In the introduction to his close friend's "Best of" DVD, Jack Lemmon says, "Ernie Kovacs was the funniest, wildest, zaniest man I ever knew. Ernie thought so, too, and so did millions of happy people. Ernie was all over television on one network or another from 1950 until he died in 1962. He had an unpredictable and illogical view of the world. He played with the medium of television in a way no one ever had before. And he created a batch of cockeyed characters that have become classics. So, slow down your internal clock; it was a more leisurely time, you know. Here's Ernie Kovacs."
posted on Jul 15, 2008 - View this thread

Jamie Lynn's Reproduction Rap A slightly educational, slightly ridiculous look at where babies come from.
posted on Jul 12, 2008 - View this thread

All of you have been given a harsh gift. It’s the same gift the graduating class of 1917, and 1938, and 1968 and now you guys got – the chance to enter adulthood when the world teeters on the rim of the sphincter of oblivion. You’re jumping into the deep end. You have no choice but to be exceptional. Patton Oswalt addresses the class of 2008 at his old high school.
posted on Jul 10, 2008 - View this thread

Invade New Zealand. (Flash video) (Rocks out) (Invades your monitor)
posted on Jul 10, 2008 - View this thread

Channel 101 spoof of Turkish cinema, "Return to Supermans" Starring Hunter Stair, David Lyons and Hollywood Steve of Yacht Rock. Good Wikipedia overview of Yacht Rock.
posted on Jul 9, 2008 - View this thread

Jack English American presents I Hate Britain Day.
(Just pretend it's yesterday, ok? And ignore the Baywatch chick.)
posted on Jul 5, 2008 - View this thread

Putin on the Ritz
posted on Jul 3, 2008 - View this thread

The original Emo. Wikipedia states that much of Emo Philips' standup comedy "stems from the use of paraprosdokians and garden path sentences." And, while there are plenty of quotes to support this, it doesn't quite do justice to the man who wrote the best God joke ever--it's in the way he delivers these lines. Experience true Emo here, through these links which I like to call, "Audio and Video Clips from Emo Philips' Website."
posted on Jun 29, 2008 - View this thread

The story behind Harpo Marx's "Gookie" face. (See 2:16.)
posted on Jun 28, 2008 - View this thread

"Wow, a new user... That's Great! We'd be happy to show you the ropes!" a PSA on conversation starters in forums and comment threads online that have never been heard or used before. Brought to you by Red Vs. Blue.
posted on Jun 25, 2008 - View this thread

Are you, like many others this summer, considering avoiding the costs & hassles of pricey foreign or domestic travel by having a "staycation" at home? Daily Show commenter John Hodgman (ably backed by Jonathan Coulton on the strings) enumerates the benefits of a "Holistay" (much better name) to help you make your choice.
posted on Jun 12, 2008 - View this thread

Take the Funny and Run , a history of notorious joke-thieves from Milton Berle and Robin Williams to Denis Leary, Carlos Mencia (previously) and Dane Cook.
posted on Jun 10, 2008 - View this thread

Sir Norbert Smith - A Life.
posted on Jun 8, 2008 - View this thread

Unplanned Freefall? Some Survival Tips
posted on Jun 1, 2008 - View this thread

RIP, Harvey Korman
posted on May 29, 2008 - View this thread

About twenty years ago, HBO aired The Mondo Beyondo Show, a sort-of send-up of avant-garde performance shows like Alive From Off Center and Night Flight. Hosted by Bette Midler (as the character Mondo Beyondo), it showcased artists that covered the broad spectrum between performance art, dance, and absurdist comedy. Strap on your Eighties Goggles; here's the meat of the show: Bill Irwin | La La La Human Steps | The Kipper Kids | Yes/No People | Paul Zaloom | David Cale | and the Divine Miss M as Eudora P. Quickly
posted on May 29, 2008 - View this thread

You Look Nice Today | A Journal of Emotional Hygiene is one of those podcasts all the kids are talking about these days. It's just a few guys, you know, talking, but it's newish, amusing, and one of the guys is Metafilter's Very Own™ MerlinMann.
posted on May 29, 2008 - View this thread

Waverly Films has already been discussed on Metafilter... 3 years ago. Since then, they've posted over 100 consistently funny weekly videos.
posted on May 28, 2008 - View this thread

Charlie Chaplin Filter.
posted on May 26, 2008 - View this thread

The opening shots of 1920s New York City are wonderful, then you get a zany high-speed Harold Lloyd blazing down the avenues, and that's fun to watch, but the real killer is the horse-drawn trolley absolutely tearing-ass through lower Manhattan, full gallop. Ends badly. Then it's over to San Francisco for one last bit of homicidal vehicular activity with a bus. Well, they sure don't drive like they used to!
posted on May 25, 2008 - View this thread

"You people bring matches for Mikey?" When people fondly remember TV's Mystery Science Theater 3000 they commonly focus on the film riffing part of the show, but some of the best comedy to come out of the Satellite of Love involves the host segments that provided a break from the movie. MSTies over at Satellite News have spent the past ten weeks discussing the best host segments from each season of the show, analyzing what makes some segments work while others fall flat.
posted on May 23, 2008 - View this thread

I Guess You'll Do - Runaway Box is my new Funnyordie - It all started with Honest R&B. OMG, look at John's Erection.
posted on May 15, 2008 - View this thread

Introducing Project Pop (Formerly Indonesia's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-suling metal-dangdut-comedy folk sextet). Their hit "Dangdut is the music of my country" [youtube link--music starts at 0:58] code-switches between pop metal and dangdut, affectionately mocking the cheesy pop of their parents' generation. Here is a great play-by-play translation of the details of the video.
posted on May 9, 2008 - View this thread

UFC 75. Boucher V. Mathis. (SLYT)
posted on May 8, 2008 - View this thread

"The Daily Show is no doubt entertainment, but it is entertainment, measurably, with a substantive point. It is, in its own way, another kind of No Spin Zone." The Project for Excellence in Journalism discusses what is and is not journalistic (PDF) about The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
posted on May 8, 2008 - View this thread

The 50 Greatest Commercial Parodies of All Time according to Nerve.com.
posted on May 5, 2008 - View this thread

Garry McDonald, aka Norman Gunston, aka the "little aussie bleeder," may be well known out Australia way. For most Americans, however, Norman G remains far, far down under the radar. But he's the forefather of the UK's Ali G; he's Canadian Nardwuar thee Human Serviette's nerdier dad; he's America's Lazlo Toth (US) with a combover and a microphone; he's Jiminy Glick's Jack Sprat. Perhaps you saw Norman long ago in a segment on USA Network's Night Flight variety show. [bonus: many many youtubes of Night Flight segments, courtesy of this awesome website.] But I bet you didn't know he released a KIckaSS single (among others), jammed with Frank Zappa, and was at the right place and time to upstage a piece of Australian History. Not bad for someone whom Keith Moon dumped his drink on and called a "great pooftah."
posted on May 4, 2008 - View this thread

"Girls Will Be Girls", the hilariously tacky and tasteless story of a trio of women in Hollywood, earned Best Actress awards for its leads at both Outfest and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in 2003. This was notable largely because the parts were played by three male performers. Now, thanks to the internet, you can watch the continuing adventures of Varla, Coco, and Evie in streaming hi-def. Oh, the gays and their wit.
posted on May 3, 2008 - View this thread

"How about if we say we met on an oil rig and we were lovers for 50 years!" What if real life was like Facebook? [YouTube, 2 mins.] From Idiots of Ants. Via.
posted on Apr 30, 2008 - View this thread

Comedian Julie Klausner (of "Hot Jewish Girls want to talk to you!!") has obsessions. So do her friends. As you do, she hosts a comedy night in New York where people can confess and explain (sometimes via powerpoint) the things that drive their compulsions.
posted on Apr 30, 2008 - View this thread

In celebration of my antipodean homesickness I've spent the morning catching up with some great Australian and New Zealand musical comedy acts I've been to. You've already met Flight of the Conchords previously on mefi. Now come and meet some...
posted on Apr 23, 2008 - View this thread

The Carry On films have been a much-loved part of British life for the last 50 years, and they may even be making a new one. This give a quick feel of what you might of missed (slightly NSFW) And though it does have its knockers, one person liked them so much he made a religion out of them, literally.
posted on Apr 18, 2008 - View this thread

The fifty greatest comedy sketches of all time from Nerve and IFC. All with video. Some highlights: SNL's consumer probe & word association; Mr. Show's pretaped call-in show, Upright Citizens Brigade's ass pennies, The State's porcupine racetrack, lots of Monty Python, some classics, and the inevitable winning sketch.
posted on Apr 10, 2008 - View this thread

The Goon Show was a popular and influential radio comedy produced by the BBC from 1951 - 1960, starring Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. Here, you can listen to it whenever you like.
posted on Apr 5, 2008 - View this thread

How To Speak Hip with Del Close and John Brent
posted on Apr 1, 2008 - View this thread

Long Duk Dong: Last of the Hollywood Stereotypes? Related: Whatever Happened to John Hughes? which has an accompanying photo gallery: Where are Hughes' teen stars now? [A previous post about John Hughes here.]
posted on Mar 24, 2008 - View this thread

Live from her minivan, it’s The Jeannie Tate Show! Everyone’s favorite soccer mom runs errands around town with the help of special guests like Bill Hader (SNL), Rashida Jones (The Office), Lonny Ross (30 Rock), and Rob Riggle (The Daily Show). Of course, she’s willing to leave the van behind to visit her heroines, Hillary and Oprah.
posted on Mar 24, 2008 - View this thread

Coming To Alderaan [YouTube]
posted on Mar 22, 2008 - View this thread

Leroy Shield was a composer from the Hal Roach era of comedies who composed soundtracks for Laurel and Hardy and the Little Rascals, he has one cover, er, orchestra, the Beau Hunks and no less of a fan than Robert Crumb. Check the main website for more sounds and movies.
via WFMU, bonus YouTubery inside
posted on Mar 20, 2008 - View this thread

How obedient is your dog? Or chimp.
posted on Mar 13, 2008 - View this thread

Can I Get a Napkin Here? A food court musical brought to us by the fine folks of Improv Everywhere . For more musicals in public places, check out "Reach! A Lecture Musical!" and "Reading on a Dream: A Library Musical" both from Prangstgrup.
posted on Mar 10, 2008 - View this thread

A Vodka Movie by Zach Galifianakis, Tim and Eric
posted on Mar 8, 2008 - View this thread

Who says women aren't funny?
posted on Mar 7, 2008 - View this thread

God's Pottery is described on their website as "a Christian acoustic duo formed to spread the Word while addressing the issues facing today's Youth and the Spiritual Community at large." But actually, they're one of the funniest new up and coming musical comedy acts, already nominated for an ECNY award in Best Musical Comedy Act. They workshop with the audience to get to know them better and sing songs about Pre-Marital Sex (The Pants Come Off, When The Ring Goes On), Alcoholism (Jesus I Need a Drink!), and they're always playing for Team Jesus. They went to the "Eden-berg" Fringe Festival and even stayed in character when interviewed by ITV2, because they are that good.
posted on Mar 6, 2008 - View this thread

Lift your head up high and take a walk in the sun with dignity and stick-to-it-ive-ness and you'll show the world, you'll show them where to get off! And never give up, never give up... that ship!!!
posted on Mar 5, 2008 - View this thread

"I am a master impressionest and I will not dignify that with a response..." Continuing in the vein of posting links to UCB Performers videos. YouTube War is produced and stars Chris Gethard along with Zach Woods. Also created a whole bunch of other shorts, "The Worlds Most Akward Boy": Rides an Elevator, Goes to the Deli, Enjoys a Hot Tub, and many more.
posted on Mar 4, 2008 - View this thread

Eliza Skinner is well known in New York improv comedy circles for her work with Glennis McMurray in I Eat Pandas, the musical improv duo that does in an hour "what it takes Andrew Lloyd Weber YEARS to do ... crap out a musical from start to finish." The duo have had a tough time getting a TV deal (language NSFW), but Eliza's Internet fame has been growing. In videos from her one-woman show Shameless!, she "puts raw, repellent desperation front and center" as an overbearing mother of a freshman college student and a desperate, ditzy club girl.
posted on Mar 4, 2008 - View this thread

Henri Bergson's "On Comedy"
Helene Cixous's "The Laugh of the Medusa"
David Chalmer's Philosophical Humour
Monty Python's "Philosopher's World Cup"
posted on Feb 16, 2008 - View this thread

Los Angeles! he walks again by night... ...out of the smog, into the fog. Relentlessly -- ruthlessly -- ("I wonder where Ruth is?") -- doggedly! ("Woof woof!" *) For the past 42 years the Firesign Theatre, the best comedy group of the 1960's, has been putting their art in cans from Canada to Kashmir. Up for the Grammy in 1998 and 2001, Firesign at their best combined clever, multilayered writing with pitch-perfect satirical performances as Rocky Rococco, Ralph Spoilsport, Art Holeflaffer, Hemlock Stones, Uh Clem and Barney, and many more. Back in the day, it would have been astonishing if at least one of your peers couldn't recite all of The Further Adventures of Nick Danger, Third Eye, including the sound effects.
posted on Jan 31, 2008 - View this thread

Steve Martin on the development of his comedy.
posted on Jan 30, 2008 - View this thread