Funny or Die Revisited – A Comedy Website from Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell and Adam McKay do some funny work and a little over a year ago they collaborated with Michael Kvamme, an aspiring young comedian, to create the website Funny or Die.

It’s a huge catalog of videos from people around the country, some trying to be funny and some actually succeeding. It is, essentially, a YouTube for comedy only. Individuals and groups perform sketches or write very short films and upload them here to get attention. The videos range from twenty seconds to fifteen minutes. So, since we all waste time on the Internet looking for funny or bizarre videos, Funny or Die is another site to add to the list.

Will Ferrell has made a few contributions and an increasing number of other celebrities are making appearances; for example, Brooke Shields, Jerry O’Connell, Judd Apatow, Danny Devito, Jenna Elfman and more. Once you zip through a simple registration process, you’re able to rate and you can upload your own video. The entire website is really very easy to navigate; the videos play quickly and easily.

After viewing the videos, you can rate it: either Funny or Die (hence the name). You click whichever one you think it deserves. After 50,000 votes of “Funny” a video reaches Immortal status. Viewers can also share the videos via the usual social networking sites and there’s code to embed the video on your own site. Since a year’s worth of video’s have now been collected, the categorization of the site has vastly improved. It’s much easier to navigate.

There are, of course, the Most Viewed, Most Discussed, and Top Rated categories. Also, you can read blog entries from Ferrell, McKay, and Chris Henchey (another of the founders) and others. There are keyword links on each video, directing you to similar videos or others by the same producer. Or you can check out the “Featured Playlist” and see what Ferrell and the others like.

Some of the productions are cheesy, amatuer home video; some are spiffy and professional. If you find some you really like, you can check out the creator’s profile. There are comedy troupes and individuals; some have their own websites where you can find more of their work.

Although there is a request on the upload screen that the videos be free of obscenities, that perhaps just refers to blatantly pornographic material and is not a barrier to skits on masturbation and drug abuse or raunchy language. So beware of that as you skim through the videos. If you want to avoid that content altogether, the creators have modestly created a “Clean Comedy” category.

Funny or Die is a pretty straightforward site for seekers of comedy only. If you want attention and feedback for your standup or your skits, upload a video and listen to the ratings and comments. If you’re bored at work, watch Will Ferrell argue with a two-year-old. Or not.

The Landlord on FunnyOrDie.com