The future is bright for online comedy. So bright, in fact, that in the not-too-distant future, live, in-the-flesh comedy won’t exist. All comedy will happen in the metaverse, where the gigs will resemble Fortnite more than any real-world comedy club we know today. The shows will be called Chuckle Royale, and whenever the audience becomes bored by a comedian, they’ll be encouraged to blow them up with rocket launchers or hand grenades. The audience will cheer as they are splattered with the viscera of the unfunny clowns. Bombing will finally be an apt description. I can’t wait. Technology makes everything better.
Long live the online utopia! Here are the 10 funniest things from the current incarnation of the internet.
1. The Armando Iannucci Shows – Paper Houses Sketch
Ianucci has made a lot of celebrated work: Veep, The Thick of It, The Death of Stalin. The list goes on. But the sketch show he made back in 2001, The Armando Iannucci Shows, is still my favourite of everything he’s made. This is the first sketch from the first episode. It always makes me laugh.
2. Hannah Pilkes as Felicity the voiceover actor
Hannah Pilkes is an extremely talented US comedian making lots of great online “content”. However, Google says that she makes most of her money as a voiceover artist.
3. Patti Harrison’s parody of pro-LGBTQ corporate tweets
just because I haven’t seen these screenshots in circulation and they cant be lost to history pic.twitter.com/s83SKF7YhE
— sio (@bestinsio) February 26, 2021
Corporations love to demonstrate their support of LGBTQ rights on social media, so long as it doesn’t disrupt their bottom line or require any change to the day-to-day running of their businesses.
In response to a stupidly obvious tweet from the Oreo account – “trans people exist” – trans comedian Patti Harrison pretended to be the Australian singer Sia doing a social media takeover of the Nilla Wafers Twitter page. It’s satire at its most scathing, and Harrison was kicked off Twitter for it. Thankfully, some good human screenshotted the tweets so they weren’t consigned to the dustbin of comedy history.
4. Woah, Alyssa! on TikTok
Whoa, Alyssa! are a delightful Melbourne sketch duo. They’re stupid, warm-hearted, and they make spot-on observations about the horrors of every day social interactions. This TikTok is one of my faves.
5. Ziwe asks Chet Hanks about his Jamaican accent
Ziwe is not only an excruciatingly funny comedian, but also an extremely effective interviewer. If the ABC had any courage, they would put their money where their mouth is and fly her to Australia to host 7.30. Also, Chet Hanks is a truly inspirational person and this interview really showcases what he has to offer.
6. Swedish director freaks out when he misses out on an Oscar nomination
I haven’t won very many awards in my life. In fact, there have been loads of occasions that I haven’t even been nominated. It is always shocking to not even be nominated. This video resonates very strongly with me.
7. 73 Questions With John Early
I love watching Vogue’s 73 Questions video series on YouTube. Even with all of his success, I can’t believe how down-to-earth and relatable Early has remained.
8. Rory Scovel on performing in the lobby of a Hyatt hotel
The ideal comedy venue has a low ceiling, the audience seated on all sides, a good sound system and a well-illuminated stage. More often than not, comedy gigs are not set up like this. Often it is just a microphone and speaker placed in whatever space is available. I have performed in bookshops, working laundromats, sheep paddocks and in bars standing in front of television screens that people are trying to watch the football on. Sometimes, as a comedian, you just have do your best in situations that are far from ideal.
9. Lil Mariko – Shiny feat. Full Tac
This song is a banger. Whenever I’m feeling down, I put on my budgie smugglers, rub an Uhu glue stick all over my body, put on this song and then roll around in a pile of glitter. My whole family does it. We call it Sparkle Time.
10. Josh Glanc’s top five tips for house plants
This video isn’t comedy. It was only when I started following the advice of this gardening guru that my house plants stopped dying. Maybe you will also find it helpful.
Oliver Coleman is performing his show Sublime at the Edinburgh fringe until 28 August.
