I’m on KUOW’s The Works tonight at 8:00, talking about the history of humor on the Internet. Here are the sites we mention by name:
- The Onion — the great grandpappy of Internet humor sites.
- Brunching Shuttlecocks — sadly defunct, but the archives are still there for the browsing
- Homestar Runner — “Strong Bad’s Email” is especially popular
- Metafilter — a great way to find the latest and greatest Internet funny, before it arrives in your Inbox
- Fark — another place you can catch memes before they spread
- Worth 1000 — Photoshop contests, often with hilarious results
Here’s a few we didn’t mention but that are definately worth a look.
- McSweeney’s Internet Tendency — another founding fathers of Net yucks
- Cockeyed — Rob Cockerham does science experiments and pulls pranks
- Mimi Smartypants — a hilarious blog from a wiseacre in Chicago
If you have a favorite humor site, feel free to mention it in the comments.
Update: Good lord, how did I forget b3ta and The Sneeze (home of Please Steve, Don’t Eat It!)?
Let me be the first to say yours, sir, would rate among my top. I’m also partial to fafblog, which causes most of my spittakes, and I enjoy Working for Change for their admittedly left-leaning comics.
Posted by Dug Steen on October 12th, 2004.
My recent Ask.Me question on the same topic…tons of comedy gold in there. You, of course, are mentioned.
Posted by stavrosthewonderchicken on October 12th, 2004.
Things on Fark and Metafilter count as “unspread memes”? Dang. I need to get out more.
Posted by yami on October 12th, 2004.
The best part of Brunching Shuttlecocks, The Book of Ratings, lives on at its own site.
Also: Spinnwebe, Red Meat, Leisuretown, Mirsky, Suck. Seems like I’m missing some other obvious ones.
Posted by Doug Orleans on October 12th, 2004.
Since you hit my still out there fav’s, all I can think of are the now defunct favs…
An oldie I used to frequent for years was “The Centre for the Easily Amused”. Sadly it was bought up and squelched during the ‘net boom and now is defunct.
Another side splitter was “AOL Geek of The Week”, also now sadly defunct.
Afrosquad.com – kaput.
Ooo – bettybowers.com – alive and kicking! But not as funny as it used to be….
Posted by HDC on October 12th, 2004.
Bunsen is well worth a visit if you enjoy someone adroit at harpooning popular culture. Not being a big consumer of TV, etc., I am only vaguely aware of some of the stuff he lampoons (e.g. The Apprentice) but he still manages to make me laugh harder than almost anyone on the net.
Sample snippet from Bunsen: “It Took Me some time, but I’ve really fallen hard for the little, singing thalidomide hamsters in the new Quiznos commercials. Maybe that’s because none of the rodents with birth defects in my local Subway can carry a tune worth a damn.”
Posted by Squeaky le Bean on October 12th, 2004.
I often visit dribbleglass.com. The humor is more tame but it’s good for a giggle. My favorite features are “An Interview With God” and Funny Sites, which has kept me entertained for hours.
Posted by ViVi on October 13th, 2004.
Eurotrash always gives me a bawdy chuckle during my Monday morning procrastination sessions at the office. But then again, I’vealways had a soft spot for sassy broads. (in the nicest most respectful sense of the word)
http://www.fuckitwasfunny.com/
Posted by The Lung Brothers on October 13th, 2004.
http://www.notmydesk.com/, some hilarious work/temp related essays in the archive and the author is (finally) making an effort to update semi-regularly again. (check out temp chat as well, trolling for abuse in IRC can be surprisingly funny).
http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/, some really quite perceptive humour about geeky stuff and some very very bad puns… my personal favourite is episode 604. alot of them are ongoing stories so the latest one might not make a great deal of sense
Posted by Anonymous on October 13th, 2004.
good ol http://www.satirewire.com of course. It is also defunct, but the archives are up there.
some of the funniest stuff i’ve ever read…..not counting you of course, Mr Yeti.
Posted by bob on October 13th, 2004.
Check out http://www.retroweb.com/lynchburg/attractions/index.html
Hard-to-believe attractions in small town Lynchburg, VA.
Posted by O. Grubbs on October 13th, 2004.
b3ta is the best by a long shot.
Posted by i_cola on October 13th, 2004.
A fine list. But it’s Strong Bad EmailS not Strong Bad’S email…only without a capital s. Not that I’m an obsesive. Or a nerd. Or anything…
Keep up the fine work old bean…
Posted by Paul on October 13th, 2004.
The two categorically funny sites with which I regularly procrastinate are this site (of course… that’s why I’m here) and Sluggy Freelance. I know that everyone has their own personal choice of internet comics, and Sluggy is mine.
I think the older ones are funnier, as it’s more a running saga now. So check out the archives. This one goes back a few years!
And thanks so much folks. You realize you’ve given me a patent way to waste the entirety of my day…
Posted by Andrew on October 13th, 2004.
Maddox is so offensive, you can’t take him seriously. I’ve never laughed so hard! I don’t remember the number of times I’ve had tears running down my face after reading his articles …
The Best Page in the Universe
Posted by 'Tasha on October 13th, 2004.
Sorry, use this link:
The Best Page in the Universe
Posted by 'Tasha on October 13th, 2004.
Fafblog! http://fafblog.blogspot.com. They make fun of ridiculous positions by supporting them.
Posted by Dave on October 13th, 2004.
I don’t know how you could bring up the category of humor sites and not mention http://www.thesneeze.com – it’s great!!! Also, of course, http://www.nuketibet.com – sorry, had to mention that one, too.
Posted by Eric on October 13th, 2004.
Get Your War On. Plus, the old stuff is relevant again!
Posted by Carny Asada on October 13th, 2004.
Zug.com – lotsa knee slappers. Check it out!
Posted by Stephanie P on October 13th, 2004.
You must add these:
Dooce: http://www.dooce.com/
Sarah Hepola: http://www.sarahhepola.com/
Posted by John on October 13th, 2004.
Merlin’s Fives (or 5ives)!
http://www.5ives.com/
A recent funny one…
http://www.5ives.com/archives/003004.php
Posted by Miel on October 13th, 2004.
You could try Frank J.
Posted by Lord Floppington on October 13th, 2004.
Of course your site is tops on the list but another favorite is johnkerry.com. Read the health care section. It’s hilarious!
Posted by Duane on October 14th, 2004.
Seconded on the Satirewire (formerly FNwire), and Merlin’s 5ives rock!.
Why doesn’t McSweeney’s make the cut?
Posted by eric on October 14th, 2004.
What, no somethingawful.com?
Posted by maus on October 18th, 2004.
You missed out The-Observatory dot Net! It’s not the best out there and it ain’t no DefectiveYeti but some of their older articles and their competitions are awesome! I’v still never won though…
Posted by Timson on October 19th, 2004.