Humor, like coconut trees, isn’t something you simply stumble upon. It thrives in an environment peppered with a seasoned timeline of events. This pattern was never more evident than on July 15th, marking the day when Donald Trump, leading in the surveys against the somewhat diminished figure of Joe Biden, declared J.D. Vance as his partner in the political race. Many were on pins and needles, hoping for Vance to slip, craving for a bit of amusement to lighten the oppressive atmosphere. There was a dramatic switch when, soon enough, Biden retreated from his presidential endeavor, Kamala was labeled as a ‘brat’ and some unusual news stirred about Vance’s romantic dalliance with a sofa. For a section of fervent Democrats, every unwonted future seemed to leap into the realm of the imaginable.
By that narrative, the humor in a particular tweet still holds its weight. The bizarrely specific details about a latex glove, the dry ‘cannot confirm’ disclaimer, and the desperate echo of solitary lust it brings to mind. Much has been jocular about the past year, so amusingly improbable or regrettably factual to even tickle the funny bone. Yet, we found our way to a few chuckles on this winding path. Here’s a look at some striking moments.
Let’s talk about the concluding Tennis Match in ‘Challengers.’ The charismatic filmmaker Luca Guadagnino seemed oblivious to the fact that real-life tennis doesn’t quite align with his imagining. Genuine professionals would settle a point before any onlooker could so much as blink, but this was tennis shaped like a sentient opera; the scene culminates in one of the most jubilant visual witticisms of the year.
Then we delve into the unexpectedly humorous culinary corner with Sean Evans and his ‘Hot Ones.’ This web-based show is renowned for its unique format. It pairs probing questions with a scorching series of chicken wings, escalating with progressively hot sauces—and it’s rapidly become a star-studded stopover on the promotional train. Evans had the once nightly-show host smear sauce all over his visage, and somewhat scandalously, his shirt. Not stopping there, the host scattered the sauce haphazardly on his wings and later swigged it from the bottle. Enlivened, he shrieked about his newly found fervency.
A laugh-inducing line from a movie trailer about a mother researching spiders in the Amazon reigns as one of the most memorable. However, this amusing dialogue from the film ‘Madame Web’ did not make it to its final cut. Implementing a curious approach to the absurd firstly taken by ‘Snakes on a Plane’ might have led the film to fully embrace its laughable potential. Dakota Johnson, despite the infamous dialogue being omitted, kept her spirits up amidst the online commotion.
Another hilarious episode unfolded in the rap world, where Kendrick Lamar and Drake exchanged sharp, detailed lyrics against each other. Lamar eventually dropped a serious lyrical blow, which most considered as a raging win.
The spectacle reached grand heights during the Summer Olympics when Charlie Chaplin, Lucille Ball, Molly Shannon, and others were outshone by Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun. Her unconventional dance moves and a particularly unique sense of rhythm echoed through social media. Online spectators drew comparisons between Raygun and comic characters such as Yogi Bear and Elaine Benes. Unfortunately, the spectacle evoked mixed feelings. Some viewers speculated that Raygun was disrespectful towards fellow competitors; apparently, the backlash hit Raygun hard.
Another memorable chuckle came courtesy of Glen Powell in Richard Linklater’s upbeat murder mystery ‘Hit Man.’ Oddly enough, it was suggested that a charismatic personality like Glen Powell could ever be anything but a natural fit for Hollywood. Particularly amusing was a scene where his character plans a particularly gruesome crime, discussing the distribution of body parts along a road at calculated intervals.
Lastly, was the prolific writer and performer Cole Escola taking over Broadway with his cynical interpretation of Mary Todd Lincoln in ‘Oh, Mary!’ The satire portrays the former First Lady as a frustrated cabaret artist and alcoholic trapped in her extraordinary life circumstances. The New Yorker’s review acknowledged the dimension of Mary’s ‘interstellar narcissism,’ with a particularly amusing skit where she hints at reviving her career to her weary husband.