I love internet. I love screen. I love laugh. I’m a certified eight-hour-a-day screen user. I’m like a little iPad kid except I’m a six-foot-two, 31-year-old woman.
Getting access to the family computer at 10 years old sparked something in me. It unlocked the deep, dark and wonderful world of the internet and my profound desire to explore every corner of it.
Unfortunately for me, my algorithm at the moment is feeding me the worst the internet has to offer. My show I Watched Someone Die on TikTok forces me to watch, save and muse on mostly distressing digital content. Fortunately for you, though, gorgeous internet stranger, this list is all the delightful and joyous things I’ve witnessed on the internet. Please enjoy my curated list (and then please buy tickets to my show. I promise the show itself is not distressing and is in fact very sexy, fun and fresh.)
1. Patti LaBelle – Where my background singers?
This is a classic. It’s the embodiment of everything going so wrong during a live performance but you having the chutzpah to power through and publicly call out everyone around you for it going downhill. A masterclass in diva-ism. I never call for “line” onstage. I simply say, “Where my background singers?”
2. AI food eating itself
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Look, is it funny? No. Is it delightful, soothing, scary, awe-inspiring, never before seen, adorable, bus, club, another club, the absolute best use of AI? Everyone in my life says no.
3. Kim Cattrall scatting
Another true diva. What I like about this video is Kim’s earnestness as she delivers this showstopping scat. Personally, I’m requesting that “well he bit all the he-dogs and winked at all the she-dogs” be sampled into a DJ mix and played at my funeral.
4. Very Important People (specifically Zeke’s episode)
Vic Michaelis is a genius and they are, in fact, very important. This talkshow consists of improvised interviews with comedians playing surreal characters. You can watch the full eps on Dropout or via the very generous free official shorts platform on YouTube. I love this little freak made out of rocks so much.
5. Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles tribute to Laura Dern
A choir of 30 gay men singing about moments in film you didn’t realise were gay. If you’re ever feeling depresso, please watch this three-minute clip to immediately make you feel better. I love when so much time, resources and talent go into creating a piece so SILLY.
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6. Jake Schroeder
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Jake’s topical and ultra-silly ballads are everything right about TikTok and gen Z. He takes the overwhelming feeling of world-ending despair circulating in our feeds and turns it into little ditties that soothe your rotted brain.
7. Caleb Hearon on Ziwe
Caleb is one of my favourite comedians and his interview with Ziwe is incredible. He’s so witty and talented it makes me sick.
8. The TikTok AI sway dance filter
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What we know: AI poses extreme risks to society and humanity. What we also know: when someone puts this AI filter on a dog I immediately feel very good. My friend’s dog recently passed and I thought sending her videos of her dog with this filter on it would cheer her up. Again, everyone in my life said no.
9. Fergie doing cartwheels
Fergie has had some iconic live performances (notably the 2018 national anthem performance). For me, this one takes the cake for most insane and most impressive.
10. Jack McBrayer visiting Chicago’s Wieners Circle
One of the best Conan segments was getting the sweetest, most polite man alive (Jack McBrayer) and putting him in confrontational situations. This video is peak late night to me. I went to the Wieners Circle in 2015 to see if the staff actually act like this and when I ordered a hotdog they said, “You want a dick in a bun?” Being a 20-year-old virgin at the time, the only response I could muster was “no onions please”.
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Charlotte Otton is an award-winning theatre maker. Her show I Watched Someone Die on TikTok has picked up five-star reviews in Perth and Melbourne and is heading to Pact for Sydney fringe festival from 3 to 13 September