Never-Not-Funny

The Onion's AV Club has a regular feature called "AVQ&A," where they throw out a question for discussion among the staff and readers. It could also be called "Shit you talk about with your friends on long road trips" or "Content filler."

Last week's question was, "Is there a piece of pop culture that absolutely, 100 percent never fails to make you laugh? (Or at least smile?)"

The definition of pop culture is arbitrary and their list was somewhat underwhelming. Most of the writers cited predictable examples from The Simpsons, Futurama, Mr. Show, Arrested Development, Mystery Science Theatre, Stewarts & Colbert... etc. Should it mostly include internet sensations? Do shows count if they weren't all that popular? (Ex: Mr. Show but only because I've never seen it). One writer used Groucho Marx as an example but can we really use pop culture from the pre-Civil Rights Era? If so, that Birth of Nation is a real knee-slapper. I guess exercises in inanity do not require strict boundaries.

Once you really start to think about it, it's actually more difficult than it initially seems. Over the last few months, 30 Rock has become a consistent source of my LOLs (I hate myself for writing that) but I feel that I should choose something that has stood the test of time (or my time). I posed this question to my friends and here is what they came up with.

My first source was scenes from 90's movies - at least that is what I anticipated I would get from my friend JF whose favorites include scenes from Soap Dish, Wet Hot American Summer and many lines from Wayne's World ("A gun rack" and "If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor he'd be pralines and dick").


Mine include but are not limited to:

Eddie Murphy's Raw - in its entirety.

Dave Chappelle's "I Know Black People"

The Cosby Show:
1) Olivia's Birthday Party (I'm a sucker for kids, raspsy voices and kids with raspy voices)
2) The Ray Charles Episode

Gets me every time!

Chris Rock - Toss Your Salad Man

The restaurant scene in Curb when everyone starts cursing. Curb Your Enthusiam in general.

Billy Madison - "You can stay home and help me shave my armpits!" "That's the grossest thing I've ever heard!" Plus the principals speech at the end.

Clips of Whitney Houston from Being Bobby Brown and Dianne from Fat Camp - I could laugh at that ish for hours.

When Ricky Gervais screams, "There's been a rape up there!!" in the Office.


From EK:

yes dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVuvAYzsLoM
(I've never seen anyone love a clip more than she does this one)

kittens inspired by kittens. This does get better with each viewing:

disco bear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiARsQSlzDc (read the description)

Feel free to share some of yours.