It’s hard for me to remember a time before the internet. I … used to read books? Today, the internet is all-consuming, but I’m grateful as it has taught me how to cook, it has taught me about philosophy and it has taught me not to believe a man when he tells you brushing your teeth with charcoal will fix your halitosis. What follows is a selection of some things from the internet that made me laugh and that you’ll hopefully enjoy too!
1. Lil Golo
Lil Golo is a national treasure (born in New Zealand, but that hasn’t stopped us before). Golo appeals to the inner child in me, who would no doubt have to fork out $50 and walk to school if he ever got the chance to meet Golo.
2. Danielle Walker
My Grandad keeps forgetting to take his hearing aids out before he showers. He came up with this solution pic.twitter.com/VsIxGJj96q
— Danielle Walker (@danwalkercomedy) December 24, 2019
Danielle is one of my favourite comedians to watch live. Her mind conjures up weird and wonderful ideas and she delightfully balances dark and silly. This tweet is a perfect example. Plus she’s into pickling, which we have in common.
3. Sam Campbell: how to make photos look vintage
Having just won the biggest award at the Edinburgh Fringe, Sam Campbell’s star is on the rise. A lot of people are going to try to claim they’re friends with Sam so I would like to take this opportunity to, on the record, point out that Sam and I occasionally play squash together. He’s quite good.
4. Mark Silcox: Aamer Rahman Reverse Racism
I met Mark Silcox in Edinburgh, when I was already secretly a fan because of this video. When you are of south Asian descent, it’s ingrained in you to address older south Asian men, regardless of relation, as Uncle. I call Mark Uncle, and I think he finds that quite strange. I’ve always wanted my parents’ approval, but because Mark is one of the funniest people I know AND an Uncle, I kinda want his approval more.
5. Sopranfeld
Everything on telly these days is just a remake of an old show. Nobody is willing to take risks or back new ideas – but surely if you’re going to just keep rehashing old ideas, you’d start with some of the greatest television of all time? This Instagram account that mashes together The Sopranos and Seinfeld gets it.
6. I Think You Should Leave: Brian’s Hat
I did jury duty once. It was a messy trial and I won’t go into details, but at one point we learned about how the accused (who is now in jail) sent way too many texts to the plaintiff. We then spent two days listening to those texts being read out, one by one. That experience obviously wasn’t essential to finding this sketch hilarious, but it did make it extra special for me.
7. Katt Williams: Every Day I’m Hustlin
I love Katt Williams. This song and this Williams bit are one and the same in my mind now. Thank god Coles Radio would never dare play Rick Ross, because I would be pushing my trolley down those aisles emptying all the shelves, doing this dance.
8. Reddit post: ‘My girlfriend told me the music I play during sex is weird’
I don’t fully understand what Reddit is, but every now and then my friend and long-time collaborator Neilesh Verma will send me things from there and I know they’ll bring plenty of joy. This is no different. It’s wonderful storytelling, with jeopardy, stakes and it all builds to a highly satisfying climax.
9. Maria Bamford
I loved the Melbourne comedy festival gala as a kid (and still do). It is probably one of the main reasons I started doing comedy. Maria Bamford was a regular and she was always so funny, in a way that was always her own. The commencement speech she gave at her alma mater (don’t worry, I don’t know what a commencement speech, alma or mater are either) was in a way that was completely her own as well. It’s brilliant.
10. David Guetta’s George Floyd tribute
In this list there are a lot of people being funny intentionally, but to me none of it will ever come close to David Guetta’s tribute to George Floyd. Racially motivated police brutality is obviously not funny, but somehow a naff Euro dance track inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement couldn’t be funnier. Soaring synth, a sample of Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream speech, and a beat drop followed by Guetta’s fist pumping while people dance along at home – that’s comedy.
