Raccoons—those masked night raiders, dumpster pandas, and occasional backyard bandits—are notorious for rummaging through trash, spreading disease, and even carrying rabies, the CDC says. Yet beneath the mischief lies a surprisingly comic side. Below we tally the 10 funniest events that showcase these critters as accidental celebrities, culinary connoisseurs, and even zombie‑like street performers.

From Tiger Tales to Balloon Tributes: The 10 Funniest Events Unleashed

10 The Raccoon That Got Mistaken For A Tiger

Jonathan Lethem’s 2009 novel Chronic City imagined a prowling tiger tearing through New York’s streets. In April 2018, a very real panic erupted when NYPD officers logged reports of a tiger prowling near 166th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem.

The alarm sparked a wave of social‑media frenzy; local news outlets warned residents to stay indoors lest they be mauled by a feral big cat. Some New Yorkers even received midnight phone calls telling them a tiger was on the loose.

When crews arrived, the “tiger” turned out to be nothing more than a common raccoon. Police later clarified that an animal sighting had occurred, but it was just a raccoon. The confusion was so widespread that a NYPD spokesperson began answering calls with, “It’s not a tiger; it’s a raccoon.”

9 The Raccoons Addicted To Junk Food

In 2017, the St. Charles Animal Control team in Louisiana faced a sugary dilemma: a colony of raccoons in Destrehan had become hooked on junk food—cereals, cookies, doughnuts, marshmallows, and candy—left out for a group of feral cats.

These snack‑loving raccoons didn’t just nibble; they flourished. Control officers reported spotting more than 31 individuals weighing between 14 and 18 kilograms (30–40 lb), far above the typical 6–10 kg (14–23 lb) for adult raccoons. The diet also erased their usual wariness, prompting them to approach parked cars and people directly.

Eventually, officials relocated the oversized, sugar‑fueled raccoons to a safer site, while simultaneously spaying and neutering the resident feral cats.

8 The Raccoons Who Held A Street Hostage

A swarm of more than a dozen raccoons turned violent in 2016, effectively holding residents of Gravier Street in New Orleans hostage. The animals made their lair in a vacant house that had sat empty for over a decade.

From that crumbling structure, the raccoons chased locals across porches and yards. One homeowner even barred his backyard entirely, fearing for his grandchildren’s safety. Fortunately, no one was injured during the standoff.

The raccoon infestation traced back to Hurricane Katrina, when the street became a dumping ground for trash, providing ample food for the critters. Overwhelmed, the local SPCA urged residents to enlist wildlife and fishery services, which in turn suggested hiring paid animal‑control firms.

Ultimately, authorities demolished the abandoned house, hoping the removal would disperse the aggressive pack.

7 The Raccoon That Refused To Take A Selfie

In 2014, Nebraska football player Jack Gangwish spotted a raccoon beside the road and attempted to snap a cellphone selfie. As he approached, the animal lunged and bit his calf. In a shocking turn, Gangwish retaliated with a crescent wrench, killing the raccoon, which was later tested for rabies.

PETA responded by demanding disciplinary action against the player, suggesting the university enforce empathy training for its athletes.

6 The Legacy Of The ‘Nazi Raccoons’

During the 1920s, Germany imported raccoons for fur farming. By the 1930s, the nation was described as being “overrun” with the critters, which began raiding garbage and occasionally attacking people.

In 1934, two pairs of raccoons were deliberately released into the wild to “enrich” local fauna. A persistent myth claims that Hermann Goering ordered the release, a story that tabloids have sensationalized as the “Nazi raccoon” legend, though it lacks factual basis.

Today, Germany’s raccoon population exceeds one million, with some individuals even crossing into the Alpine region. The animals remain apolitical; the “Nazi” label is purely sensational.

5 The Zombie Raccoons Of Youngstown

April 2018 saw reports from Youngstown, Ohio, of raccoons behaving like the walking dead. Witnesses described the animals standing on hind legs, snarling, then collapsing into a limp, zombie‑like state before reviving and repeating the cycle.

Authorities fielded numerous calls about these daytime “zombie” sightings, noting the creatures showed little fear of humans. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ruled out rabies, attributing the odd behavior to canine distemper, a disease that can cause tremors and paralysis in animals but is not transmissible to people.

While distemper can be lethal to dogs, the affected raccoons posed no direct health threat to residents.

4 The Raccoon That Went Viral

Mark “Coonrippy” Brown, a Tennessee farmer, trained his pet raccoon Gunshow to groove to Aretha Franklin. A 2012 home‑recorded video of the dancing raccoon exploded online, racking up over two million views and catching the attention of The Tonight Show and Good Morning America. A production company even pitched a reality‑TV series centered on Brown’s “raccoon‑whispering” act.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) intervened in 2013, seizing Brown’s replacement raccoon, Rebekah, after deeming the keeping of wild animals in captivity illegal. Rebekah had been rescued after its mother was killed while pilfering a chicken.

Animal‑rights activists launched a social‑media campaign urging the governor to return Rebekah, but the ultimate fate of the raccoon remains unclear.

3 The Dead Raccoon That Received A Balloon

In 2016, a mysterious individual in Boulder, Colorado, tied a bright “Get well soon!” balloon to the back of a road‑kill raccoon, likely struck by a vehicle.

The odd tribute sparked a flurry of social‑media commentary—some mocked the gesture as “lame,” while others swarmed the roadside to photograph the macabre scene. City officials later reported an unknown driver approaching the carcass with the balloon, sparking speculation that the balloon was an act of remorse.

For several days, the balloon‑adorned raccoon lingered on the roadside, offering a oddly compassionate visual compared to many other raccoon deaths. That same year, pranksters in New Jersey even placed a dead, frozen raccoon inside a toilet tank as a bizarre stunt.

2 The Raccoon That Stole A Doughnut

In 2015, a Toronto coffee shop became the stage for a daring raccoon heist. The clever animal slipped down from the ceiling, surveyed the pastry case, and snatched a doughnut, all captured on video by patron Peter Jensen.

The clip’s description—“Sly Cooper and the Thievious Donutus”—referenced the video‑game hero Sly Cooper, a raccoon thief. After the successful theft, the Toronto raccoon vanished, and no further attempts were recorded.

1 The Central Park Raccoons

While New York City’s Central Park is famed for muggers, a different menace lurked near The Pond in 2013: two aggressive raccoons cornered Brooklyn musician Takara Larson, blocking her path.

One raccoon licked Larson’s leg while the other sank its teeth into the opposite limb. Reacting quickly, she sprinted to the nearby Plaza Hotel, where a concierge supplied bandages and disinfectant.

Larson was then whisked to Roosevelt Hospital, receiving a rigorous rabies‑vaccination regimen—15 shots to her legs, two to her hips, and one each to her shoulders—followed by a booster series.

If you’re hunting the ultimate “top 10 funniest” lineup to tickle your funny bone, you’ve landed in the right spot. Below is a rollicking, chronologically‑ordered parade of comedy gold that has kept audiences roaring for decades, plus a wild bonus entry that defies logic.

Top 10 Funniest Movies

11 The Room (2003)

“It’s \u2018The Room\u2019 bad.” That line sparked a joke about the 2019 “Cats” fiasco, which many called one of the worst films ever made. Tommy Wiseau, the eccentric mastermind behind the 2003 cult classic, poured his own fortune into writing, directing, and starring in a movie that’s so spectacularly terrible it became legendary.

The film’s oddball dialogue includes a character announcing a cancer diagnosis that is never mentioned again, while two painfully long love scenes make viewers wonder if Wiseau ever learned basic anatomy. Even the background is littered with inexplicable spoons, prompting fans to hurl silverware during screenings. Its bizarre charm birthed a cult following, complete with a bobblehead of the lead and a best‑selling biopic, “The Disaster Artist” (2017).

Beyond parody on “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” “The Room” was also roasted by RiffTrax, turning the experience into a comedic event that many claim is the funniest way to watch a bad movie. If you haven’t seen it, grab some friends, a bucket of popcorn, and prepare for a night of delightful chaos.

10 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Nothing says “flesh wound” like a rabbit that turns out to be the most vicious rodent in cinematic history. Monty Python’s irreverent take on Arthurian legend delivers a cascade of absurdities, from the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch to the infamous Bridge of Death riddles that ask, “What is the air‑speed velocity of an unladen swallow?”

The troupe’s brand of “morons on a mission” shines as knights crouch behind a boulder, confronting a bunny that threatens to eat their souls. Their siege tactics involve catapulted livestock, and the film’s humor ages gracefully because its medieval setting sidesteps dated references.

Because the jokes hinge on timeless absurdity rather than fleeting pop‑culture nods, “Holy Grail” remains a perennial favorite for anyone craving clever, dead‑pan British humor.

9 Airplane! (1980)

When a $3.5 million‑budget comedy from 1980 still feels fresh, you know you’ve got something special. “Airplane!” rockets through a barrage of rapid‑fire jokes, delivering punchlines faster than a bantamweight boxer throwing jabs.

The film’s hallmark is its relentless wordplay, like the infamous exchange about the “cockpit” that leaves the audience gasping for breath between laughs. Recurring gags—”I picked the wrong week to quit…”—keep the momentum humming, turning a simple flight‑danger plot into a nonstop laugh‑track.

By turning a straightforward disaster scenario into a comedy marathon, “Airplane!” proves that even a thin storyline can be stretched into a 90‑minute hilarity marathon without losing steam.

8 Caddyshack (1980)

Golf has never been this uproarious. Rodney Dangerfield’s brash, over‑the‑top Al Czervik shatters the snooty country‑club vibe with a series of outlandish one‑liners, from “Fore!” to a tongue‑in‑cheek observation that the party feels “like the dance of the living dead.”

The film also gave early SNL talent a stage: Chevy Chase’s deadpan straight‑man routine and Bill Murray’s horticultural hijinks, where he tees off on flowers while delivering a classic “He got all of that one!” line. Even the sequel, “Caddyshack II,” manages to capture some of the original’s manic spirit.

Overall, the movie’s blend of slap‑stick, witty banter, and absurd situations makes it a timeless comedy that still resonates with fans of all ages.

7 The Naked Gun (1988)

Leslie Nielsen returns as the bumbling detective Frank Drebin in a film that expertly translates the television series “Police Squad!” to the big screen. The comedy leans on rapid, spaghetti‑at‑the‑wall jokes, deadpan one‑liners, and slapstick chaos.

One of the film’s high points is its finale: a chaotic baseball game that includes a mangled rendition of the Star‑Spangled Banner, a decapitated outfielder blooper, and Nielsen break‑dancing as an umpire. The sequence solidifies “The Naked Gun” as a masterclass in sustaining humor right to the credits.

Its unrelenting pace and clever visual gags keep viewers laughing long after the final whistle, cementing its place among the all‑time funniest cinematic moments.

6 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

National Lampoon’s holiday special delivers a cascade of disaster‑filled laughs that have become iconic. From Randy Quaid’s “Merry Christmas! Shitter was full!” to Clark’s chainsaw‑induced tree‑crash, the film is a nonstop parade of mishaps.

The climax sees a squirrel and a dog bursting through a window, only to be caught by Julia Louis‑Dreyfus, who confronts Clark about the ruined tree. Even after three decades, the movie’s quotable lines and chaotic family dynamics keep it fresh each holiday season.

Its timeless appeal lies in the fact that no matter how many times you watch, the comedic chaos never feels stale, making it a staple for any Christmas movie marathon.

5 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Mike Myers brings a fresh spin to the spy‑parody genre, playing both the flamboyant Austin Powers and the sinister Dr. Evil. The film’s humor thrives on fish‑out‑of‑water moments, from Dr. Evil’s “one million dollars” ransom demand to the introduction of Mini‑Me.

Myers’ impeccable timing and absurd character work keep the jokes flying. The film’s most memorable scene may be Dr. Evil’s therapy rant, where he reminisces about “Summers in Rangoon,” highlighting the absurdity that defines the franchise.

With its blend of slapstick, wordplay, and visual gags, “Austin Powers” remains a cornerstone of 90s comedy, proving that a good parody can stand the test of time.

4 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

Trey Parker and Matt Stone push boundaries with an R‑rated musical that skewers cultural taboos. The film’s second number, “Uncle F*cker,” showcases the duo’s unapologetic humor, while the Grammy‑nominated “Blame Canada” adds a catchy, subversive soundtrack.

The plot—South Park kids rescuing comedians from execution for fart jokes—mirrors the real‑world controversy the film sparked, making it a clever meta‑commentary on censorship.

Its blend of raunchy jokes, sharp satire, and musical numbers makes it a standout in animated comedy, cementing its reputation as the funniest animated movie ever.

3 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Will Ferrell’s portrayal of a clueless 1970s news anchor delivers a masterclass in absurd comedy. From the iconic newscaster rumble to the surreal “whale’s vagina” hometown joke, the film thrives on over‑the‑top humor.

The climactic street fight, featuring a machete‑wielding Luke Wilson and a trident‑wielding Brick Tamland, exemplifies the film’s willingness to push absurdity to its limits. Ferrell’s dead‑pan delivery anchors the chaos, ensuring each gag lands with perfect timing.

Even after years, “Anchorman” remains a benchmark for modern comedy, with its quotable lines and larger‑than‑life characters still resonating with audiences.

2 Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen’s mock‑umentary follows the clueless Kazakh journalist Borat as he navigates America’s cultural quirks. The film’s genius lies in its unsuspecting subjects, who unwittingly become part of the satire.

From a dinner‑party feces gag to a rodeo chant of “Throw the Jew down the well,” Borat’s interactions expose uncomfortable truths about American attitudes, delivering both shock and laughter.

The film’s blend of offensive humor and social commentary makes it one of the most side‑splitting, thought‑provoking comedies of the 2000s.

1 Superbad (2007)

Seth Rogan’s coming‑of‑age romp captures teenage desperation with razor‑sharp wit. The film balances multiple storylines—underage liquor procurement, college anxieties, and police encounters—without sacrificing humor.

Iconic moments include Fogell’s “McLovin” fake ID and the chaotic liquor‑store scene where the teen’s nervous banter spirals into a classic face‑punch. The movie’s blend of heartfelt moments and raunchy jokes makes it a modern classic.

Its lasting impact is evident in the way it set the tone for a generation of R‑rated comedies that blend heart and hilarity.

11 The Room (2003)

“It’s ‘The Room’ bad.” That line became a meme after the 2019 “Cats” disaster, highlighting how “The Room” remains a benchmark for spectacularly bad cinema. Tommy Wiseau poured his own fortune into a film that’s bafflingly terrible yet irresistibly watchable.

The script includes bizarre lines—like a character’s unnoticed cancer diagnosis—and inexplicable background spoons that have audiences flinging silverware. Its cult status spawned a bobblehead, a documentary, and countless midnight screenings.

RiffTrax’s roast of the film turned a bad movie night into a comedy event, proving that even the worst films can become comedic gold when viewed with the right mindset.

When film fans think about iconic meals on screen, the $5 shake from Pulp Fiction often steals the spotlight, but what about the most side‑splitting culinary moments in comedy? From the ice‑cube‑laden back‑flip in Some Like It Hot to Robin Williams’ flaming shirt fiasco in Mrs. Doubtfire, the cinema has served up a banquet of belly‑laughs. Below you’ll find the top 10 funniest food scenes that have left audiences licking their lips and rolling in the aisles.

Top 10 Funniest Food Moments in Film

10 Groundhog Day

This 1993 comedy‑drama finds Bill Murray stuck in a perpetual loop, and he quickly discovers he can indulge without consequence. He shoves an entire slice of cake into his mouth in one reckless gulp while a tabletop spread of biscuits, ice‑cream, donuts and milkshakes watches on. Across from him, Andie MacDowell, unimpressed, questions his health choices as he balances a cigarette in one hand and a massive pot of coffee in the other, asking whether he worries about cholesterol or lung cancer.

“I don’t worry about anything anymore,” Murray replies, his voice dripping with the same nonchalance that fuels his endless day.

Even if you feel trapped in a repetitive routine, this film’s absurd culinary antics remind us that a little indulgence can brighten the dullest of days.

9 Pretty Woman

Julia Roberts stars as a witty prostitute who must navigate the high‑society world of Richard Gere’s corporate executive. While Audrey Hepburn’s classic ‘My Fair Lady’ taught us to sing “The rain in Spain,” Roberts’ character learns the art of proper utensil etiquette during a lavish dinner party. She fumbles when her salad arrives late and can’t recall which fork belongs to which course, leading to a moment where a snail she attempts to eat darts across the room, prompting the waiter to dead‑pan, “Happens all the time.”

The scene blends high‑class dining with slapstick confusion, turning a simple meal into a comedy of errors.

8 Bridget Jones’s Diary

Renée Zellweger’s Bridget chronicles her chaotic love life while attempting a birthday dinner for friends, with Colin Firth playing her supportive (and slightly bewildered) assistant. The kitchen disaster erupts when a blender left on erupts, showering Bridget in a torrent of blue‑tinged soup that she unintentionally creates by looping a leek string around the mixture. Firth, ever the gentleman, takes a daring spoonful and declares, “This really is the most incredible shit,” sparking a burst of laughter that lightens the culinary catastrophe.

The mishap showcases how love, food, and a bit of chaos can blend into pure comedic gold.

7 Meet the Parents

Ben Stiller’s earnest nurse, Gaylord Focker, faces the ultimate test when he meets his future father‑in‑law, portrayed by the unflappable Robert De Niro. The tension peaks as De Niro recites a melancholy poem about his late mother, only for Stiller to burst in with a celebratory bottle of champagne. The cork rockets out, striking the urn that holds the mother’s ashes; a cat then saunters over, sniffs the remains, and proceeds to pee on them. Stiller, ever the oddball, recounts his experience milking cats, quipping, “You can milk anything with nipples.” De Niro fires back, “I have nipples. Could you milk me?”

The absurdity of the moment turns a solemn dinner into a riotous showdown of wit and bodily humor.

6 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Gene Wilder’s 1971 classic delivers a parade of comedic food disasters. Augustus Gloop carelessly falls into a river of chocolate, gets sucked into a pipe, and becomes stuck mid‑stream. Meanwhile, Violet Beauregarde, ignoring Wonka’s warning, chews a piece of gum that transforms her into a blueberry‑like balloon, prompting Wonka to sigh, “It happens every time they become blueberries.” The film sprinkles witty one‑liners such as, “If the good lord had intended us to walk he wouldn’t have invented roller skates,” and “Hurry, please. We have so much time and so little to see. Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it.”

The 2005 Johnny Depp remake adds its own quirks, but Wilder’s original remains the gold standard for food‑filled hilarity.

5 Mrs. Doubtfire

Robin Williams dazzles as a divorced dad who dons a full‑time nanny persona, leading to a series of culinary calamities. While attempting to cook in his disguise, he forgets about the fake breasts, which ignite as he leans over the hob. In a frantic scramble, he smothers the flames with two saucepan lids, turning a kitchen mishap into slapstick gold. Later, he slaps a cream pie onto his face, pretending it’s a “facial mask,” delivering a visual gag that cements the scene’s place among the funniest food‑related moments.

Despite mixed reviews at release, the American Film Institute now ranks Mrs. Doubtfire among the top 100 comedies of all time.

4 Some Like It Hot

Jack Lemmon’s cross‑dressed character endures a chaotic train‑car banquet in this 1959 classic. As drinks flow and food is passed around, a mischievous passenger stuffs ice cubes down Lemmon’s back. The sudden jolt pulls the emergency brake, sending the women tumbling out of the sleeping berth onto the train floor. The scene culminates in Lemmon’s famous line, “Well, nobody’s perfect,” after he confesses to a man he’s seeing that he isn’t really a woman.

The blend of gender‑bending hijinks and slapstick food play keeps the scene fresh decades later.

3 The Breakfast Club

Set entirely in a high‑school library, this 1985 teen classic showcases a quirky lunch break. Molly Ringwald, wielding chopsticks, attempts sushi while a fellow student quips, “You won’t accept a guy’s tongue in your mouth but you’re gonna eat that?” The school wrestler, Emilio Estevez, hauls six massive bags of food, while a rebellious girl theatrically flings sandwich meat into the air, hitting a modern art piece, then leans over a soda can to lick the fizz straight off her desk.

The scene captures the diverse culinary preferences of each archetype, turning a simple break into comedic tableau.

2 Julie and Julia

Meryl Streep shines as a determined culinary student in Paris, eager to impress her demanding instructor. In a memorable kitchen moment, she flips an omelette with triumph, only to be met with her husband’s watery-eyed protest as he can’t even make it through the front door without choking on his own tears. When she asks, “Are you hungry?” he replies with a curt, “No,” and retreats, hands covering his eyes, underscoring the comedic clash between professional ambition and domestic reality.

The film balances heartfelt dedication with light‑hearted domestic mishaps, making the kitchen a stage for both art and amusement.

1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

This 1984 adventure places Indy at a lavish, albeit grotesque, banquet in an Indian palace. Among the exotic fare, a snake is sliced open to reveal live serpents, delighting the guests. The soup, initially appearing ordinary, reveals floating eyeballs once the steam clears, turning a seemingly refined course into a macabre joke.

Behind the scenes, the “eyeballs” were crafted from custard with raspberry sauce, while the faux monkey brains were custard with a raspberry glaze, and the beetles were plastic shells filled with custard that oozed when bitten. These clever props added a layer of absurdity to the banquet’s horror‑comedy tone.

Think you’re too old for cartoons? Think again. Some of the most hysterical shows in TV history have been animated, often only bluffing at younger audiences while sneakily saving the biggest yuks for adult viewers. Matricidal fantasies, sexual innuendos and unsparingly un‑PC jokes seem more palatable on pen and paper, often giving cartoons leeway unavailable to us flesh‑and‑bone folks. This is the top 10 funniest cartoon shows ever, ranked by debut year.

10 The Bugs Bunny Show (1960)

Ain’t he a stinker? Yes – an absolutely hysterical one. Premiering in 1960 and morphing into various iterations in the ensuing decades, The Bugs Bunny Show was more entertaining and flat out funnier than any animated series that came before it.

From its inception, the program was an ensemble vehicle – a means of showcasing the lengthy list of Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies characters that graced the airwaves starting in 1948. The Bugs Bunny Show used the franchise’s marquee character – that wascally wabbit himself – as a springboard to promote and popularize his cartoon cohorts, many of whom have become cherished characters in and of themselves. The despicability‑professing Daffy Duck, the gregarious Foghorn Leghorn, the stuttering swine Porky Pig, the seemingly‑too‑angry‑for‑gun‑ownership Yosemite Sam and the sexual‑assault enthusiast Pepé le Pew all made appearances under Bugs’ banner. In 1966, the show merged with another catch‑me‑if‑you‑can trickster to become The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, hysterically showcasing the thousand and one ways to kill a coyote, albeit temporarily.

But it was Bugs himself that often stole the show. Whether tricking hopeless hunter Elmer Fudd into shooting himself yet again, cross‑dressing as femme fatales ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Little Red Riding Hood, or conducting an opera singer into first nearly suffocating, then imploding the opera house upon himself, Bugs made superfluous injury fun as few others can.

9 Inspector Gadget (1983)

What’s the two‑word answer to both 1) one of the funniest animated shows ever and 2) Matthew Broderick’s biggest career mistake? Would you believe… Inspector Gadget?

The only spinoff to make this list, Inspector Gadget is basically Get Smart minus the sexual tension – with a crafty niece named Penny replacing the sultry Agent 99 – and, instead of Maxwell Smart pursuing the evil but comedically futile KAOS syndicate, our cartoon Columbo bumblingly foils plots birthed by Dr. Klaw’s M.A.D. crime outfit.

The other link, of course, is Don Adams, the actor who both portrays Maxwell Smart and voices Inspector Gadget. A dunder‑headed cyborg law enforcement officer, Gadget, like Agent 86 before him, saves the day through a combination of dumb luck and savvy help from secondary characters. Throughout, Gadget’s devices are an inventive… well, device, allowing our hero to alternately overcome obstacles and screw situations up terribly. Traffic jam? Go‑Go Gadget van! Plummeting to your imminent death? Go‑Go Gadget copter! Need to strangle a killer shark? Go‑Go Gadget necktie … until the shark drags you around the tank like a marionette.

But the most effective tool in Gadget’s ample arsenal is Don Adams’ impeccable comedic timing. Few actors play the fool better than him – an awkward, face‑palming and altogether hysterical idiocy that carries over to his animated avatar.

8 The Simpsons (1989)

When The Simpsons debuted on December 17, 1989 on the three‑year‑old FOX Network, George H.W. Bush was in his first year in office, the Berlin Wall had fallen just a month earlier and the Internet didn’t exist. Thirty‑two years and over 700 episodes later, Matt Groening’s yellow‑skinned family is the longest scripted television show in American history.

Although by today’s coarser standards the show is comparably docile, when The Simpsons debuted it was edgy to the point of widespread controversy. The recipe was there: An adult‑ish cartoon on primetime network television with a character, Bart, emulated by kids everywhere. Almost overnight, T‑shirts with Bart’s signature expressions – including “I’m Bart Simpson… who the hell are you?” – were banned from schools across the country.

Regardless, The Simpsons didn’t need controversy, because it was, and remains, flat‑out funny. The best episodes revolve around Homer, the underachieving, hare‑brain scheming, stereotypical sitcom doofus dad. But even when the donut‑scarfing, Duff beer‑chugging patriarch is sidelined, The Simpsons has the largest, deepest bench of recurring characters in TV to keep it from going stale.

An older‑than‑dirt and richer‑than‑sin boss with a fawning, obviously homosexual assistant. School days consisting of nerds, bullies, a stoner bus driver and checked‑out teachers. A product‑shilling kids show host named Krusty the Klown – aided mightily by the uber‑violent Tom & Jerry knockoffs, Itchy & Scratchy. The Simpsons started with a family and built a broader universe that gave it both ample comedic outlets and, of course, staying power.

7 Ren & Stimpy (1991)

Looking back, it’s mind‑boggling that the farting, nipple‑obsessed adventures of an angry Chihuahua and his clueless cat cohort was a Saturday morning kids’ cartoon – and on the squeaky‑clean Nickelodeon network, no less.

Stylistically, Ren & Stimpy alternates between a universe seemingly created by a stoner a few joints in (no one comes up with a superhero named Powdered Toast Man sober) and one dreamt up by that same stoner after finding his magic mushrooms stash. Visually trippy and musically eerie, the action catapults between a dog whose head is about to burst with rage, and a cat whose head has nothing in it to burst.

In one hysterical scene, Stimpy affixes a device to Ren’s head that keeps him uncharacteristically merry, before turning on his favorite tune, “Happy Happy Joy Joy.” As the song concludes, we see Ren, maniacally grinning ear‑to‑ear, bashing his unwanted helmet with a hammer along to the cheery chorus.

Not surprisingly, the show’s creators came into frequent conflict with concerned network executives. Several episodes had violent, gruesome, or suggestive scenes shortened or removed, including a sequence involving a severed head, and a close‑up of Ren’s face being grated against a man’s stubbly beard. Fortunately, one signature scene survived the cutting room floor: a sing‑songy commercial for Log, whose versatility includes being “great for a snack, it fits on your back, it’s Log! Log! Log!”

6 Beavis & Butthead (1993)

Uh‑huh‑huh‑huh, you dumbass. Of course Beavis & Butthead made the cut. Despite the unforgivable crime of inventing modern reality television with 1992’s The Real World, MTV – short for Music Television – also contributed one of the most hysterical cartoons ever.

Beavis & Butthead were a product of their unique moment in time: teenage Gen Xers slacking off by doing the most slack‑centric thing imaginable in the early ’90s: watching music videos. Brilliantly, the show not only gave MTV a hit series but, through it, a vehicle to promote both music videos in general and certain artists in particular – typically head‑banging acts the Metallica and AC/DC t‑shirt‑wearing pair could thrash along to from their well‑worn couch.

The show is so stupid that it’s smart. A pair of white‑trash‑adjacent, semi‑literate 14‑year‑old miscreants sticking M‑80s up frogs’ asses, stabbing each other in the eyes with pencils in class, and hopelessly pursuing every pubescent male’s perpetual goal – to “score,” as Butthead so eloquently puts it.

At its heart, Beavis & Butthead has a Seinfeldian component to it, insofar as the duo’s mundane adventures accomplish exactly nothing and have zero point. It’s just a couple of antihero losers failing at everything – and it just works. Notably, Beavis & Butthead birthed a successful spinoff, Daria (whom the two called – what else – “Diarrhea”), that received serious consideration for inclusion on this list.

5 South Park (1997)

A quarter‑century ago, Trey Parker and Matt Stone premiered a crudely drawn cartoon on a little‑known cable channel called Comedy Central. Showcasing the mountain‑town tribulations of four 8‑year‑old boys, South Park’s pilot episode featured one of the children, Eric Cartman, getting abducted by aliens. Its title, “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe,” hinted at the groundbreakingly offensive humor to come.

South Park is great for two reasons, the first being its main characters. Cartman is a pudgy, foul‑mouthed bigot who frequently goes full anti‑Semite on his Jewish cohort, Kyle. Stan is the nervous “straight man” of the quartet, while Kenny, muffled under a hood, finds a way to get killed each episode.

The recurring cast is just as hysterical. A wise chef voiced by R&B singer Isaac Hayes who brags about his “chocolate salty balls;” a balding transvestite schoolteacher who can’t wait for someone to “pound my vag;” a Christmas Poo named Mr. Hankey who symbolizes the season’s rampant consumerism.

South Park is at its best when using a “child’s medium” – cartooning – to parody or troll society. One recent winner came when Cartman messes with his parents’ Amazon Alexa by swearing and adding disgusting items to their online shopping list. Many viewers reported that their own Alexa heard Cartman and acted accordingly – a brilliant prank indicative of the show’s mocking genius.

4 Family Guy (1999)

The Griffins did what few other shows have accomplished: they returned from a multi‑year cancellation to achieve longstanding success.

The first three seasons of Family Guy were… OK. The animation was unrefined, and the show lacked the anything‑goes, go‑for‑the‑jugular bite that defines it today.

Like other contemporary cartoons, Family Guy gets away with comedy that would cause human‑acted shows to get cancelled – both from networks and uber‑sensitive society in general. Gay jokes; racist tropes (including a money‑loving Jewish storeowner and an episode where Peter, obsessed with his new bullwhip, conspicuously approaches the home of his Black friend); an insatiable neighbor’s rapey escapades; and even the frumpy daughter’s frequent suicidal gestures are all leaned into without fear of repercussion – a refreshing offensiveness in the vein of Archie Bunker.

Two of Family Guy’s attributes stand out among also‑rans. First, the show both knows and double‑downs on its audience: young and middle‑aged men. A prime example is its epic, inside‑gag‑riddled Star Wars parodies, starring Peter as Han.

The second is the simple fact that the baby, Stewie, might be the funniest cartoon character of all time. A wise‑cracking, sexuality‑ambiguous evil genius, Stewie waffles between inventing inter‑dimensional travel and not knowing his shapes, while employing the show’s signature cutaway segments to reference everything from matricide to dancing topless at a gay bar.

3 The Ricky Gervais Show (2010)

How talented is Ricky Gervais? He did something never intended to be a cartoon that became among the laugh‑out‑loud funny animated series ever.

In 1998, Gervais and fellow comedian Stephen Merchant started a radio series that was mostly just them telling silly stories. It aired for a few months before ending so the pair could collaborate on the soon‑to‑be‑legendary TV series, The Office. The radio show returned in 2001 with a producer named Karl Pilkington. It was a match made in comedic heaven… because Pilkington is an idiot, and Gervais’ brand of humor is made for mockery.

Karl’s comments were so odd, and his answers to standard hypothetical questions so inanely imagistic (Ricky: “What would you do if you knew the world was ending?”; Karl: “Well… I’ve always wanted to kick a duck up the arse.”) that making a surefire hit cartoon meant nothing more than animating a ready‑made, prerecorded radio program.

As an unintentional comedic motherlode, Karl’s moronic brilliance cannot be overstated. Here’s a highlight reel, where he muses how he’d trust jellyfish more if they had eyes (“since, you know, you can look a fish in the eyes.”); repeatedly calls British film star, Clive Owen, Clive “Warren,” prompting a hilarious cutaway sequence; and answers a question about what he’d do with an exact clone of himself by wondering aloud: “How would I know which one I was?”

2 Rick & Morty (2013)

Rick & Morty follows the freewheeling, intergalactic adventures of a megalomaniacal septuagenarian and his tepid teenage grandson. Armed with a portal gun and an endless arsenal of gadgets, weapons and anecdotes, Rick Sanchez drags his hesitant helper, Morty, on hilarious half‑hour missions ranging in importance from the annihilation of Earth to a multi‑thousand‑some orgy with a goddess‑like former love interest who embodies the residents of an entire planet.

The show has an obvious advantage: a literally infinite universe from which to invent sick, weird, nerdgasmic comedy. Rick takes his son‑in‑law, Jerry, to a spa with an invincibility shield. Alien children run around with real guns shooting each other, but pop right back up because dying is impossible… until Rick gets into a fight on a rollercoaster, which spins out of control and shatters the forcefield. The same kids shoot each other again; this time, they stay dead.

No plot? No problem, Rick can just turn on the intergalactic cable and let hilarity ensue, like a leprechaun getting gutted by kids for his Strawberry Smiggles. “Jeez, Rick,” says Morty. “That’s some pretty hardcore stuff for a cereal commercial.”

In another episode, Rick and Morty embark on a roundabout, time‑traveling journey to 1998, for the express purpose of getting a short‑lived dipping sauce that McDonald’s introduced to promote a Disney movie. The episode was so popular that McDonald’s brought the sauce back for a limited time.

1 Son of Zorn (2016)

This list’s most recent and shortest‑lived entry is “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” on steroids. Son of Zorn depicts an animated barbarian brute dropped into modern day, live‑action society, complete with a human ex‑wife and son. It’s basically He‑Man in suburbia – if He‑Man told R‑rated jokes and threatened to murder innocent people.

The premise: A warrior from the fictional island of Zephyria moves to Orange County, California, to reconnect with his ex‑wife, played by Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Cheryl Hines, and teenage son Alangulon, nicknamed “Alan.” Zorn tries his best to pick up where he left off with Alan (impressed, Hines notes that Zorn has “got a job, got an apartment, even freed all his slaves!”), but is perpetually thrown off course because… well, because he’s a cartoon barbarian. Along the way, Zorn gets a job where he literally can’t comprehend his boss’ womanhood, and incessantly intimidates his ex‑wife’s boyfriend, played by Tim Meadows.

In one scene, Zorn orders a steak at dinner. Asked how he’d like it cooked, he answers “Uh… not. Let’s go with ‘not.’” Later, he gifts his son a giant animated falcon from his homeland. When Alan’s mom refuses, a miffed Zorn stabs the enormous bird with his sword.

Unfortunately, Son of Zorn never really found an audience, and lasted just a single season. Netflix, Amazon and Hulu: we’re looking at you for a revival.

Most of the time, when someone upsets us, we try to stay calm, forgive, be the bigger person, and move on. But every so often, the urge for sweet retaliation bubbles up. In this article we count down the top 10 most creative and funny revenge acts that people have actually pulled—some harmless, some downright mischievous. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Why the Top 10 Most Creative Revenge Tactics Stick in Our Minds

Revenge stories are part of folklore because they combine drama, ingenuity, and that satisfying “gotcha” feeling. When the payoff is clever rather than violent, the tale becomes share‑worthy, spreading across social media and inspiring others to think outside the box.

10 The Lone Tattoo

When a partner discovers infidelity, the typical response is a heated confrontation. One Twitter user, however, stayed cool‑headed and plotted a subtly savage revenge. She coaxed her cheating boyfriend into getting matching tattoos—only she let him go first, and she never followed through.

His fresh ink now serves as a permanent reminder of his misstep, a constant, skin‑deep guilt trip that he can’t easily erase. It’s a quiet, yet unforgettable, way to teach a lesson.

9 The Big Rock

Divorce can ignite a fierce desire for payback, as demonstrated by Dany Larivière, mayor of a tiny Canadian town. After his marriage fell apart, he decided to give his ex‑wife the “big rock” she’d joked about.

She’d hinted at wanting a sparkling diamond, but he took her words literally, dropping a 20‑ton boulder onto her front lawn on her birthday and spray‑painting “Happy Birthday” across it. The stunt landed him in legal trouble, proving that even the most literal gifts can backfire.

8 Dance, Thief, Dance!

Having a laptop stolen is infuriating, but a Massachusetts man turned the tables with tech savvy and a dash of embarrassment. He remotely accessed his own stolen laptop, discovering the thief had recorded a 12‑minute video of himself practicing dance moves on the webcam.

He uploaded the footage to YouTube under the title “Don’t steal computers from people who know how to use computers.” The thief, mortified, returned the laptop and begged for the video’s removal—something the owner never obliged to do, securing both his device and a sweet, public shaming.

7 A Song About Luggage

When airlines mishandle luggage, most passengers grumble; Canadian musician Dave Carroll decided to turn his frustration into a chart‑topping anthem. After his guitar was damaged during a flight, he wrote and posted a catchy song detailing the ordeal.

The track went viral, and within four weeks the airline’s market value reportedly slipped by 10%, a hit worth enough to replace over 51,000 guitars. His melodic revenge proved that a good tune can hit harder than a lawsuit.

6 Don’t Eat My Food

Revenge is supposed to be sweet, but for a Leeds office worker, it tasted like a punch of English mustard. Fed up with colleagues pilfering his doughnuts, he secretly injected each pastry with a generous dollop of mustard using a syringe, then resealed the bag.

The resulting surprise left a lingering, spicy bite that deterred any future doughnut thefts. The prank was harmless yet unforgettable, reminding coworkers that sharing isn’t always free.

5 Got Change?

In 2009, Jordan Renken faced a classic towing nightmare: his car was impounded, and he owed $88 to retrieve it. Instead of paying the fine normally, he handed the attendant a sack of 8,800 pennies.

The cashier balked, thinking he was insane, but Renken knew the law required acceptance of legal tender. After a police officer arrived and the situation turned into a comedy of errors, Renken secured his car and gave the employee a memorable lesson in patience.

4 Thru Trickery

Public confrontations can be noisy, but a quiet, sly move at a McDonald’s drive‑thru stole the spotlight. After a woman behind him started honking and berating him for taking too long, he calmly paid for both his order and hers.

When he arrived at the pickup window, he presented receipts for both meals, collected the two bags, and drove away with the woman’s food. The incident became an urban legend, proving that a little generosity can double as sweet revenge.

3 The Shopping List

In March 2019, blogger Baby Sideburns (real name Karen Alpert) grew tired of her husband lounging while she handled all the chores. She crafted a fake grocery list filled with nonexistent items and handed it to him for a trip to the store.

The clueless husband spent precious time searching for “unsour cream,” “seedless strawberries,” and “diet diet coke—it’s new,” among other fabricated products, while Karen silently enjoyed the spectacle. The prank highlighted the perils of blind obedience.

2 Airport Arrest

Londoner Angel Exford discovered her boyfriend was a fraud after he used her credit card to buy Instagram followers and other luxuries. When he planned a getaway with a second girlfriend, she exposed his scams online, garnering thousands of likes and shares.

Not settling for viral fame alone, Angel arranged for his public arrest at the airport, preventing his escape and delivering a dramatic, justice‑serving finale to his deceitful plans.

1 The Airport (Doggy) Mess

Stand‑up comic Steve Hofstetter witnessed an obnoxious traveler at an airport in 2017. The woman was loudly on the phone, oblivious to the fact that her dog had just pooped beside her. When asked why she hadn’t cleaned it up, she replied, “They have people for that.”

Seizing the moment, Steve sat next to her, asked where she was headed, and then mischievously told her her flight had been moved to a different gate, causing her to rush away and ultimately miss her flight. Though unintentional, his prank turned a rude traveler’s day upside down.

Virtual Reality (VR) is still relatively new, and its gaming application is even newer. The first headset that was suitable for VR gaming was the Oculus Rift which didn’t become commercially available until 2016. Developers expected an immediate demand for VR games and headsets. In reality, the VR gaming market grew slowly at first.

There were problems with motion sickness and the lag between a player’s action and the feedback to the headset (called “latency” in the jargon). By the time Valve launched Half-Life: Alyx in 2020, the developers had solved some of these problems. Headsets became cheaper, and the range of games increased. Google has introduced a range of cardboard headsets, bringing the price down to an affordable level for everyone.

As people interact with a virtual world, their reactions are often funny to watch. The reason why we find watching VR gamers so amusing is easy to find. Players are immersed in a situation that we might be able to see on a monitor, knowing what is coming and that the game is completely fake. For the player, the VR world is real—even though they know deep down it’s just a game. Here are our top ten funniest moments in VR gaming.

Related: Top 10 Things That Will Shatter Your Perception Of Reality

10 A Screamin’ Good Time

In this video, the player repeatedly tells himself that he doesn’t like what is happening to him. Judging by his reactions, this is undoubtedly true, but it begs the question of why he doesn’t take the headset off. We’ll see other videos that make us ask the same question. I suppose the answer must be that he wants to see what happens next and is afraid of looking weak if he gives up.

Notice that the man does a fair amount of screaming. What good does he think that will do? Screaming is not rational, so why do we do it when we are scared?

The amygdala is a structure in the brain’s center that processes those emotions triggered by fear. A scream in the amygdala prompts our brain to be more alert and heightens our powers of analysis. This may help you escape a haunted house, but a fat lot of good it will do you if you jump out of a plane and your parachute doesn’t open.

Still, it’s funny to watch people reacting primitively.

9 Down the Rabbit Hole

You have to admire Mom’s persistence in this clip. She’s willing to give VR a go, even though she’s scared half to death. Her family finds her antics hilarious because they know she is safe at home and not where she believes. Of course, Mom would know this, too, if she could think about the situation rationally. But the thing about virtual reality is that it affects the brain on a more primitive level.

In Lewis Carroll’s enduring classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice follows the White Rabbit into his burrow and finds herself in a nonsensical, surreal world. Her experience doesn’t help her much in a place where her logical rules often don’t apply. Very similar to the experience of donning a VR headset.

Mom has gone down the rabbit hole, and, at one level, her brain is convinced that this is a true experience.

8 This Game Has Teeth

The girl here is a little wary about what her boyfriend tries to persuade her to do. He’s honest enough to admit that he hasn’t played the game before, so he doesn’t quite know what to expect. The girl has experience with VR gaming, so she is aware that this undersea world is artificial.

Still, on occasions, primitive emotions come to the surface. This game is distinguished by the fact that the player has no control over what happens to her. She is in a protective cage and is warned that something is coming. As many of our players do, she says she doesn’t like what is happening. Still, there’s not much she can do about it if she wants to finish the game.

An interesting advantage of VR gaming is that it can help people to get over phobias. If people can have fun with sharks, they may be helped to overcome their fear.

7 Stepping Off into the Deep End

This one is interesting because it’s a challenge shared by people you know who would probably be too ready to make fun of failure. As you will see, the premise of this game is simple. Players have to walk a short plank suspended high over a city. If they get to the end, they can step off the end and fall to the ground. The graphics clearly show an imaginary place; there’s no attempt to fool the players into thinking this is real.

Our brains are divided into the reptilian (or primal), the limbic, and the neocortex (although some use different terms). When our players are walking the plank, the reptilian section is dominant. This is the most primitive of the three parts and controls vital functions such as balance, breathing, heart rate, and temperature. Rationality is not part of its function; it is concerned with basic survival.

The dominance of the reptilian brain explains players’ reactions in all of our videos and explains why we, who are using more rational parts of the brain, find VR games hilarious to watch.

6 Releasing Steam

Although the player reassures himself that he is safe inside a room, rationality flies out of the window once he has his VR helmet on. He babbles occasionally and swears a lot. There’s a lot of swearing in some of our videos, and most of it is stronger than the occasional “dammit.”

Swearing is a safety release that allows us to relieve tension, and the stronger the swear word is, the more effective the action is. This player is always clear in his mind that his experience is completely artificial, taking his helmet off to give himself a break before plunging back in. A good idea if you are beginning to feel overwhelmed by the experience. But our player can’t resist diving back in. The VR world is challenging, fun, and addictive.

5 Safety First

Here, we see a mixture of experiences of people who are not used to VR gaming. We have seen them in other videos. The players shut their eyes, scream, and contort their bodies while onlookers laughingly remind them that they are safe.

What is particularly striking about this video is the number of times that people blunder into objects in the real world. This can be dangerous, especially for inexperienced users immersed in a virtual world with no spatial relationship with the actual.

I suppose the lesson is that you shouldn’t use VR technology unless you are in a safe environment. This is one reason why some gamers prefer to play in arcades. There they are monitored and can immediately share their experiences with others.

4 This Game is Sick

This compilation backs up what we’ve said about other videos. At one point, one of the players says, “I get dizzy,” and this can be a problem with VR technology.

Many players report feeling dizziness or nausea when using VR helmets. Basically, this is the difference between what the eyes are telling the player and what the body is actually doing in real space. For example, if a player is climbing stairs in a game, but the body knows that it is really on a flat floor, the player can get disoriented.

This feeling can be heightened by something under the impressive name of “vergence-accommodation conflict.” This occurs when, in VR, the eyes are focused on something that seems to be far away but which, in reality, is on a screen right in front of the eyes.

But watching people whirl and stagger as if they’ve over-indulged at the Christmas party can be comical.

3 Don’t VR Alone

This video highlights the fact that people shouldn’t use VR alone. You might find—in fact, you probably will—that everyone else in the room is laughing themselves sick. Not funny to you when you are going through a terrifying experience. Never mind, you will have your turn to laugh at the others, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

I wonder if it might be a good idea to incorporate a proximity sensor into VR headsets so that people get a warning if they are too close to a real object.

2 With Metaverse, It’s Only Going to Get Better

The commentator on this video points out that space is important. He’s talking about having enough room to play safely. It’s a point we’ve already made, and it’s certainly true. However, in VR, two different spaces collide—the real world and the imaginary.

The fact that the Facebook group has changed its name to Meta tells us something about the unlimited ambition that drives the company. It is now dedicated to building a Metaverse. The idea behind a metaverse seems to be the construction of an alternative reality that is internally logical but allows users to perform actions in the “real” world.

Gaming will undoubtedly be an important feature of the Metaverse, and companies are developing new technologies to make the experience more real. More real and more fun for everyone.

1 Fast Food Futures

I don’t know if “funny” is the right word to describe this last clip. “Surreal” might be better. The normal activity of ordering a meal in McDonald’s becomes an interactive shooter game with graphics from an early Duke Nukem.

The only limits in VR are the limits that we place on our own imaginations. The gaming world is changing, and the changes aren’t just limited to gaming. VR can change the way that we interact with the world. How we live, work, play, and relate to others might change dramatically.

The world of advertising is wildly competitive for your attention. Most people despise ads and prefer to skip or mute them if they can (thank goodness for ad-free streaming TV!).

The first thing a commercial has to do is grab your attention, and advertisers will do nearly anything to do so. Sometimes these stunts go a little too far, and the commercials only air for a short time in the public eye before they are removed for one reason or another. But hey, by the time they’re banned, they’ve already snagged enough attention to see a rise in sales, so making the most effective ad you can is always worth it.

Here are just ten (or more?) examples of hilarious ads that went out in a blaze of glory.

[WARNING: Some of these commercials were banned for a good reason, as they are NSFW!]

10 Darts Athlete

Give this poor guy a break! Of course, darts is a real sport with real teams and sponsors… it’s just too bad this “athlete” with the weird warmup ritual is no good at it.

I imagine this one was banned for slandering the grand sport of dart throwing. Either that or depicting violence on an innocent bystander—that dart to the chest can’t have felt good, and it was probably too shocking for TV.

By the way, I have never heard of Zoosk before. In a world before smartphone apps, they must have gone under pretty quickly.

9 Poor Dog

This is one of those ads where it’s impossible to guess the product they’re selling until the very end. Dog treats? Flea treatment? Therapy for dogs? Even when the car stopped, I assumed it was selling its automatic braking safety system, but I should have known better—this ad is way older than any modern car braking system these days.

This ad was probably banned for its dark depiction of attempted suicide. We don’t want to give people going through similar tragedies any ideas. And we get enough dead dogs from sad movies; we don’t need that in our commercials too!

8 Cheating Death

I don’t know how much sense it makes to sell a car with only one door on the driver’s side, but this ad makes a compelling case. On the other hand, it also makes it much easier to trap people inside the car in the event of other much more dangerous situations, like, I don’t know… any car accident. Maybe it would be easier just to teach people to watch where they’re going.

Like the commercial with the dart thrower, this ad was probably banned for its violent, pedestrian-smashing content, even if one of them was a CGI Grim Reaper (who apparently likes to stalk Uber rides?)

7 Best Method for Shortening Labor

After this ad began to air, I wonder how many times Scotland’s OBGYNs heard jokes about trying to lure the baby out with IRN-BRU.

“I’m afraid there have been some complications with the delivery; we may have to consider a cesarean section.”

“Aye, I’m sure it’s fine, doc—maybe we should try a bit o’ that IRN-BRU like in the commercial, eh? Hehe”

“Sir, this is very serious.”

It probably got old pretty fast. Also, there’s a joke somewhere about Macbeth versus Macduff, but I lost the thread.

Anyway, this ad was either banned for cutting it very close with baby-birthing nudity or stopping giving ideas to new parents—do NOT give your newborn (or fetus, for that matter) a can of IRN-BRU!

6 Pepsi or Coke?

Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi is a classic rivalry, and this ad really heightened the tension. But is Pepsi so much better than Coke that you’d pay for three cans of soda and leave two behind? That was an outlandish stretch, but Pepsi’s marketing team was bold enough to reach for it. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter, as both colas taste like expired battery acid, in my opinion.

The reasons behind this commercial’s ban are troublesome. Some vocal critics pointed out that the ad is an unfavorable depiction of poverty in some less fortunate countries, and the boy’s questionable spending habits only reinforce it.

5 In the Can

You can always rely on beer commercials to be crass. In this case, it was too crass for most television audiences. But if I were a kid and I saw this ad, I probably wouldn’t get it. I would have immediately thought of the intended meaning: the metal can that most drinks come in. Duh! Also, beer is gross. Especially lime-flavored beer. Yech!

That’s why I prefer the much funnier, way smarter, and not banned K-Mart ad, where they talk about how they shipped their pants. I would have laughed my “can” off at this ad as a child, did laugh as a teen, and still do today.

4 Doritos Are Sexy, I Guess?

When you hear “banned commercial,” the first one in this video is likely the one that most think of. It seemed to be everywhere on TV while it aired. This ad and thousands of others use a classic advertising technique called “sex appeal”—throw attractive women (sometimes men) on the screen to draw attention, then convey the idea that using/consuming this product makes you the most attractive being on the planet—which apparently includes having gross Doritos dust all over your fingers, face, and clothes. Sex appeal doesn’t make any sense, but it’s proven so effective that it doesn’t have to!

As for why this particular ad that used sex appeal was banned, we can probably blame the Dorito crumbs poured all over the man’s crotch and the implications of such. Good grief, she licked a complete stranger’s face the first time they met, and he wanted to skip to… well, you know. It was a bit extreme. At least take her to dinner first!

3 The Presidential Voodoo Doll

This ad uses some simple comedy to hook its audience. Getting former President Clinton to spin around and raise his arms into the air isn’t the highest form of art, but it grabbed your attention long enough to sell insurance. Although, I’m not sure how much of their audience needed this specific kind of insurance. How many people own museums with priceless artifacts? Whoever they are, I’m sure they know better than to leave stuff like that out in the open rather than protect them behind a glass case.

This ad was probably banned for its less-than-favorable depiction of old tribal artifacts and what they’re used for, as well as implied violence against the president of the United States. Say what you want about Clinton, but no one deserves a metal spike up their… saxophone.

2 Learn English (NSFW: Bad Language!)

What a happy family, bobbing their heads to the beat of one of those popular American pop songs! There’s no way such an upbeat tempo and rhythm could accompany such awful lyrics, right? I especially like the two kids in the back, innocently smiling at each other as they listen to the song.

The clear language gap is the crux of this ad’s effect, as well as why it was banned. It must have left non-English speakers scratching their heads—what did a family getting into a car have to do with learning a new language? (And what was that fun song?)

As for English speakers, well… it’s shocking content, to say the least. These lyrics would push a movie into an R rating, let alone get a commercial kicked off public broadcasting.

1 Zazoo One for Two

Talk about effective! This ad uses the spectacle of a kid throwing a tantrum in a grocery store, a very real situation many of us have witnessed—either secondhand or with our own kids. The melodrama draws us in, and then BAM hits us with the product that would most effectively prevent this embarrassing situation. Not a pacifier, toy, or even whatever the sweets the kid wanted, the thing that would prevent the kid in the first place!

As for why this ad was banned, I’m not sure. It could be because some prudent critics out there wanted the ad removed. That would certainly be a dramatic reason, but I think there’s an easier answer. We like this ad decades after it aired because we only need to watch and hear it once, but could you imagine it coming on the air every ten minutes or so? A screaming kid is not something we want to hear that often.

+Honorable Mention: Japanese Tea Ad

I’ll admit it; this ad wasn’t banned—as long as it aired for Japanese audiences, anyway. Censorship is a little different over there, so they’re okay with a little (or a LOT) of blood. Anyway, I wanted to share this ad because it is peak comedy, and I love it. The fire, the practical effects, the unusual situation, the tea kettle sound, the clever payoff, and even the last little squeeze at the end—it’s all gold.