The Tinder Translator: The 10 funniest things I have ever seen (on the internet)
The 10 funniest things I’ve seen on this internet, you say? No problemo. I’ve been training for this for quite a while. All those nights scrolling TikTok and giggling to myself before suddenly realising it is hideously late? They were research! In your face, circadian rhythms!
But I’ve watched approximately 718m funny videos and now I have to pick just 10? Maybe I’ve trained too hard.
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Somehow I whittled it down, and I definitely won’t wake up in a cold sweats every night this week remembering another hilarious addition I should have made because I’m a normal person.
1. Alison Hammond ‘interviewing’ Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford
Alison Hammond is a British national treasure. I’d call for her to receive a damehood if I didn’t think the honours systems was an antiquated vestige of empire. Her laugh alone is the funniest thing on the internet, but her (entirely good-humoured) lack of reverence for two of Hollywood’s biggest stars is a close second.
2. Saturday Night Live – Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks
I can confidently say that I have watched this more times than any other sketch. Every element of it is perfection. Tom Hanks as a semi-likable Maga American? Glorious. It says a lot in a short space of time; mainly about how the shared concerns of workingclass people are often obscured by divisions. It is, and I hesitate to say this because the phrase is all too overused, a rich text.
3. Daniel Foxx as a supervillain’s gay assistant
Foxx’s sketches are just bloody brilliant. The attention to detail, the observation and the general panache (panache is an underused word, don’t you think?) are all spot on. This gay assistant to a supervillain is a particular favourite of mine. I also recently saw Foxx do standup, so can confirm he’s both internet funny and real-life funny.
4. Incongruous Queen tributes
Too soon? Meh, whatevs. That every company – from sex toy brand Ann Summers to the British Kebab awards – felt they needed to pay their respects to Elizabeth II was, and I’m not going to mince my words about this, fucking bonkers. But there is something especially dystopian about this tweet and the words “the entire McDonald’s system”. What system? What is this system? I need to know.
5. Danielle Pinnock as the royal family’s casting director
While we’re on the subject of the royals … after Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah aired, the royal family seemed to suddenly find themselves in several photo opportunities with people of colour. A total coincidence, I’m sure, and one that US actor and comedian Danielle Pinnock absolutely nails them to the wall over in this sketch. I couldn’t be more here for it.
6. Uzi, the toddler king of comedy
You know those accounts where you watch one video, start scrolling through the rest and then an hour has passed and you’re angry at yourself but also have no regrets? @beleafinfatherhood was one of those accounts for me. In his “fatherhood breakdowns” he offers play-by-play commentary on the behaviour of his children. Uzi, the youngest child, is often the star of the show. In this particular video he is attempting to frame his sister. It’s both wholesome and hilarious.
7. Mo Gilligan’s schoolroom bit
Mo Gilligan is undoubtedly one of my favourite standup comedians, and this is probably my favourite of all his bits. The first time I watched it, I laughed so hard I cried. As a millennial who also went to school in south London, I particularly relate to the picture Gilligan paints. But his brilliant observations and immediately-recognisable characters effortlessly give this piece of comedy a much wider appeal.
8. Stanzi Potenza’s Heaven and Hell
I am mildly obsessed with Stanzi Potenza. They are one of the most reliably funny internet comedians out there and can do no wrong in my eyes. Their series of Heaven and Hell skits, which always begin with longsuffering assistant, Joanne, saying “Um, Satan …” are particularly sublime. This one may be my absolute favourite.
9. Adam Levine memes
Was the news Adam Levine is a creepy alleged cheat came as no real shock anyone who has ever listened to the lyrics of Move Like Jagger? No. Was it likely distressing for his pregnant wife? Absolutely. Did Twitter do what Twitter does best with his leaked DMs? You bet it did. This is my fave, but I encourage you to explore more of this buffet of memes.
10. Steven!
Last but not least. It’s a horse. A horse called Steven. A horse called Steven playing dead. That is all.
Aileen Barratt runs @tindertranslators on Instagram. Her new book, Tinder Translator: An A-Z of Modern Misogyny, is out now in Australia and the UK (Hardie Grant, $26.99/£12.99).