S2: #71 - The Top 5 Comedic Influences That Shaped Us

Summary

Podcast Summary: Smosh Mouth – S2: #71 - The Top 5 Comedic Influences That Shaped Us

Released on July 15, 2020

Hosts:

• Shayne Topp (Short)
• Courtney Miller (Tall)
• Ian Hecox
• Rotating Smosh Friends

In this compelling episode of Smosh Mouth, Shayne Topp, Courtney Miller, Ian Hecox, and a rotating Smosh guest delve deep into the comedic influences that have profoundly shaped their humor and creative processes. Through lively discussions, personal anecdotes, and shared experiences, the hosts reveal the diverse sources of inspiration that contribute to their unique comedic styles.

---

1. Ian Hecox’s Top 5 Comedic Influences

1. Spaceballs

• Timestamp: [47:06]

• Quote: "Spaceballs was the one that I saw. I don't even know if I saw Star Wars at that point, but I understood all the references because it was so, like, just in the culture."

  Ian reminisces about Spaceballs, Mel Brooks' iconic spoof of Star Wars, emphasizing its cultural significance and timeless humor. He highlights memorable scenes and the movie's ability to resonate with audiences through its clever parody and meta-humor.

2. Saturday Night Live (SNL)

• Timestamp: [50:09]

• Quote: "They are all pretty well connected in that world."

  SNL holds a prominent place in Ian's list, appreciating its influential cast members like Phil Hartman and Chris Farley. He discusses how SNL's dynamic sketches and character-driven comedy have left a lasting imprint on his comedic approach.

3. The Lonely Island

• Timestamp: [06:34]

• Quote: "They did one song that's just about doing cocaine, which they lifted a bunch of lyrics from that and put it into the Bash Bros. Experience."

  The Lonely Island, known for their musical comedy, inspire Ian with their innovative blend of humor and music. He admires their ability to tackle contemporary topics with wit and creativity, influencing his own integration of diverse comedic elements.

4. South Park

• Timestamp: [16:47]

• Quote: "South Park had a big part in shaping my comedic thinking outside the box."

  Despite some reservations about its evolving perspective, Ian acknowledges South Park for its groundbreaking approach to satire and social commentary. He appreciates its fearless tackling of controversial topics, which has encouraged him to push the boundaries in his own work.

5. Early Internet Comedy (Ebaum's World, Bo Burnham, etc.)

• Timestamp: [08:07]

• Quote: "Back then, it was so different because I think it's similar to walking down the beach looking for driftwood."

  Ian reflects on the chaotic and unrestricted nature of early internet comedy, citing platforms like Ebaum's World and creators like Bo Burnham. This exposure to diverse and experimental humor fostered his ability to think creatively and embrace unconventional comedic styles.

---

2. Shayne Topp’s Top 5 Comedic Influences

1. Saturday Night Live (Phil Hartman & Chris Farley)

• Timestamp: [50:09]

• Quote: "There’s something in how I tell a joke that is literally their voices in my head helping say the joke."

  Shayne places SNL at the pinnacle of his influences, specifically highlighting the legendary performances of Phil Hartman and Chris Farley. He admires Hartman's composed delivery and Farley's boundless energy, which collectively inspire his own dynamic approach to comedy.

2. Spaceballs

• Timestamp: [47:17]

• Quote: "Like, you never had that kind of stuttering or pausing that was in Family Guy."

  Similar to Ian, Shayne appreciates Spaceballs for its clever parody and humor. He enjoys the movie's rapid-fire jokes and memorable characters, which continue to influence his comedic timing and character development.

3. Family Guy

• Timestamp: [30:00]

• Quote: "Family Guy really taught me timing. The timing on that show was so unique."

  Family Guy plays a significant role in shaping Shayne's understanding of comedic timing and storytelling. He commends its ability to blend absurd humor with sharp wit, enhancing his skills in pacing and joke delivery.

4. Johnny Bravo and All That

• Timestamp: [18:21]

• Quote: "Johnny Bravo was my poop dude. Johnny Bravo was so good."

  Childhood shows like Johnny Bravo and All That hold nostalgic value for Shayne. He appreciates Johnny Bravo for its humorous portrayal of a self-absorbed character, which influenced his affinity for comedic character archetypes.

5. Early Internet Animation (Newgrounds, Egoraptor, etc.)

• Timestamp: [37:09]

• Quote: "Those first Egoraptor flash animations are still my favorite thing he's ever done."

  Shayne credits the early days of internet animation with fostering his love for irreverent and experimental humor. Creators like Egoraptor inspired him with their innovative storytelling and boundary-pushing content, encouraging him to explore unconventional comedic avenues.

---

3. Courtney Miller’s Top 5 Comedic Influences

1. Kristen Wiig

• Timestamp: [55:12]

• Quote: "She's a powerhouse of a human. She's a literal comedy queen."

  Leading Courtney's list, Kristen Wiig stands out for her exceptional range and fearless approach to comedy. Her ability to embody diverse characters and deliver eccentric humor inspires Courtney to embrace versatility and originality in her own comedic endeavors.

2. The Lonely Island

• Timestamp: [43:28]

• Quote: "Using music and just like making comedy cool. It's so awesome."

  Similar to Ian and Shayne, Courtney values The Lonely Island for their fusion of music and comedy. She admires their creative integration of catchy tunes with sharp satire, influencing her approach to blending different mediums for comedic effect.

3. Bo Burnham

• Timestamp: [32:07]

• Quote: "His shows were stand-up comedy, but they've kind of evolved to being like, honestly, like a one man show."

  Bo Burnham's introspective and innovative comedic style resonates deeply with Courtney. She appreciates his ability to infuse profound messages within his humor, inspiring her to incorporate depth and thoughtfulness into her comedic projects.

4. Smosh

• Timestamp: [21:23]

• Quote: "I remember my friend Marissa and I would... alternately between watching Smosh sketches and also recording ourselves on the laptop webcam."

  As part of the Smosh family, Courtney naturally cites Smosh as a foundational influence. She highlights the group's collaborative spirit and signature sketch comedy as pivotal in shaping her comedic identity and fostering a passion for creating engaging content.

5. Early YouTube and Digital Sketch Comedy (Balloon Shop, Liam Kyle Sullivan, etc.)

• Timestamp: [10:09]

• Quote: "Being a part of Smosh was like stepping into something that was the level of, like, man."

  Courtney acknowledges the impact of early digital sketch comedy, including creators like Balloon Shop and Liam Kyle Sullivan. She appreciates their innovative approach to humor and character work, which has influenced her own ability to craft memorable and quirky sketches.

---

Common Themes and Interactions

• SNL's Significant Impact: Both Ian and Shayne place Saturday Night Live at the top of their lists, emphasizing its role in shaping their comedic sensibilities. They discuss iconic cast members and memorable sketches that continue to inspire their work.

  • Ian's Reflection: "Saturday Night Live... changed so many generations with." [26:30]

  • Shayne's Insight: "Any time you watch one of my jokes in Try not to Laugh, you can find an element of Phil Hartman or Chris Farley in it." [53:21]

• The Lonely Island's Musical Comedy: All three hosts cite The Lonely Island as a key influence, appreciating their unique blend of music and humor. This shared admiration underscores the group's collective appreciation for innovative comedic forms.

  • Courtney's Praise: "Using music and just like making comedy cool. It's so awesome." [43:28]

  • Ian's Admiration: "They did one song that's just about doing cocaine... put into the Bash Bros. Experience." [04:35]

• Early Internet and Animation: Shayne and Ian both highlight the importance of early internet comedy platforms and creators, such as Ebaum's World and Egoraptor, in fostering their love for irreverent and boundary-pushing humor.

  • Shayne's Nostalgia: "Early internet comedy was so different... like absurdist." [08:07]

  • Ian's Appreciation: "He just shows up every now and then and just crushes the industry." [06:28]

• Childhood Influences: Shayne's fondness for Johnny Bravo and Courtney's immersion in Smosh sketches during their formative years illustrate how childhood media shapes one's comedic framework.

  • Shayne on Johnny Bravo: "Johnny Bravo was so good... He's such a... the way they made him such a dumb ass is so great." [18:21]

  • Courtney on Smosh: "I have a sketch on my old YouTube channel called Panda that is definitely because I was watching a lot of Smosh." [21:23]

---

Notable Anecdotes and Highlights

• Embarrassing Moments: Ian shares a humorous childhood incident where he mistakenly identified a Chinese Imperial palace as the Great Wall of China, illustrating how early misunderstandings can become cherished family stories.

  • Ian's Story: "Is this the Great Wall of China? ... my sister goes, no, you idiot, the Great Wall of China is in China." [57:09]

• Personal Growth Through Comedy: Courtney discusses her journey from emulating sketch comedy characters to finding her unique voice, influenced by role models like Kristen Wiig and The Lonely Island.

  • Courtney's Reflection: "Soon be funny and just go all the way weird... that brought me to life in a way I never, like, really realized before." [55:12]

• Smosh as a Stepping Stone: Courtney emphasizes the role of Smosh in introducing young audiences to sketch comedy, acting as a bridge to more sophisticated comedic platforms like SNL.

  • Courtney on Smosh's Impact: "We've kind of aged it up in a way. And now we're like, it's stuff that we find funny." [23:47]

---

Conclusion

In this enlightening episode of Smosh Mouth, the hosts offer an intimate look into the comedic influences that have molded their careers. From the legendary sketches of SNL and the musical prowess of The Lonely Island to the experimental terrains of early internet comedy, each influence is dissected with enthusiasm and personal insight. Through shared stories and mutual respect for diverse comedic styles, Shayne, Courtney, and Ian underscore the importance of embracing varied humor sources to cultivate a rich and dynamic comedic identity.

Listeners gain not only an appreciation for the hosts' comedic backgrounds but also valuable insights into the evolution of comedy in the digital age. This episode serves as a testament to the enduring impact of influential comedians and platforms, inspiring aspiring creators to explore and integrate diverse comedic elements into their own work.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• "Spaceballs was the one that I saw... that was so good." — Ian Hecox [47:06]
• "They are all pretty well connected in that world." — Ian Hecox [11:35]
• "Johnny Bravo was so good... He's such a..." — Shayne Topp [18:21]
• "Using music and just like making comedy cool. It's so awesome." — Courtney Miller [43:28]
• "She’s a powerhouse of a human. She’s a literal comedy queen." — Courtney Miller [55:12]

---

Recommendation: For those eager to delve deeper into the comedic inspirations that shape influential creators, this episode of Smosh Mouth is a must-listen. It not only celebrates iconic figures and platforms but also encourages emerging comedians to draw from a rich tapestry of influences to forge their unique comedic paths.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Shane Topp]

No purchase necessary vgw group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Courtney Miller]

Ramble.

[Ian Hecox]

South Park. I think the one thing that kind of like broke my love for it a little bit was when somebody pointed out South Park's point of view is just that everything new sucks.

[Shane Topp]

I'm gonna go old school. Internet. Up until then there was like kind of framework for comedy and then the Internet kind of just destroyed that and was like, anything can be funny.

[Courtney Miller]

I ask those stupid questions all the time. It's okay. Sometimes we just don't know stuff. And sometimes people. People just love to laugh at people because they feel smarter. They had castaways, which is funny because it's very similar to that one smosh sketch. Remember when you were stranded on the beach?

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Did we rip it off? I don't know.

[Courtney Miller]

Probably.

[Ian Hecox]

Dude.

[Courtney Miller]

I put butter. I put butter in my coffee this morning.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, you do? Bulletproof coffee. Is that what you're doing?

[Shane Topp]

I'm doing a bulletproof coffee situation.

[Courtney Miller]

Is that what it is?

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

You're going to. You're going to get. You got that MCT oil in there, Joe Rogan.

[Courtney Miller]

I'm making sure to stir it up so that the oil doesn't build up.

[Shane Topp]

Did you just. Did you just do that randomly or did you know that that was a thing?

[Courtney Miller]

I was like. I figure it's a thing. I'll try it. Little salted butter in my coffee.

[Ian Hecox]

Dang.

[Courtney Miller]

Well, am I just naturally alleged behind the curve?

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Hello. Welcome to another Smosh cast. Today I am joined by the. The people that are known none other than by Shane Topp and Courtney Miller.

[Courtney Miller]

Hi.

[Shane Topp]

Hello.

[Courtney Miller]

I hate my background today. I feel so, like, feel like I'm. It's ugly behind me. I'm. I'm mad.

[Ian Hecox]

Courtney. Have you never seen what I film in?

[Courtney Miller]

At least it's like empty and light.

[Ian Hecox]

It's an empty room. It is my murder room.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. But like, at least it's like a cute murder room. You know, Mine's like a cluttered, weird.

[Shane Topp]

Dark Ian Finds an abandoned office building to record the pod in every day.

[Courtney Miller]

Every. Okay. There's a lot of abandoned offices in the.

[Shane Topp]

In California. We're basically blast.

[Ian Hecox]

It's actually set walls. So right now I'm recording at the Grand Canyon. The WI fi reception here is great.

[Shane Topp]

That's awesome, man.

[Courtney Miller]

Great work.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. An eagle just flew by. The camera, you can't see it. It's on the other side. Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

Fun.

[Courtney Miller]

Well, for those listening or watching. Or pretty much watching. The reason I'm in this weird setup is because my microphones hate me and they are possessed. I don't know if my apartment is haunted, but these microphones are because the microphone on my camera for sketch and my microphone for podcast are just deciding to go like this.

[Shane Topp]

That's what they sound like.

[Ian Hecox]

Maybe it's something to do with your voice. They just heard your voice and then they killed themselves.

[Shane Topp]

Maybe you're techno cursed. Techno cursed.

[Ian Hecox]

That's definitely like the. The next, like, Blumhouse movie. Like the next. Happy, happy death day. Happy death day. Techno cursed. Paranormal activity. Techno.

[Courtney Miller]

It's just. It's a purge. It's a purge sequel. I'm ready for this. Who wants to go first with their top five comedic inspiration?

[Ian Hecox]

Top five comedic inspirations. Number five.

[Courtney Miller]

You are really good at that.

[Ian Hecox]

Thank you. Maybe I'm the voice of that guy.

[Shane Topp]

Twist.

[Courtney Miller]

Epic.

[Ian Hecox]

How to my number. I'll start.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay. Number five. Are we starting with, like, number five counting down.

[Ian Hecox]

I didn't really order mine, so don't. Don't take this by any sort of.

[Courtney Miller]

Mine's kind of a loose order too, anyway.

[Ian Hecox]

Cool.

[Shane Topp]

Just kind of instinctually pick for number five.

[Ian Hecox]

The Lonely Island.

[Courtney Miller]

What?

[Ian Hecox]

Andy Samberg. Yorma Tacone. Akiva.

[Courtney Miller]

Akiva. I don't know his last name right off the top of my head, but he. Yeah, I think. Yeah, he. Dude. Because he's my. He's in my list.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. So, yeah, the Lonely Island. I mean, they. They got started on the Internet. They had a couple failed TV pilots.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah, actually really funny.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. You can actually track it down and watch them. They're pretty funny. Just.

[Courtney Miller]

If you want a sandwich, come roll with me.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, but you can. It's funny because, like, you. You see, like, little pieces that they took from, like, awesome Town and put it into, like, later things because it didn't get picked up. Yeah, dude, I watched Hot Rod the other day, and do you remember?

[Shane Topp]

Good.

[Ian Hecox]

Do you remember Chester? There's this guy named Chester. He's like. Like a tall Asian dude.

[Shane Topp]

The guy. The guy who dates awesome.

[Courtney Miller]

He's in so much of their stuff. Like, he's. He's closely, like, associated with them.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, he was in, like, all the old Lonely island stuff, and I. Was he Pop star. Did he have a part?

[Courtney Miller]

I haven't seen pop star from start to finish. Oh, I know.

[Ian Hecox]

Pop star. Pop star is actually, like, legit good.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay. Because I. For some reason, the marketing didn't do it for me, so I was like, I don't want a bad taste in my mouth.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, it was. The marketing was bad. And also just like, the whole. Because it was like, it looked like a big Justin Bieber parody. It seemed like three years too late. But it is, like, legit a funny movie.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay, cool.

[Ian Hecox]

But, yeah, Lonely Island. Like, when they were doing their shorts on, you know, YouTube, I guess.

[Courtney Miller]

Two guys in the pool.

[Ian Hecox]

Just two guys.

[Courtney Miller]

Do you know what the. Their name, Lonely island, comes from?

[Ian Hecox]

No.

[Courtney Miller]

Those three guys lived in an apartment, and that's what they called their apartment.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, no.

[Courtney Miller]

I'm obsessed with them, dude.

[Ian Hecox]

They're great, man.

[Shane Topp]

They are really funny.

[Ian Hecox]

And they do. And they do seem to, like, stick together when they do these other projects, like Hot Rod.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. They all have, like, their own individual talents.

[Shane Topp]

It's impressive that they've stayed, like, making stuff together so long. I feel like that never happens.

[Courtney Miller]

And when I got to see their practice tour, dude, they did all the things, all the iconic things, like even Lazy Sunday awesome from the SNL digital shorts and stuff. I can't even tell you how much they've changed my life.

[Ian Hecox]

Are they in your list somewhere?

[Shane Topp]

Oh, they have to be.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, then don't, don't. Don't talk about too much.

[Courtney Miller]

All right?

[Ian Hecox]

Until we get to your Lonely Island, I want to hear from you, Shane. Number five.

[Shane Topp]

So, okay, I'm switching my number four. Number five, because I've just decided my number five is the Internet, particularly. I'm gonna go old school Internet with a lot of the stuff that would just show up on Ebaum's World. Early Internet stuff like Bo Burnham and Baratz and Beretta. The problem was it would be a different video all the time that would make me laugh. And I loved how chaotic Internet comedy was compared to everything I had seen before. So I want to say it was around 2005, 2006, where I just became obsessed with it. The thing is, back then, it was so different because I think it's similar to, like, walking down the beach looking for driftwood. You're just kind of like, all right, I'm going to check the Internet today and see if there's anything funny. And you'd look for like an hour. And some days you'd just be like, there's nothing on the Internet today. There's nothing new. There's nothing funny. I'm going to check tomorrow. And sometimes there was like, there was.

[Ian Hecox]

Websites on the Internet, right.

[Shane Topp]

But they would only, like, Ebaum's World would just have, like, upwards.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. There'd be like, no new videos for. Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

And so you just kind of be like, all right, nothing today. You know, maybe I'll rewatch something. Like, maybe I'll rewatch one of those GI Joe dubs or something. That early stuff, I just loved it made me laugh so hard. It was so weird. And like I said, chaotic is like the best word I can describe.

[Ian Hecox]

Absurdist.

[Shane Topp]

Absurd. Oh, man, I was obsessed with it. Barrett's and Beretta, I watched all of their stuff back then. Bo Burnham, whenever he came out with something new, I was like, hell, yeah. But a lot of the times for me, I was not a subscriber of anything. It would just be whatever turned up. All of that back then was such a huge inspiration, and I think it really got me comedically thinking outside the box. Like, up until then, you know, there was, like, kind of framework for comedy, and then the Internet kind of just destroyed that and was like, anything can be funny. And so that was. That was kind of inspiring because it.

[Ian Hecox]

Also destroyed the gatekeeping for comedy. Like, anybody could create something online, like on tv. Like, you. You had to go through a huge process. You had to go through sensors, you had to go through everybody. And now all of a sudden, you had just like, insane people, like teenagers, like, you know, egoraptor Aaron Hansen.

[Shane Topp]

Right.

[Ian Hecox]

Creating flashcards. I think that's by himself, but I.

[Shane Topp]

Think that's a big thing is like, for the most part back then, you never saw people your age doing funny stuff. It was all adults doing comedy.

[Courtney Miller]

The Internet and like, YouTube, I feel, like, influenced editing style in, like, feature films, for sure. Like comedic cuts. There was, like a whole new world of that on YouTube. Like, it was cool when you finally.

[Shane Topp]

Started seeing those, like, incorporated changed everything.

[Ian Hecox]

Number five.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay, so it's. It's kind of a tie for me, a number five between YouTube channels, which I. If I mentioned these channels already on our top YouTubers list. I'm sorry, but I will go into, like, the comedy aspect this time. So it's a tie between the channel Balloon Shop and Liam Kyle Sullivan Balloon Shop. It was like, sketches that don't make sense. Like, it's crazy because they're making videos around the same time as Smosh was, but they were so different. Like, the sketches were an entirely different, like, world in terms of, like, arc and, like, meaning and any kind of sense and, like, a lot. It's crazy because. Oh, what's his name still? Is it Owen?

[Shane Topp]

Owen Rogers.

[Courtney Miller]

Owen.

[Shane Topp]

Owen Rogers. That's.

[Courtney Miller]

I knew it was. I was like, olin Rogers is literally the only one who's like, seriously still in the digital space. But those other guys that were a part of that, they were like some seriously funny people, dude. And, like, they were kind of. They seemed like a lonely island, minus, like, the music aspect.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

And then Liam call Sullivan. His character work, I loved so much, and I think it definitely influenced when I was, like, doing YouTube videos and did, like, no Vacancy and stuff. I did that similar thing where it's like, oh, this part of the room is this character. And just, like, it for sure influenced how I edited my videos. And it's crazy because Liam Kyle Sullivan, because if people don't know who I'm talking about, he's the guy who made shoes. But what's cool is that guy, that. That incredible sketch comedian, he edited Smosh Pit videos for, like, a year or two right at Defy.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

I remember we. We were like, walking through the editing bay. That was like this super dark room in the Smosh in, like, the building and just walking past and, like, seeing our video being edited and then looking down and Liam Kyle Sullivan, turns out he's like, hey, guys. I was like, huh? You're my dad.

[Shane Topp]

Like, he's such a chill guy. Such a chill, laid back, quiet dude.

[Courtney Miller]

So crazy.

[Shane Topp]

His videos were next level. I mean, they ruled the world for. For periods of time back then.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. He kind of, like, owned, like, the MySpace era.

[Shane Topp]

Yes.

[Ian Hecox]

Comedy.

[Courtney Miller]

And then Balloon Shop, I feel like, was super underrated. Like, they didn't blow up as much, it seemed.

[Shane Topp]

I never heard about them until you showed me them. But I would have loved their stu if I had seen it back in the day. But there was a lot of people like them.

[Courtney Miller]

Like Derek the Roommate Whips. Just, like, the weirdest stuff.

[Shane Topp]

Sketch comedy. Britannic was so. Britannic was. I think Britannic is the best one. Like, some of them are so smart.

[Ian Hecox]

David Blaine, street magic.

[Shane Topp]

Yes. God.

[Ian Hecox]

And that. And one of those guys is in SNL right now. Britannic.

[Shane Topp]

That was. Well, that the David Blaine sketch came out of Groundlings. That was a. Groundlings all. They were all Groundlings people. So they're all pretty well connected in that world.

[Ian Hecox]

But yeah, one of those guys, like just. I mean, like, as of maybe like what, like four years ago?

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, five years ago. Name? What's his name? I forget. I've seen Mickey.

[Ian Hecox]

Is it Mickey something?

[Shane Topp]

Thank you.

[Ian Hecox]

I don't watch this.

[Shane Topp]

I had seen him. I had seen him live at Groundlings, though.

[Courtney Miller]

It's so crazy how like you can go from religiously watching SNL to not.

[Shane Topp]

Even being aware that's how it's always. SNL has five years on, five years off. It's always been that way.

[Courtney Miller]

Ian.

[Shane Topp]

Ian.

[Ian Hecox]

Number four. South Park. Yeah, I feel like, yeah, south park for me, which I wasn't. When it first came out, I wasn't allowed to watch South Park.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, it came out. I mean, dude. Yeah. How old were you when it started? You were probably like.

[Ian Hecox]

I was six. I was in, I think six, sixth grade when it, when it first came out. Maybe fifth grade. Same, like, same time as Pokemon.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah. I want to say that's because it was the 90s.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, I remember. I remember like one of my friends, like had like, like he had cool parents, which meant he had bad parents. He. We watched south park over it at his house once or twice and I was like, oh my God, this is so. This is so bad. Like, we can't be watching this.

[Shane Topp]

Especially those first seasons, bro.

[Ian Hecox]

They're so.

[Shane Topp]

Those first seasons are so crude. Like, ridiculously crude.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, the issue, I mean, like I, I guess nowadays, like it's. I have, I have certain issues with, with, with south park, but there was a time when like they really hit their stride. Yeah, like they hit their stride so well and just like they like a multi part series where it was like Cartman wanted the Wii and he frozen.

[Shane Topp]

He goes to the future. Well, there was also the one where he wanted the DS for Grand Theft Auto. Chinatown wars and he goes to the future and it's like there's no more religion, but there's like the Atheists League and the Atheists Federation and they hate each other or something like that. They always have like, stuff. Like there's several.

[Ian Hecox]

The Make Love Not Warcraft episode.

[Shane Topp]

Oh my God. I watched that episode while playing Warcraft. Oh, that was back when I was into playing World of Warcraft and I remember I was watching it, I had like the head set up and everything with the entire guild I was playing with. And we were all watching it while playing World Warcraft and we were all laughing our asses off.

[Ian Hecox]

It was so good. Like And I feel like. I. Yeah, I mean, south park is great. The. The issue isn't so much with the content as it is some of the people that watch it that don't understand the point with, like, Cartman always, like, yelling like, oh, you fat fucking jewelry. He's a bad character. Not to be emulated. But some people took, you know, like, the really, like, racist stuff.

[Shane Topp]

Well, that's the issue. Probably when a bunch of little kids. Little kids watch it and they.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

They don't understand, so they just start repeating what Cartman says.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. Because that's the tough thing with creating a character that's supposed to be unlikable is that it's tough that it does put that stuff out in the world.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. It's the same kind of thing with Always Sunny, like, and you. And the weird thing is, dude, like, there is a section of people that watch Always Sunny and they are not good people. Like, because I went. Yeah, I. Dude, I went into. Because I watched and I was getting off track, but I watched. I was catching up on Always Sunny and I watched the Mac Finds His Pride episode where they do that, like, beautiful, like, dance number. And like, I went to the reviews on IMDb and I was, like, reading some of, like, the one star reviews. I was like, holy crap. There are just a lot of really bad people.

[Shane Topp]

Dude. There were people. There were people who thought the Colbert Report was actually a conservative show.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. Because usually a lot of shows when they have, like, that shitty person show up, they usually come and go pretty fast or they are very clearly losing. Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Not a main character.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

It's a fine line to walk. And yeah, like, I mean, like, south.

[Ian Hecox]

Park, they just had so many good. So many good things about it. I think the one thing that kind of, like, broke my. My love for it a little bit was when somebody pointed out they're like, oh, South Park's point of view is just that everything, everything new sucks. Oh. And I'm like, yeah, they're kind of right. Like, it's just like, that is kind of the point of view of like, oh, this thing, it sucks.

[Shane Topp]

I feel like it sucks. I feel like also a lot of. And I'm gonna use the term faux intellectual. If you just take the stance of I hate everything and I'm gonna make fun of everything. That's not a free pass necessarily to just say whatever you want and be smart because you hate everything. But that is what a lot of shows take on. It's what a lot of people take on too. They try Oh, I hate everything. So it's fine. I'm smart because I hate everything and everything's bad. It's kind of like, all right, man. Like, okay.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah, yeah. How to have fun anytime, anywhere.

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[Ian Hecox]

Shane number four.

[Shane Topp]

All right. Number four. I'm going to go back to my childhood and I'm going to go to the things that made me laugh the hardest when I was a little kid and what I think got the ball rolling. And it's a tie because I would switch between two different channels when I was a little kid. I would switch between Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. And there were two shows that I essentially was always waiting for and wanted to watch. And if they were on, I'm watching it no matter what. And those shows are Johnny Bravo and all that. Johnny Bravo.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, yeah. All that.

[Shane Topp]

Johnny Bravo was my. Johnny Bravo was my poop dude. Johnny Bravo was so good. It was probably my first, like, impression I wanted to like. I was always trying to do the voice. I loved that. It was just like, here's. I think the character of someone who thinks they're awesome even though they're a complete loser is still my favorite character type. And I do it all the time. I love that that trope. And Johnny Bravo sums it up so perfectly. And he's such a. The way they made him such a dumb ass is so great. I still quote it sometimes. Some of my favorite quotes are he there was like, oh, it's like, yeah, we gotta go in 45 minutes. He's like, 45 minutes. That's almost 46 minutes. And I was just like, that's so dumb and it's so dumb. And I just love stuff like that. And then all that was just forgot about them. It was so good. Especially that first iteration was incredible. And I mean, the cast was nuts. I mean, Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson and so many others that were so good. Obviously, I'm sure if I rewatched it now, it's designed for little kids. I would think it's dumb. That's why I got so mad when all that came back recently and people were like, this is nowhere near as good as the original. I'm like, you're 30 years old now. Of course it's not as funny to you.

[Ian Hecox]

Like, yeah, let it going to find a, you know, Kenan Thompson sitting in a bathtub with a French accent. Funny.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, exactly. I'm like, stop watching kids shows as an adult and judging it as an adult. I thought it was so great. I think it's. I. I mean, I say this, I'm a little biased because of so random. But I do wish there was more sketch comedy. And I mean, with TikTok and everything, it is available. But sketch comedy was just so fun. And I think it can be such a good way of like, pointing out absurdities in life.

[Courtney Miller]

Absolutely. I should have had Amanda Bynes on this list.

[Shane Topp]

Man, oh, man. I. You know what's crazy is some. I guess the last run of it was Sam and Cat, but so there's Sam and Cat was. Was with Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande. Sam and Cat is technically a spin off of all that because Sam and Cat is a spin off of icarly because Jennette McCurdy. I don't know if it's the same.

[Courtney Miller]

Character, but like it's victorious Carly put together.

[Shane Topp]

Right. But okay, so let's. Let's then let's just go back one and say iCarly is a spin off of all that because icarly had Miranda Cosgrove who was in Drake and Josh. Drake and Josh was a spinoff of Amanda. Of the Amanda show because Drake and Josh were on the Amanda show and the Amanda show is a spinoff of all that because they took literally Dan Schneider from all that. Would just take an actor from that show and make a new show about them. And that's what he did for over 20 years and it worked on his own.

[Courtney Miller]

So all that was like the UCB of Nickelodeon.

[Shane Topp]

I guess so.

[Courtney Miller]

That's crazy, dude.

[Ian Hecox]

Courtney number four.

[Courtney Miller]

My number four. And if it's kind of similar to Shane's of back to my younger years of what I always watched. Smosh. Fucking smosh, baby. Dude. I sketch comedy. Like I have. I have a sketch on my old YouTube channel called Panda that is definitely because I was watching a lot of smosh and just really wanted to make a sketch with my friends. It was not a sketch at all. It was literally like the weirdest thing Where I was just like, oh my God, we have Panda Express. And we're so excited. I watched Smosh so much. I remember my friend Marissa and I would come home from school, I would make us a special snack of Ritz crackers, ham, cheddar cheese and a flavor blasted goldfish. And we would do our homework, but we would watch. We would alternate between watching Smosh sketches and also recording ourselves on the laptop webcam. Just being dumb. Yeah. And then I guess it got to the point where I've said this so many times, I feel like. But where I would, I would. I found the smosh.com and would watch all the BTS because I loved the BTS just as much, if not more than the sketches themselves. Because I was also just so interested in the world of like making this stuff. So it just blew my mind to like see you guys clearly successful and making these silly sketches. And like, I still have it etched in my memory. Like, I think it's. If video games were real. One of Ian going. And I can't tell you the first time I heard you do that in real life, I went. Because it was so crazy to me. And it's like, yeah, I mean, it was years and years of that. I didn't watch you guys for a long time. And I started watching you a little bit again when Olivia joined, because I like, we. I would hang out with her in LA at that one studio where Viners would hang out. And she was like, guys, I'm auditioning for Smosh and here's these bits I'm gonna do. And we all thought it was super funny. Even though she was just like. It was. She was the same person that she is today during. Try not to laugh. But when she joined, I was like, cool. And I started watching him again. But yeah, it was. I was. I'd very much like grown from it. But it felt so cool to like that now be a part of it. And I feel like we've kind of aged it up in a way. And now we're like, it's stuff that we find funny. Not just what defy claimed as 14 year olds just figuring life out.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, that was their interpretation of it, of our demographic. We never made anything specifically.

[Courtney Miller]

No, it was raunchy humor. But for young people, like, it was kind of almost on that plane of south park where it's like, this is very young looking, but it's raunchy.

[Ian Hecox]

I mean, south park was a big. Was a big influence for me. So, yeah, there was a lot of violence, a lot of blood. A lot of.

[Shane Topp]

I mean, it was just all absurd. It was like cartoonish absurdity. Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

A lot of blood. A lot of boobs. Yep.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. South park had a big. Had a big part in and shaping.

[Courtney Miller]

Makes sense. So in a way, south park inspired me as well. No, I can't have this list and act like Smosh didn't influence me before I started working here, so.

[Ian Hecox]

Good, good.

[Courtney Miller]

Now my job is I'm even more secure.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Shane. So it better be on your list, too.

[Shane Topp]

I need to go back in time.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. All right, Ian, number three.

[Ian Hecox]

I literally just put this on here as we were talking snl.

[Courtney Miller]

I mean. Yeah, I think SNL inspired all that. Right?

[Shane Topp]

Well, I mean, SNL was the first televised. Well, no, it wasn't the first televised sketch comedy, but, like, it was just the first time it became nationally huge. Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

It was the first, like, cultural hit.

[Shane Topp]

It also was, like, counterculture, like, sketch comedy. Never had, like, really gone for the throat, like, it did very quickly.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

I mean, those 70s ones, like, I think the first one had George Carlin as the host, like the first episode, so.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah. And it was him doing stand up, like, going hard. Like, they went for it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. The first. The first season of Saturday Night Live is nothing like the Saturday Night Live that we grew up on. Like, it was insane. And it was. It was just counterculture. It was like a way of saying, like, you, like, we're. Because, you know, it's in time of like, you know, you had your. You had the suits and then you had the hippies.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

And it was. It was very much like their way of standing up to.

[Courtney Miller]

Holding up a mirror to society.

[Shane Topp]

That's what's funny. When people are like, I hate snl. It's so political now. I'm like, it's always been political. It literally always.

[Courtney Miller]

You've been more involved in it, I guess when you say that.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. I mean, for. For me, I mean, like I said, I didn't have cable growing up, so when I was old enough, like, that was one of the things that I looked forward to on Saturday night, when was I was able to, like, stay up late and watch Saturday Night Live. And I would go to the blockbuster and I would. And I would rent and I would rent the Best of.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, yeah, we have the Best of Will Frell one in my house.

[Shane Topp]

They're so good.

[Ian Hecox]

The best get, like, Best of, like, Tim Robbins. Chris was one of my favoritean Will Frell. I. And I grew up in the. The Will Ferrell, Daryl Hammond. Chris Kattan, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, kind of like, era.

[Shane Topp]

It's a good era.

[Ian Hecox]

So that's a good. That's the era that I know and that I thought was funny. But obviously at that, Even at that time, of course, there's people that were like, it's. No, this doesn't compare to the. The 80s. And people in the 80s, like. Well, yeah, people hated the 80s one. Like, everyone loved the very first Saturday Night Live. And then when. When the second season of Saturday Night Live came out, well, it was done without what's his face.

[Courtney Miller]

The guy that runs it, the guy who owns snl.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, this is gonna bug me.

[Ian Hecox]

Wow. I reference him all the time, and I just can't think of it right now.

[Courtney Miller]

Who's the creator of snl. I know he's not necessarily the creator.

[Shane Topp]

But Michaels created Saturday.

[Courtney Miller]

Lauren.

[Shane Topp]

Michaels.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Lauren.

[Ian Hecox]

Lauren.

[Courtney Miller]

Lauren.

[Shane Topp]

Michael Lauren.

[Ian Hecox]

So he left after the first one, I think, and then a different person came in, and people destroyed her. Like, they said that she's responsible for, like, all of it being bad and, like, it was all. Which one? Like, the second season of Saturday Night Live.

[Courtney Miller]

What was her name?

[Ian Hecox]

Sorry, sorry, I don't remember her name, but just. She didn't last. Like, he. He came back, and then they, like, reorganized it and whatever. But, yeah, anyway, Saturday Live, whether you like it or hate, changed so many generations with.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, absolutely. It's had so many, like, insanely good casts.

[Courtney Miller]

It's also partially what got Lonely island to be so freaking huge, because they were like, the SNL digital shorts all the time.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, Yeah. I mean, I think. I think for. For a short amount of time, you know, when we started making YouTube videos, like, that was an aspiration that sounded like a dream to.

[Courtney Miller]

I mean, that's how I. I've explained Smosh as, like, kind of like a stepping stone for. For, like. Because that was back when Defy was all about young teens and teens figuring themselves out. I was like, well, this is kind of a way of, like, introducing those young viewers to sketch comedy in this format of, like, so we're. So then we eventually lead those people to then watch shows like snl. You know, like, we are stepping stone.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, I, I, That's. Yeah. I've always kind of felt like Smosh was never. Was never on the same. Same level as Saturday.

[Courtney Miller]

No, not quite.

[Ian Hecox]

Not. Not the same. Like, Smosh Live was viewer audience. Smash Live was dope, but it was obviously above, like, Nickelodeon.

[Shane Topp]

Well, dope.

[Ian Hecox]

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[Ian Hecox]

Number three.

[Shane Topp]

So my number three. This is actually very specific. All right, so in the late 90s, Family Guy started and it got canceled after a few seasons. And there was this long period of time, or not that long, but this period of time where Family Guy was not on the air. But the DVD box sets for it were available for the first. I think it was the first five seasons and my brother got them and he was like, hey, you would think this is really funny. You should watch this. I was like 11 at the time.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, perfect.

[Shane Topp]

10 or 11. I watched the shit out of those box sets. I watched the first four seasons of Family Guy. I watched over and over and over again. And I, until that point had never laughed so hard. And I didn't even understand a lot of the jokes. What I think Family Guy really taught me was timing. The timing on that show was so unique, especially for then, like you never had the like stuttering or pausing that was in Family Guy. You never saw that in other type of sketch, sketch comedy or in comedic shows. It's strange to say that it's revolutionary. But Stewie doing his whole like, so you're going to write that novel, you. You're going to, you're going to put in those, those nice characters. You could have that, that climax. You got to do that like.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

There. You can't find a joke told like that.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

In a show before that or in, or especially not in animated. I mean, and I understand, like Simpsons obviously started it all, but the way they would sometimes tell jokes I just thought was so good. And also was the rapid fire nature similar to like Internet comedy and Adult Swim stuff. A joke cannot be funny. Like the actual context of the joke and the subject matter. But if you give the right type of pausing.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. Pregnant pause.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah. I mean, so many characters and so many jokes I've done on Try not to Laugh are not funny jokes at all. I just, I'm just Like, how will I tell? This is all that matters.

[Courtney Miller]

Timing helps.

[Ian Hecox]

Number three.

[Courtney Miller]

Number three. I like, thought of another one, so I guess he'll have to be an honorable mention, but whatever. My number three is Bo Burnham, excellent human being. I think that like, he's obviously a comedian. His shows were stand up comedy, but they've kind of evolved to being like, honestly, like a one man show. But something that he taught me was like, obviously he's funny, but then he would like hit you with like a message that would just punch you in the gut. Like, he would all of a sudden just have this, this like deeper meaning to his songs or, or just like if you've ever been to a Bo Burnham show, you know what I mean? But like, his specials definitely touch on it. Then he had that Zack Stone is going to be famous TV show that lasted for a season.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. How was that?

[Courtney Miller]

It was, it was okay. Like, if it were to come out this year, I think it would, it might do better than it did back then because, like, it was, it was way ahead of its time because, like, now we're in this age where like Internet influencers and people trying to be famous on the Internet is literally everyone. But yeah, like, he. His songs and like, obviously a lot of the people I've, I've been influenced. Liam K. Sullivan, Lonely Island. They have this article of like using music and I love music. It's been a huge part of my life. Growing up helped me, like, find who I was as a teenager. So when you have someone who's funny and you love comedy and then uses the, your favorite thing to also just like, really make you feel and like, it's crazy in comedy when all of a sudden when they hit you with something that makes you feel something, it like hits you that much harder. And because you aren't expecting it, you aren't expecting to be like, oh, my heart. What the fuck? Like, and he does that, dude. And I love it. I love it so much. When I first saw his special words, words, words, my brain was never the same again. Blew my mind. And I didn't even know he was on YouTube. I didn't know he existed. Yeah, but then that's. After that I did.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. I mean, he's, he's one of. I mean, he was probably the first like, aside from Lonely island, he was probably the first like, YouTube success story. He had plenty of success on YouTube. He could have, he could have stayed on YouTube and just continued doing funny songs. But he was like, no, like, I want to be a. You Know a real comedian and do shows and work on material that I then do for a special. And then he went out and fucking did it. And he was. He did fucking.

[Courtney Miller]

He was fine, too.

[Shane Topp]

He just shows up every now and then and just crushes the industry.

[Courtney Miller]

I'm convinced. I'm convinced that when he left vine, that's when vine went to shit because he left. He just up and peaced out, like, a few years in. I'm convinced. That's why.

[Shane Topp]

I mean, I'm. I have no doubt that he's probably a very sad person because he carries a lot. Being that smart has got to be a bummer.

[Ian Hecox]

If you've ever listened to a podcast with them. Like. Yeah, I mean, he. I think he kind of has, like, a. The curse of knowledge.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

You know?

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

But, yeah, I feel like I've heard some. Someone talk about, like, on a podcast somewhere or an interview that, like, he mentions channels like, Smosh, but he didn't, like, mention our name specifically, but he, like, how he kind of, like, really disliked everything that they're about.

[Ian Hecox]

He really appreciates somebody that's. That works on material that, like, works on it for a good amount of time and then put. And then puts it out into the world where.

[Shane Topp]

I mean, his style, that doesn't come out every five years.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Yeah. So that doesn't exactly work on YouTube. Like, you have to be consistent with your content. You can't. You can't work on something for two years and put it out.

[Shane Topp]

Well, there's also a difference between, like, people who are an individual and they only have to worry about paying their own bills. And when you work with, like, a big team and everyone, you're. You're. You have to put out content in order for everyone to keep.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

You know, staying afloat.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, and also, he's just a really funny person, so. Yeah. There's probably stuff that he just doesn't like and probably makes him angry. I'm sure. I have. I have. Yeah. I don't. I don't hold anything against. Against both if he doesn't.

[Courtney Miller]

But didn't he invite you to the premiere of Eighth Grade? Remember we couldn't go because of VidCon?

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

Oh, I also.

[Courtney Miller]

My dream.

[Shane Topp]

I have a feeling Bo Burnham doesn't, like, hate much. I think he's just. I think it's more like he has a way of going about things and.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

All right. Shall we move on?

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

And number two.

[Ian Hecox]

Number two. So this. This is kind of close. I mean, I was. I'm Ballparking what Shane already did, but I made it kind of a little bit more specific, but not quite. It's. It's. It's the same general, like, Internet, old Internet. I wrote on here. I wrote Newgrounds cartoons. Like Flash.

[Shane Topp]

New grounds, man.

[Ian Hecox]

But. But it goes beyond new grounds. It's like, you know, albino black sheep and. And E bombs. You know, obviously this is before YouTube, and what people were creating was flash animations. Just like little cartoons.

[Shane Topp]

They were so funny, so good.

[Ian Hecox]

Like, obviously, Homestar Runner was a thing which.

[Courtney Miller]

Runner.

[Ian Hecox]

Which only resonates to, like, a very specific, like, group of people that existed on the Internet during that time.

[Shane Topp]

Those first egoraptor flash animations are still my favorite thing he's ever done. The Ninja Gaiden one. Oh, my God.

[Ian Hecox]

There's this creator, Ed Atlen, and he made, like, several, like, little. Little cartoon series, but he made this one series that was ongoing called Space Tree. The Space Tree in space, which was incredible. And that was, like. That was like, heavily inspirational for both Anthony and myself when we were starting to create sketches. So big ups. Big ups to Ed there.

[Shane Topp]

There was a lot of those series that you just find an animated series online and you would just watch all of it. And there was one that. We can cut this if we want, but there was one that I thought was so funny back then, and it was called House of Cosby's, and it was about a guy who cloned Bill Cosby and had a million. And every clone would be a different Cosby. To be like, this one's Dancing Cosby and this one's Science Cosby.

[Courtney Miller]

Dude, that one was.

[Shane Topp]

And it was ridiculous. And I didn't know until, like, recently that that was Justin Roiland.

[Courtney Miller]

Mm.

[Shane Topp]

I had no clue. I was obsessed with it. And I look back and I'm like, oh, it was totally Rick and Morty style comedy. But this is back in, like, 2005. Yeah, I mean, this was forever ago, dude.

[Ian Hecox]

The frickin. That. Well, I guess it wasn't really on the Internet first, but that's where I saw it. The rejected cartoon.

[Shane Topp]

Oh, yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

So good.

[Courtney Miller]

I feel, you know, it's way familiar.

[Shane Topp]

You know, Rick and Morty probably too big. Yes. Don Hertzfeld. Don Hertzfeldt, man. So. Oh, Courtney, you need to watch it.

[Courtney Miller]

I think I have. It just. It's not quite.

[Shane Topp]

It is, like. It's an Oscar level, like, short. It's so perfect. You've definitely seen it.

[Courtney Miller]

Sounds like those things are ringing about.

[Shane Topp]

When the, like, I am a banana.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, yeah, I've definitely seen them. I just can't remember it in my head right now. Like, those sounds sound familiar.

[Shane Topp]

So good. So good. All right. My number two.

[Ian Hecox]

Number two.

[Shane Topp]

So my number two. I put my family. I was going to have my family.

[Courtney Miller]

My. Literally, my number five was my family until I switched it to balloon shop.

[Ian Hecox]

Damn. I didn't even think of that. I. Yeah, my family.

[Shane Topp]

Like, laughing is such a big component in my family. Telling jokes is just such a. It's such our instinct. My grandma and papa, my mom's parents, I think they're probably the, like, what started it off. My grandpa wasn't funny. He wasn't a funny guy. He wouldn't tell jokes. He would tell jokes, but they would be the dumbest jokes you've ever heard. But what made him so great is he was like the best audience you could ever get because he was constantly laughing. He just thought everything was funny. If you told a joke, he would just be laughing. Best thing about my grandfather is I would legitimately, when I was staying with them over the summers, I would come down to the basement and there's some times where he would watch Tom and Jerry himself by himself, for he could watch it for hours. And he'd be dying laughing at Tom and Jerry, like, dying laughing. And my grandma, though, was really funny. She just would. Had that really sharp wit, like, would say really sarcastic things. I think even. Even when she got. When her cancer came back and they were like, yeah, you've got a couple months to live. I think she was even like, as my mom and her were walking out to the parking lot, I forget what she said. She made some, like, some dark joke. And it was so funny that my mom and her just burst out laugh. Like, that was her. That was just her way of handling everything. And so my brothers are that way, I'm that way. And who are probably like, just as a kid that I saw and was inspired by the most is my uncles are really funny. My uncle Kelly does a ton of accents and impressions, and my uncle Danny is really. Can make really funny facial expressions. And so when we're all together, they would end up, like, entertaining. And they would essentially be doing like a family version of stand up.

[Ian Hecox]

Try not to laugh. Everyone was just watching some props and film it.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, they'd probably be really great. They're really funny guys. Like, there's a. There's a different world where I think they could have had us. If they'd been a sketch duo, they would have done gone far.

[Ian Hecox]

We should. We should definitely send you with a couple cameras and do a top family reunion. Try not to laugh.

[Shane Topp]

Oh God, bro. But yeah, my family in general, just a lot of really funny people.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Shane Topp]

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[Courtney Miller]

I totally get that. I can relate. Like my family, especially when my dad got remarried, we had these two new step siblings. They were actually named Courtney and Conrad. So at the time we had two Courtney's and two Conrad's. But they were off the walls, crazy funny. And my sister Carrie was already friends with Courtney at the time. And like our family, like just unhinged, especially the divorce obviously unhinged us in a way. But we all love the same funny stuff. We all watch Napoleon Dynamite three million times. Like so I totally relate to just being silly. Like specifically my sister Carrie too.

[Ian Hecox]

All right, Courtney number two.

[Courtney Miller]

Number two. My number two is Lonely island. So we can kind of Bruce breeze through this. But like, yeah, I mean, when I was super obsessed with with snl, they blew my mind and I absorbed everything that they had on their YouTube channel. I listened to. I listened to all their albums all the time. Even the weird stuff that nobody knows.

[Ian Hecox]

Wait, do you know about the party? Anderson's party?

[Courtney Miller]

Anderson?

[Shane Topp]

Not a real thing.

[Courtney Miller]

It's possible I've watched them.

[Shane Topp]

But I can. Hello.

[Courtney Miller]

Don't be rude. I literally forget things, so please don't be mean. It's possible I've watched them and just haven't and can't recall them. But awesome Town was like so great to me. They had castaways, which is funny because it's very similar to that one smosh sketch that you guys had. Remember when you were stranded on the beach?

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Did we rip it off? I don't know.

[Courtney Miller]

Probably. But yeah. And you know, using music and just like making comedy cool. It's so awesome. Jorma. I used to like be obsessed with Jorma because I thought he was the cutest. Honestly, I think Adam. Andy Sandberg. I almost said Adam Sandler. Andy Sandberg. Has influenced, like, every, like, part of my being. I feel like he was, like, just the coolest person in the world to me. His acting and movies, like, Hot Rod is one of the. It's a top five movie for me for sure.

[Shane Topp]

So good.

[Ian Hecox]

I just rewatched it finally.

[Shane Topp]

It's so good.

[Ian Hecox]

It holds up. It's funny.

[Courtney Miller]

They're the best. They're just the best. And I hope to see them still keep doing dope shit because they've been kind of quiet for a while, but I'm hoping. I want a new album so bad. They keep me going.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, the Lonely island guys did a. They had this fake music group called the Party Andersons. I. I don't.

[Courtney Miller]

It rings about.

[Ian Hecox]

I think they only made, like, a couple songs, but they. They did one song that's just about doing cocaine, which they lifted a bunch of lyrics from that and put it into the Bash Bros. Experience. What was that thing called? Was it called the Bash Bros. Experience? Something like that? Something like that. Netflix. That Netflix.

[Courtney Miller]

Netflix special. That was crazy. Mike Diva did all of that.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, that was dope. All right, finally on to number one.

[Shane Topp]

Do we want to.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, actually, let's do. Let's do honorable yeah.

[Shane Topp]

You can just quickly go by the honorable mentions.

[Courtney Miller]

Amanda Bynes, for sure. Michael. Sarah.

[Ian Hecox]

Hmm. Interesting.

[Shane Topp]

That's an interesting one.

[Courtney Miller]

Him just as an actor and, like, what? Everything he's done, like, his comedic timing and his delivery is so unique for.

[Ian Hecox]

Me, Like Always Sunny, when I was talking about it, I was like, oh, yeah, shit. Like Always Sunny is incredible. I think they're on the same vein of, like, the. It's just the dialogue is just so snappy, which is why I really enjoy Letterkenny as well. Uh, Simpsons. I mean, I. I grew up watching the Simpsons. It was, again, one of the only sort of kind of raunchy things I was allowed to watch.

[Shane Topp]

I have here Adult Swim, Mad tv, and Jim Carrey. Yeah, Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey was just a huge.

[Courtney Miller]

Absolutely.

[Ian Hecox]

So Jim Carrey was so good physically that I remember Mari was telling me that her mom, like, loved watching Jim Carrey, and she didn't even know what he was saying. Yeah, but he was just so physically.

[Shane Topp]

He's probably the most language. He's probably the most unique actor to be able to say lines as wacky as he does, and it still comes across genuine. All right, you want to go to number one?

[Ian Hecox]

Finally? I gotta give it to Spaceballs, man.

[Shane Topp]

Wow. Spaceballs.

[Ian Hecox]

Spaceballs.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay.

[Shane Topp]

Whoa, dude, that came out of left field. Spaceball.

[Ian Hecox]

Did It.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, I wasn't expecting.

[Courtney Miller]

I wasn't expecting Spaceballs.

[Ian Hecox]

It's so good. And the funny thing is, like, as a kid, it's the only Mel Brooks movie that I. That I had seen. I think later on I saw Robin Hoodman in tights, but. But Spaceballs was like the one that I saw. I don't even know if I saw Star wars at that point, but I understood all the references because it was so, like, just in the culture, just like making fun of Star wars and, and all like the fourth wall breaks and everything. I had never seen that before. Like, like the, the part where they're like, where they're like, they're trying to find out where they, where they crashed and they're like, oh, I know how we can do this. Bring me a copy of Spaceballs, the movie. And then they pull the movie out and they fast forward to the part.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, yeah, the movie.

[Ian Hecox]

But then they stop the movie at the exact time that they're in right now. Yeah, dude, there's so many good bits in that movie. Obviously some of the stuff hasn't aged great. Most movies like that, but holy crap, dude. Like.

[Shane Topp]

Well, with Mel Brooks, they say a million jokes a minute, so some are going to age well and some are not. But every single one of those Mel Brooks movies has jokes that are still laugh out loud funny.

[Ian Hecox]

And obviously, like, some of the things when I was a kid I didn't understand. And then. And then when I got older, I was like, oh, okay, that's funny.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, man, that's probably me with like, Airplane and Blazing Saddles and everything. Great stuff.

[Courtney Miller]

I love, I like. Okay, another. Another honorable mention is Charlie's Angels, the old, the. The 90s era movie. Because. Because it's comedy. Because those, those, those first two, it's like comedy, bad action. And I love it because it's so horny. But there's something. And it's a common theme in all my inspirations is comedy. But make it cool. That's what it is, man. No.

[Ian Hecox]

Is that why Xanadu is good?

[Courtney Miller]

They're not funny at all, but. Okay, sorry, I just want to point.

[Ian Hecox]

Out real quick how good this new Smosh shirt matches with the smoke Smosh sweatpants.

[Courtney Miller]

Really?

[Shane Topp]

Whoa.

[Courtney Miller]

I never made that connection.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, it's pretty good.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, yeah, that's a good combo.

[Ian Hecox]

Teal matches right there.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

For those that. That can't see, Ian is showing off the sweatpants and the shirt. The groovy line.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah, the new groovy.

[Shane Topp]

The retro. Our retro goo matches Excellently.

[Courtney Miller]

With the floral smosh pants.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. And you can get [e-mail].

[Courtney Miller]

You got it.

[Shane Topp]

All right, Shane. My number one was the only one that I knew for sure where it was going to be. So my number one is snl, but it is very specifically two cast members on snl.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh, God, here we go.

[Shane Topp]

It's Phil Hartman and Chris Farley.

[Courtney Miller]

Okay.

[Shane Topp]

They are. They are hands down, my favorite. I laugh just seeing them on camera. And it's interesting because they're both very opposite styles. Phil Hartman, his whole thing was always being contained. It was always about keeping calm. You know, it's always, now, I'm not here to come down on you or anything. And. Or just like his caveman lawyer thing. There's so many bits that I do that are essentially caveman lawyer, but just a different costume where it's just like he's dressed as a caveman. He looks ridiculous, but he comes out and he's just like. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I'm just a caveman. Your technology frightens and scares me. Like, I just love the way, oh.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah, he's in jail all the way.

[Shane Topp]

And then Chris Fart. That's. Yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, this actor from that.

[Shane Topp]

From Jingle.

[Courtney Miller]

Sorry, please continue.

[Shane Topp]

And dude, his, his, his fiber. What's his. The fiber? Cereal commercial. Fibrinol or what is it? Colon Blow. Oh, God. It's just a commercial for him advertising a cereal called Colon Blow. And it's so good.

[Ian Hecox]

Well, and Troy McClure was like one of the best characters in the Simpsons.

[Shane Topp]

And see, I never watched the Simpsons, so that Phil Hartman's all over the place. Like, he was just so, so good. And then Chris Farley, I mean, it's the opposite. Chris Farley would always, always go 150% in a sketch. And I know sometimes it might have been drugs, but most of the times. But it was so fun to watch him because it was always just. There was so much energy there. I would say the, you know, the motivational speaker sketch on SNL is probably like just one of the most well known ones. And on paper, it's a really funny sketch, but it would have. It's not like on paper, it's not funnier than a lot of other sketches. Chris Farley brought so much energy to that sketch that it took it to another level. And you saw that with everything that he did, he would show up in movies throughout the 90s. Just about every Adam Sandler has Chris Farley in it for like five minutes. And it's always the best five minutes of the movie just because he shows up and he's the bus driver in Billy Madison. And it's just. It's just immediately so funny.

[Ian Hecox]

So you're telling me your favorite part of Adam Sandler movies isn't Rob Schneider showing up as different races in every movie?

[Shane Topp]

Oh, it's not Rob Schneider showing up as different races. It's. It's Chris Farley always showing up as a pissed off guy.

[Ian Hecox]

He's just.

[Shane Topp]

Chris Farley plays a pissed off man in every single one of those movies. And it's always great. I love him. I love those two actors so much. And I love, like, SNL in general. There's a million, like, Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Sherry O'Terry. Like, there's a million people that I love from that era, but specifically those two. I think any time you watch one of my jokes in Try not to Laugh, you can find an element of Phil Hartman or Chris Farley in it. There's always something in how I tell a joke that is literally their voices in my head helping say the joke.

[Courtney Miller]

Hell to the yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

Courtney, finally, number one.

[Courtney Miller]

Thank you. I actually was. I knew this person was the first one I thought of, and I was so certain that they are at my number one. They've always been there. It's in my core. I still admire them today. Kristen Wiig. Oh, obviously watch a lot of snl. Her commitment and, like, just. She's not afraid to just be ugly and just go all the way weird. Like that one sketch, like, and I'm Denise, so she's like that fourth sister. Just that type of person. God, I don't know. It's like that type of, like, weird humor that makes you uncomfortable. Like. Yeah, for a long time when I first got to know someone and I knew I liked them, I wanted to be weird and funny and just like, make them have to be uncomfortable with me to the point where will get them comfortable with me. I don't know.

[Ian Hecox]

How'd that work out for you?

[Courtney Miller]

I've had my heart broken a lot of times.

[Shane Topp]

You know what I think it is with Kristen Wiig is there's such an element of silliness. Like, it's silly.

[Courtney Miller]

I mean, it's funny because on my little resume or whatever, when I auditioned for Smash in, my description was something I took pride in, was unafraid to be ugly. Which is interesting because I feel like over the years, I got super insecure about my skin and kind of, in a way, was afraid in a certain way. So you did Sexual son with the fuck? Was that just like being those weird characters? Joey Bananas. Is that what you guys called him? That. That first time that you guys ever put me in that curly brown wig and a pencil stash just like, brought me to life in a way I never, like, really realized before. And she is incredible. She's a powerhouse of a human. Has done so many different kinds of content, like, in the last decade alone. The fact that she's in the new Wonder Woman movie coming out, like, I'm really excited. Hell, yeah.

[Ian Hecox]

She's in MacGruber, isn't she?

[Courtney Miller]

Yes, she's. She's also, like, a huge part of, like, a lot of my favorite movies of all time. Adventureland. Whip it all right. Bridesmaids, one of the best female comedies of all time. She's so well versed. And God, when she has she just character. The, like the. The jazz girl who's turned off the lights. On snl, she was a queen. She's a. She's a literal comedy queen.

[Shane Topp]

The. The one upper character that she does where she's just like, actually, I know Oprah and she's my best friend.

[Courtney Miller]

And actually I'm actually, actually I really like.

[Shane Topp]

She was so good at original characters. She's probably. I would say of all of snl, she is. She is the best that they've had at original characters because she had like, a few a lot. There's a lot of famous SNL people who. It's like, oh, they did that one character that's so good. Kristen Wiig had like five. She had Target Lady. She had the one upper character. She had the weird hands. Like, she would always bring to life more things. She had.

[Courtney Miller]

I could impersonate all of those.

[Shane Topp]

She had tons. It was great. And like, hers were really different. Like, Will Ferrell had a lot, but Will Ferrell's were always a version of Will Ferrell. Yeah, sure, because Will Ferrell, just as himself, was so funny. But Kristen Wiig, like, changed.

[Courtney Miller]

I definitely held her close to my heart, like, for as long as I was just dying and dreaming to, like, be a part of something that was the level of, like, man, if I could just at least feel like her, that'd be awesome, you know?

[Ian Hecox]

Well, this was a very wonderful list.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. It's crazy how, like, we all came from very different lives, didn't meet each other till mid-20s or early. Like, I was 18 when I met you guys. We all have very similar things that brought us up. Like, even Monty Python, all those things. I mean, they're very Popular things, granted. But it's cool that ultimately we have very similar tastes. And yeah, for those listening or watching, if you haven't seen or checked out a lot of these people, I seriously recommend it. It's going to help your life.

[Shane Topp]

Yes.

[Ian Hecox]

Ye. Oh, and just, and, and just when you thought this whole, this whole train had come to a stop. Toot, toot. Guess what? No, we got one more stop and that stop is the shoot dude station.

[Shane Topp]

Shoot dude.

[Courtney Miller]

Shoot dude.

[Shane Topp]

Shoot dude Shoot dude.

[Ian Hecox]

Do get ready for this one. This one is from Taylor. She starts with all caps. All right. When I was about 12 to 13, my family and I went to this museum and they have a section based on Chinese architecture. And we stopped to look at this big piece resembling a Chinese Imperial palace building. We're all looking at it. It's big and red with yellow roof tiles and it's beautiful. And I'm looking at it and I'm wondering what exactly it is. So I turn to my family, dead ass, serious expression on my face, and I ask, is this the Great Wall of China? Keep in mind I'm like 12 to 13, so I'm still a big dumb ass. My entire family starts laughing at me. And I'm sitting there like, huh? I asked a genuine question. And then my sister goes, no, you idiot, the Great Wall of China is in China.

[Courtney Miller]

Oh my goodness.

[Ian Hecox]

Needless to say, I was incredibly embarrassed. And still to this day, they bring it up constantly when the whole family gets together.

[Courtney Miller]

That's sad. That's a sad. Shoot dude. I'm sorry, that's a bummer. Shoot dude.

[Shane Topp]

That's a bummer shoot.

[Courtney Miller]

Can I just say, I relate to this. So hard growing up and still sometimes I'm the queen of dumb questions. I remember in middle school, in middle school I was like, do we have to arrest the descendants of John Wilkes Booth because he killed Abraham Lincoln? So is his great, great grandkids under arrest? And they're like, no, no, I, no. But they are cancelled questions all the time. All the time. So I really. And it's okay. It's okay. Sometimes we just don't know stuff. And sometimes people just love to laugh at people big for. Because they feel smarter.

[Ian Hecox]

We shouldn't ever punish people for asking a question. I mean, if you ask a dumbass question, I'm, I might make a joke about it.

[Courtney Miller]

We can laugh lovingly, but I never.

[Ian Hecox]

I don't think anyone should feel ashamed of asking a question. That's, that's something that I've had to, had to like get Better at is. Is not. Is accepting that I don't know everything. Well.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah. Fear of asking dumb questions leads to not asking questions, which is. Yeah, not good. That's worse.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. I told myself when I was young, like, because I felt like I was asking stupid questions and people would laugh at me and, like, not in a loving way. And I told myself that I would say that there's no such thing as dumb questions because. Yeah, it sucks. You just want to know sometimes you got to push through that.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

Ask the dumb question.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah, man. Just ask it.

[Courtney Miller]

Have those. Because then, you know, space of people.

[Shane Topp]

That person now knows that the China.

[Ian Hecox]

Is China, otherwise they would have told somebody else that they went and saw the great.

[Shane Topp]

They would have lived their whole life thinking the Great Wall of China could be anywhere.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. So it's a good thing they asked.

[Shane Topp]

And also, though, let's. Let's be fair, there's some things out there in the world that are confusing as shit like that. Like there's a Kansas City. The Kansas City Chiefs, the football team. That's Kansas City, Missouri. That's confusing as shit.

[Ian Hecox]

The London Bridge. Not in London anymore.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. That's in Arizona, right?

[Ian Hecox]

I think so.

[Shane Topp]

There's tons of rivers that are, like. They're named a specific state river, but most of it is in a different state.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. The Colorado river is in Arizona as well.

[Shane Topp]

Yeah. The Grand Canyon is the Colorado. It's. It's confusing. So I get it.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah.

[Shane Topp]

I get it.

[Courtney Miller]

Yeah. It's okay. People be people. It's okay.

[Ian Hecox]

Sex in the city. It wasn't sex in the city. It was for women in the city.

[Shane Topp]

Exactly. Barren, stinky bears.

[Ian Hecox]

Yeah. Well, thank you guys so much for another wonderful smash cast. Please send your shoot dudes to at.

[Courtney Miller]

I can't type that.

[Ian Hecox]

Oh, sorry. It's shoot [e-mail] s h o o t d o o [e-mail]. let us know what your favorite comedy influences are down in the comments below. Critique. Critique ours and tell us we're dumb and we Comedy.

[Courtney Miller]

Tell us and ask any stupid questions that you've been wanting to ask anyone but haven't felt safe. Ask them in the comments down below. And if people are into you, ignore.

[Ian Hecox]

Them and get this sweet. Get this sweet merch combo that I got. It's pretty sweet. Sick.

[Courtney Miller]

It's pretty.

[Ian Hecox]

Dot com. Rate us five stars in the app store. So we can continue doing this and talking to each other and you could hear our voice. You. To hear our voice and love you. Bye.

[Shane Topp]

Love you.

[Courtney Miller]

Bye.

[Shane Topp]

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[Courtney Miller]

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[Shane Topp]

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