Olå, Oli here. The internet can be an overwhelming place – but luckily I have gone through the more than 50bn web pages that exist so you don’t have to. Here are a select few that sincerely make me laugh. I’m a visual person, so I get a lot of pleasure from watching things online. (Then I delete my search history and log off, of course, Cause The Government Track It!!)
1. Jerrod Carmichael: Coming out too late
Sir Carmichael is just the best. This short clip from his recent comedy special is about coming out of the closet “too late”. Timing is everything these days.
2. Richard Ayoade goes ‘glamping’
Ayoade is known for his show Travel Man, but in this episode of Gadget Man, he goes “glamping” with actor Stephen Mangan. I full-blown fall in love with camping every time I watch this.
3. Funniest auditions on Idols South Africa
The above is a compilation of auditions on South Africa’s music competition show Idols, with mean reactions from judges. Incompetence is funny.
4. Bo Burnham: That Funny Feeling
Recently, when I told my girlfriend that a book I was reading was hilarious, she objected with, “But I didn’t hear you laugh at all!” My answer to her is encapsulated in this song by Bo. I FEEL funny every time I engage with this.
5. Rowan Thambar’s musical standup
The Thambars are funny as a whole family – and they are a big family – but Rowan is my favourite.
6. Angella Dravid destroys the Two Sketches web series
I actually met Angella not long ago and was delighted by her presence. She has a great sense of humour here, and some great insights too. Boy she is funny.
7. Woody Allen performs at the 2002 Academy awards
Awards ceremonies are rarely funny and usually pretentious, but Allen decided to go the other way for this Oscars monologue he did a few months after 9/11. Yes, he was asked to do this.
8. Rowan Atkinson interviews Elton John
Some of the funniest things on the internet were not created for the internet. This was filmed in a theatre in 1991 and time and time again, it makes me laugh.
9. Issa Rae’s The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
Issa Rae is genuinely funny. Before she wrote and starred in Insecure, she made this web series where she plays an awkward Black girl. Binge the whole thing, you will not regret it.
10. Odd Future: Earl Sweatshirt
The Odd Future crew were ahead of their own future. They are odd in the best way possible. This clip of the Odd Future rapper Earl Sweatshirt makes me laugh, it’s sincerely funny. Incohesive goodness!
Oliver Twist is performing at the Brisbane Powerhouse 24-29 May, then at QPAC 20-23 July.
