, how are you gonna pay for this pizza?" /cue bassline stuff.
What was the internet comedy foundation before?
The OP mentions maddox. I believe his comedy stems from the fact he was outlandish and hyperbolic in a way that wasn't possible in TV, print or radio. He said things in such a way that only internet anonymity could initially protect his persona (although he did eventually shed the anonymity once he had developed a fan base). But despite his visitor counters in the hundred thousands, that's not an overly large portion of internet users (even barring duplicates and such).
Much of what seems to top the comedy charts nowadays doesn't seem to be pushing peoples' rage buttons so much, so I doubt the trend is towards more grossly perverse or sarcastic content (although SA and 4chan tend that way). The pinnacle of present internet-based comedy seems to be LOLcats, powerthirst and even PA (i.e. generally satirical content with an absurdist twist (although usually not so satirical in the case of LOLcats)).
mrt144King of the NumbernamesRegistered Userregular
edited January 2010
I think a lot of internet comedy revolves around parody and critique of other media forms. Red Letter Media with the Star Trek and Star Wars reviews is not only on point but very funny. Straight written critique can be very entertaining such as Ruthless reviews. This is not something you get to see in non internet media which is advertising driven and funded by conglomerates who have a conflicted interest in giving good reviews to movies, music, literature, etc etc.
That may be a strong point for internet humour, but most of the stuff I see around is just guys who think the lame jokes they make at the bar are worth scripting and putting on youtube.
Actually, I think a major strength that internet comedy (at least the stuff I enjoy regularly) has over other mediums (except some stand up) is that it can be as niche and self-referential as possible and still get away with it. Just pile on the in jokes because you know the only people who are watching it are watching it because they want to, and your whole archive is right at their fingertips so there's no reason to get anyone up to speed. Of course that makes it a lot harder for them to get a wider audience, but it's just that much more fun for the people who actually get it.
I've watched a fair bit of AVGN. He's much better when he just plays and talks about the games. His skits outside of the games are rarely funny or even interesting to watch. And he tries too hard with the profanity.
That's why I tend to prefer That Guy with the Glasses. He can be funny without pointlessly cursing. While I'm at it, fuck the Irate Gamer. What a goddamn hack.
I was thinking about how maddox humor really doesn't seem very funny anymore, and wonder how it used to seem so edgy and hilarious. It's essentially generic rage crossed with generic machismo...
He was kind of "the first". That and some of his images were hilarious. Especially the one about the iPhone versus some Nokia.
It's kinda like YouTube vids. When YT first cropped up and a few random folks did "funny" stuff on it, it was tolerable and warranted a laugh or two.
Now that YT is full of a billion people who think they are buddy directors, actors, comedians, etc, the bar was raised.
I agree about Cracked's Lists. But their lists tend to just be articles about a specific topic. "Here's some US Presidents that did some crazy shit".
What's really suffered, IMO, is SomethingAwful. Photoshop Phriday is brilliant. Some times. Their complete reliance on sarcasm, however, only reveals the occasional moment of brilliance.
I've never associated Youtube with home videos. I've always seen it as a repository for licensed content, or just content in general. Music videos, concert bootlegs, audio of songs, interviews, clips from any kind of tv, sports highlights, etc.
Funny or Die and CollegeHumor are probably the most consistently amusing sites for internet comedy in video form.
Cracked is probably my favorite for their articles and I largely blame that guy (David Wong? I forget his name) who wrote John Dies at the End, which is probably still one of my favorite original pieces of work posted on the internet.
Spoken like someone who has not seen SMBC THEATER...
I definitely want to believe that Chi-City is real. Either way, it's hilarious.
That Guy With the Glasses is very hit or miss. A few of the more major personalities on the site are good, but almost everything else is completely skippable. They can also get a bit too self-referential, where you have to be up to speed on the videos of five different contributors to understand the jokes. Nostalgia Critic is consistently entertaining though, and Spoony has done some good stuff.
With AVGN, he's definitely at his best when he opts for being informative rather than just swearing for fifteen minutes. The latter gets old fast, while the former is actually interesting.
Also, Michael Swaim is easily one of the funniest people on the internet right now.
My big gripe with "internet comedy" is that shit like Boxxy gets picked up as a meme and people think something like that is hilarious.
Just to go waaaaaay back, Boxxy isn't a joke. It is completely divorced from humor, not only in execution but in concept. It's what the people on the intertrons call "trolling."
One thing that's strongly abused by nonprofessional jokers on the internet is the demotivational setup. Not every picture needs a title and subtitle, all right?
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And I like pretty much everything James Rolfe (AVGN) does.
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Me on Twitch!
It was something stupid that no body should have cared about. But no. I pissed people off by doing something so close to nothing...
That Guy With Glasses has never made me laugh. Never. I'll admit that I've not delved too deep into the site, but why should I when the stuff I've already seen was terrible?
And I guess Channel 101 isn't strictly internet humour, but it couldn't exist the way it does without the internet. And it's been consistently great for years now. By consistent I mean that there are always at least 2 good Prime Time shows.
I've watched a fair bit of AVGN. He's much better when he just plays and talks about the games. His skits outside of the games are rarely funny or even interesting to watch. And he tries too hard with the profanity.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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What was the internet comedy foundation before?
The OP mentions maddox. I believe his comedy stems from the fact he was outlandish and hyperbolic in a way that wasn't possible in TV, print or radio. He said things in such a way that only internet anonymity could initially protect his persona (although he did eventually shed the anonymity once he had developed a fan base). But despite his visitor counters in the hundred thousands, that's not an overly large portion of internet users (even barring duplicates and such).
Much of what seems to top the comedy charts nowadays doesn't seem to be pushing peoples' rage buttons so much, so I doubt the trend is towards more grossly perverse or sarcastic content (although SA and 4chan tend that way). The pinnacle of present internet-based comedy seems to be LOLcats, powerthirst and even PA (i.e. generally satirical content with an absurdist twist (although usually not so satirical in the case of LOLcats)).
BEHOLD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CReI7mZd4k
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Actually, I think a major strength that internet comedy (at least the stuff I enjoy regularly) has over other mediums (except some stand up) is that it can be as niche and self-referential as possible and still get away with it. Just pile on the in jokes because you know the only people who are watching it are watching it because they want to, and your whole archive is right at their fingertips so there's no reason to get anyone up to speed. Of course that makes it a lot harder for them to get a wider audience, but it's just that much more fun for the people who actually get it.
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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EDIT: I don't agree they've peaked a while ago, Will. The videos are some of the best work they've done.
The first one he posted has a pretty perfect punchline but yeah, the second one is a joke so old I'm not sure it even counts as a joke anymore :P
That's why I tend to prefer That Guy with the Glasses. He can be funny without pointlessly cursing. While I'm at it, fuck the Irate Gamer. What a goddamn hack.
There's a front page?
boxxy was hilarious, in a meta sort of 'people actually cared about that?' way.
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
http://www.derrickcomedy.com/
Home videos is what I watch least on there...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBRL7D0wcXM
and realtalk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ-8SjjGOFg
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
GET PAID
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I stand corrected.
There's people like that for real.
he deserve it
None of his stuff counts as any type humour.
He's funny, but there's no reason to believe he doesn't actually live the way he does in his videos.
That Guy With the Glasses is very hit or miss. A few of the more major personalities on the site are good, but almost everything else is completely skippable. They can also get a bit too self-referential, where you have to be up to speed on the videos of five different contributors to understand the jokes. Nostalgia Critic is consistently entertaining though, and Spoony has done some good stuff.
With AVGN, he's definitely at his best when he opts for being informative rather than just swearing for fifteen minutes. The latter gets old fast, while the former is actually interesting.
Also, Michael Swaim is easily one of the funniest people on the internet right now.
Loading Ready Run is pretty good too.
Just to go waaaaaay back, Boxxy isn't a joke. It is completely divorced from humor, not only in execution but in concept. It's what the people on the intertrons call "trolling."
If I wasn't at work I would link Regular Everday Normal Guy and High As Fuck.
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Me on Twitch!
If a hairy dude jumping on bubble wrap isn't the epitome of humor, then I don't know what the world is coming to.
Okay I'm not at work now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PsnxDQvQpw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2spZ-NDfS4
Hopefully a more refined and intelligent place?
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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Not while Dane Cook roams the earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7FT01CeSKc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdfMu77sYH4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2ZFA4me4iw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvltzwkUEEA
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