Here is a roundup of some of the top funny videos that have appeared online during the past several years:
Laughing Baby:
Created by a Swedish father in his home, this video features a cute baby boy laughing uproariously in response to his father, who is off camera, making short, nonsensical sounds that sound like "Bing!" The video has been featured on major mainstream news sites on the Internet and on the TV show "South Park." The video is sometimes called, simply and to the point, "Hahaha."
Crazy Frog Brothers:
Two boys lip-synch and dance around in a wild, erratic manner to the electronic instrumental dance song "Axel F," from the 1984 movie "Beverly Hills Cop." The original video inspired many imitations and parodies, including animated tributes.
Dad at Comedy Barn:
Taped at a Comedy Barn comedy club, an audience-participation comedy routine breaks down thanks to the persistent, odd and hilarious laughing of a man who was taking part in the routine. The video inspired other clips of people watching the original video and collapsing into uncontrollable laughter of their own.
Heroes-Zeroes:
The popular science fiction television series "Heroes," which ran on NBC from 2006 through 2010, inspired this clever parody that features people with so-called "powers" like the man with the ability to kick himself in the back of his head. Executives with NBC later acknowledged they created the parody videos themselves, but that does not diminish their humor.
Frozen Grand Central:
More than 200 improvisational actors from a comedy troupe known as Improv Everywhere stage a hilarious prank in which they freeze in place and hold their positions for more than five minutes in the middle of a busy day in the main concourse of Grand Central Station in New York City. The reaction of commuters who are not in on the prank is priceless as they try to figure out what is happening. This video is also known as "New York Grand Central Freeze."
Charlie Bit My Finger:
A 1-year-old British baby named Charlie bites his 3-year-old brother's finger and starts to giggle with a mischievous look on his face. The older boy complains that "Charlie bit me" and says "Ouch!" The brothers became minor celebrities in England thanks to the video, which was named the No. 1 viral video of all-time by Time magazine.
Extreme Caterpillar Breakdance:
Jason Bradbury, a television personality, children's book author and comic from the United Kingdom, does a wild and crazy breakdancing routine on the streets of London. Not only are his moves impressive, but it is funny to watch the stunned reactions of pedestrians.
Geico, Allstate, State Farm, and other insurance companies have entered the folklore of viral video through hilarious and offbeat commercials. Often, there are more viral variants online for every popular insurance commercial campaign.
Scary Car Commercial:
Originating in Germany, the video looks like a standard car commercial with a car driving through a peaceful, scenic landscape until, without warning, a zombie leaps into the scene with a blood-curdling scream. A parody of the video features an average man, instead of the zombie, appearing and quietly saying, "Boo."
Kid Vs. Inflatable Earth Ball:
A young child gets knocked flat on his back by a large inflatable ball designed to look like the earth after his dad playfully kicks the ball toward him. Viewers cannot decide whether to laugh or feel sorry for the kid.
The Fake Bouncer:
A guy leans against the door of a bar and checks the identification cards of a series of young women as they line up to enter. Finally, the real bouncer appears and he is not pleased. The viewer can hear the fake bouncer's friends cracking up as they videotape the prank.
Numa Numa:
Although it went on to spawn an entire online phenomenon including parodies, contests and tributes, the original Numa Numa video features a man named Gary Brolsma lip-synching and dancing to a pop song by the Moldovan band O-Zone. As a result of his fame, Brolsma later performed in television shows such as "NCIS," in a video by the band Weezer and during the halftime show at a Michigan State-Iowa college football game.
Dramatic Prairie Dog:
The shortest of the top funny videos at just five seconds long, the clip portrays a prairie dog appearing to mug for the camera in a dramatic pose as suspenseful music plays. The clip originated with a Japanese television show. It is sometimes erroneously called "Dramatic Chipmunk."
"Star Wars" According to a 3-Year-Old:
A cute 3-year-old girl sits at a table and gives her own unique take on the "Star Wars" movie franchise. One highlight is when she warns: "Don't talk back to Darth Vader. He'll get ya."
Sneezing Baby Panda:
This short video of an adorable baby panda suddenly sneezing as she drowses by her mother became one of the most popular animal-related videos ever. The mother panda's surprised reaction is priceless.
"The Shining" Spoof Trailer:
Perhaps the most clever of many movie trailer parodies online, this well-produced video imagines what the classic 1980 horror movie "The Shining" would look like if it was a light-hearted comedy.
It's Going to Be Hot:
This brief news clip of a Haitian weatherman and his colleagues cracking up as he gives a simplistic weather forecast has been edited many times over into a series of hilarious remixes.
Powerthirst:
An advertising parody pokes some well-deserved fun at extreme athletes, distance runners, the energy drink industry and the advertising business. Although it was originally a fictional product, some clever entrepreneurs, inspired by the video, later began selling Powerthirst online.