YouTube Jukebox: The Guys From CollegeHumor Present Their Favourite Pieces Of Classic Internet
Three of the site's best writers/performers are doing an IRL show around the country this month. Here's where they get their inspiration.
In 1999 I was wearing neon platform sneakers in an attempt to look like The Spice Girls and only just discovering the magic that was Microsoft Word Art and Encarta. Neither YouTube nor MSN Messenger existed yet, and the internet was still a confusing thing that meant my dad couldn’t use the phone. Despite all this, it was also the year that CollegeHumor first launched.
Ridiculously far ahead of the now-standard world of viral videos and online comedy content, CollegeHumor was set up by two high school friends in New York as a way to bring funny stuff to young people. Now, the site clocks up more than 100 million page views a month, it’s one of the world’s most recognisable names in original online content, and it’s since expanded into books, MTV shows, and live comedy.
Though their videos still no doubt frequently pop up on your newsfeed, this month will be your first chance to see some of their more prominent writers and performers IRL. Streeter Seidell (Prank Wars), Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld (Jake and Amir) are all travelling around Australia with a new comedy show that kicks off this week.
This is a big time for all three comedians. Seidell has recently moved from the online world to TV as a writer at SNL and Hurwitz and Blumenfeld may well be onto something similar. Their much-loved webseries has just ended after eight years and there are rumours it may be turned into a full TV series. Before they hit the road with CollegeHumor for what may be a final time, we took a second to reflect on their ultra-internety roots.
What do you use as inspiration for writing internet gold like this?
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1. Numberwang, That Mitchell and Webb Look, 2006
Picked by: Amir
This list could easily just be sketched from That Mitchell and Webb Look, but in an effort to diversify, here’s my favourite one. Try watching this without having “That’s Numberwang!” stuck in your head the rest of the year.
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2. The Hamilton Mixtape, Lin Manuel Miranda, 2009
Picked by: Amir
More impressive than funny, this one rap was recently turned into a full broadway musical. Amazing! Worth moving to New York to see. Or at the very least, visiting.
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3. Facebook Ruins Job Interview, 2010
Picked by: Amir
The two dudes that shoot our videos (Jon Grimm and Giancarlo Fiorentini) wrote this for two other hilarious people. This is what happens when funny people make stuff with other funny people. Funny squared.
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4. Cadbury’s Gorilla Ad, 2007
Picked by: Jake
That Gorilla probably pulls so many groupies.
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5. NFL Bad Lip Reading, 2013
Picked by: Jake
Finally, football is funny.
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6. Lil BUB’s Magical Yule LOG Video, 2013
Picked by: Jake
Contrary to what you may think, this video is awesome year round.
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7. Top Soccer Shootout Ever With Scott Sterling, 2014
Picked by: Streeter
Some jokes never get old. Especially when the joke is about someone getting hit in the face.
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8. George Washington, 2008
Picked by: Streeter
An accurate account of America’s first president’s life and deeds.
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9. Are We The Baddies, That Mitchell And Webb Look, 2006
Picked by: Streeter
My favorite sketch of all time.
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COLLEGEHUMOR NATIONAL TOUR
Amir, Jake and Streeter are touring nationally through June.
ADELAIDE: June 9, The Gov — tickets here
MELBOURNE: June 10, The Corner Hotel — tickets here
SYDNEY: June 11, The Metro — tickets here
BRISBANE: June 12, The Triffid — tickets here
PERTH: June 14, The Astor — tickets here