It's been a great year for YouTube. It's officially a vital campaign tool, and there's still no shortage of goofy comedy videos. Below we've compiled the top 10 for 2008, arrived at by combining the number of times viewed, newsworthiness and hilarity to bring you the cream of the crop.
10. Everybody Knows Who Sarah Silverman Is F***ing
The video was forwarded to death and the followup was predictable but damn if they aren't funny.
9. Yes We Can
will.i.am's "Yes We Can" won the election for Obama, if you believe some of the fluffier journalism during the campaign. Tragically, the success of the video led to CNN imprisoning will.i.am in a hologram for the sake of posterity (video below "Yes We Can").
8. You Can Vote However You Like
Ron Clark Academy's take on T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was inspired, though not as bi-partisan as it could have been. "McCain's the best candidate/With Palin as his running mate"? That just sounds sarcastic.
7. Tom Cruise On Tom Cruise: Scientologist
Gawker took a risk by posting this video, which is supposed to be for Scientological eyes only, but it eventually made its way on to YouTube. Worth watching for Cruise's declaring, "We are the authorities on the mind."
6. Andy Samberg, King Of YouTube
Was Andy Samberg responsible for YouTube's $1.5 billion sale? Probably not, but he certainly didn't hurt the site's value with "Lazy Sunday" in 2005. Since then, his videos are generally YouTube stars... depending on how long NBC leaves them on the site.
5. Star Wars According To A Three-Year-Old
Good thing she didn't try to explain any of the newer movies. Three-year-olds always miss the nuanced drama of Galactic Senate procedural votes.
4. Corey Won't Take Off His Sunglasses
The Australian teen who threw a huge party at his parents' house while they were away bucked the cliche by being completely unrepentant, profiting from the debacle, and having a pierced nipple. Read here about Corey's frustratingly successful business ventures.
3. Drunk History
Technically posted a week before 2008, Drunk History made its way around the web early in the year and spawned three subsequent volumes. Michael Cera is sometimes criticized for only having one character, but anyone who's ever read Gore Vidal's Burr knows that Alexander Hamilton really was that awkward.
2. Indian Baby Toss Ritual
Name says it all.
1. O'Reilly Does It Live
It's no surprise that Bill O'Reilly has a temper, but this leaked video from his days at Inside Edition really shows America's newsman to be on a hair trigger (and a fairly puffy hair trigger at that). As the video gained popularity, Stephen Colbert filmed his inevitable parody of Papa Bear, which can also be seen below.