Comedy Democracy

Is this not the best time to be alive? Maybe not, but it's certainly better than feudal Japan, where you had little control over what Kabuki show you'd be able to see next.

Now, thanks to the combined powers of the internets and webs, you have the right to vote for what you think is funny. And isn't that what comedy is all about? Really?

FunnyOrDie.com

Will Ferrel's online comedy progeny that features user-generated content that either lives or dies at the hands of voters, who rate each uploaded video. If it's not highly rated, it goes the way of the dodo.

PROS: Ferrell is eternally funny. I have no idea why, but he just is.

CONS: Slow, server issues -- they need to host on faster, bigger ones.

NOTE: The site is in BETA release currently, so some bugs are still being worked out.








Acceptable TV

Dan Harmon's internet component of his VH1 Acceptable TV show, which broadcasts Friday nights at 10 pm. Harmon sold the show to VH1 as a derivative of his and Rob Schrab's internet-based comedy experiment Channel 101. Jack Black is an executive producer.

PROS: A solid system, Harmon's experience with Channel 101 translates well.

CONS: Lots of content. Hard to wade through.


The Human Giant

This is the internet component of an MTV comedy sketch show, The Human Giant. The Human Giant guys are actually Channel 102 alumni, which was an East Coast spin off of Channel 101, mentioned above. This Hollywood! So Incestuous! Anyways, this isn't really like the first two, in that it's not user-generated comedy. You can still 'vote' for your favorite part of their stuff, but that doesn't guarantee that you'll see any more of those clips.

PROS: Some funny stuff. I've always like Shutterbugs. And if you 'vote', you get a Quizno's coupon.

CONS: More like communistic socialism, where 'the State' determines what is best for 'the proletariat' , or whatever.