“When I discovered YouTube, I didn't work for five days. I did nothing. I viewed Cookie Monster sings Chocolate Rain about a thousand times.” — Michael Scott, The Office
In a short quote, Michael Scott summed up the exact feeling of every kid in 2005 after the launch of YouTube.
When the site first launched, there was NOTHING cooler. During its first few years, YouTube served as a launch pad for the first “wave” of hilarious viral videos that helped broaden the reach of the social network, while introducing a new generation to the joy of video sharing.
Also, they were funny as hell.
Here are the top 10 viral videos from the 2000s.
10. “Trololo Sing Along!”
Watch this without laughing. We dare you.
This clip has all the makings of a great viral video. Obnoxious and catchy song? Check. Weird guy? Check. Replay value? Check.
Some fun facts about Trololo: The man in the video, Eduard Khil, was a well-known Russian singer who won various vocal awards in his home country. The song he is singing is a non-lexical vocable (a.k.a. gibberish) version of the Russian song “I Am So Happy To Finally Be Back Home.” After becoming an internet celebrity in 2010, Khil performed the song numerous times, including on a live Russian New Year’s Eve TV special before passing away in 2012.
9. Will it Blend?
Nothing beats watching good ole’ Tom Dickson pulverize stuff in his Blendtec Total Blender.
Over the course of ten years, this dude blended anything and everything, including numerous iPhones, a garden hose and a handful of marbles. He would just sit there all cheeky and whatnot with his hand over the lid and a self-righteous grin on his face.
Dickson had great catch phrases such as “I think I’ll press the ____ button” or “Whew! ____ Smoke! Don’t breathe this!”
Tell me these videos weren’t great.
8. FЯED
I hate everything about FЯED. I never watched his videos, I never thought he was funny, and I loathe the fact that the creator, Lucas Cruikshank, became an original YouTube celebrity as a result of FЯED. The series, however, did have a rather large following, so I figured I’d include it on the list. So, Fred fans, have the #8 spot on the list.
7. “7-Year-Old Takes Car on Joyride”
I tried not to include news stories on this list, but this video about Latarian Milton’s adventure is just too good to pass up. This story from WPBF 25 News, out of Florida, is about a young boy who stole his grandma’s car, drove it to Wal-Mart and crashed it.
The best quotes from the video? It’s gotta be between these two:
Latarian: “I wanted to do it because it’s fun. It’s fun to do bad things.”
Reporter: “Did you know that you could perhaps kill somebody?”
Latarian: “Yes, but I wanted to do hoodrat stuff with my friends.”
6. “Relaxing Car Drive”
There’s not much to say about this video. Everyone probably remembers the very first time they watched it, and for those of you who haven’t, give it a watch.
5. Muffins
After watching this video again for the first time in 10 years, I never want to eat a muffin other again. Also, I now understand the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict muffin” joke. Whoopie.
4. “Chocolate Rain”
Who doesn’t remember Tay Zonday singing this weird song in an even weirder voice? Also, has anyone ever watched this video all the way through? NGL, I’ve only seen the first 15 seconds or so. I don’t think I need to see any more.
3. Charlie the Unicorn
I would love to know what magical hallucinogenic drugs the creators of this video took when they decided to upload this magnificent creation.
For those of you who live under a rock, this animated video is about a lackadaisical unicorn who is coaxed by two other sprightly unicorns into going to “Candy Mountain.” Along the way, the trio encounter many things, including a liopleurodon and a “magical bridge of hope and wonder.” At the end, (SPOILER ALERT) he gets his kidney stolen.
Does any of that make sense? Eh, who cares? It’s brilliantly stupid.
2. “Evolution of Dance”
This video needs no introduction.
Whenever I think of viral videos, this is what comes to mind. This video is not only hilarious, but iconic — plain and simple. Everyone person who has access to a computer has seen it.
If you haven’t watched “Evolution of Dance” in a while, watch it again. I promise it’s just as good as the first time you watched it.
1. “Charlie Bit my Finger”
At the #1 spot is the breathtaking video of one kid biting another that became a viral phenomenon.
Before Vevo took over YouTube, “Charlie Bit My Finger” was the most-watched video on the internet, and has received over 847 million views.
It was a tough call between “Evolution of Dance” and “Charlie Bit My Finger” for the top spot, but the sheer number of views put “Charlie” over the top.
In 2015, Harry and Charlie celebrated their 11th and 9th birthdays, respectively. You can catch up with them here.
Honorable Mentions: “The End of the World,” Friday, The Annoying Orange, the Star Wars Kid, Keyboard Cat, Smosh, "Shoes the Full Version."
@Heeeeeres_Jonny
