Splitsider

"Let's all drink to the death of a clown."

Another year, another group of people funnier than you or I who passed away. Death's such a bitch, isn't it? Below are 10 individuals — ranging from a Blacklisted comedy musical genius to an award-winning Colonel, from a woman who had her marble rye stolen to everyone's favorite ex-cop, security officer uncle, from a Jackass to a great football player-turned-even better comedic actor — that made us laugh, and were taken away from us in 2011. Here's hoping for a death-less 2012!

There is something to be said about the fact that podcasts are even getting a year in review. The medium, though about seven years old, has grown exponentially in the last year both in terms of artistic ambition and in mainstream media attention. The best explanation is that people are responding to the rare opportunity to experience these comedians artistic vision completely unfiltered. When podcasters are asked why they love doing it, most often they answer that it’s the ability to express oneself completely on one’s own terms. At this point, there are so, so many fantastic podcasts, far too many to fit in one yearly round up, or [...]

We’ve all seen and been through a lot this past year. Some good. Some bad. Thankfully, we’ve had web video to get us through the rough patches and on to happier times. 2012 will likely bring more trials, joys, and, Adam Frucci willing, more of the This Week’s Web Series You Need To Watch column. For now, let’s take a look at the best parts of the shows we checked out in 2011 and celebrate the things that made them great.

Ladies and gentleman, I give you the This Week’s Web Series You Need To Watch wrap up, This Year’s Web Series You Watched

We talk about Community, Parks and Recreation, and Louie pretty much on a daily basis here at Splitsider. Ask any 10 random visitors to the ‘site, and they’ll likely say one of those three is their favorite current sitcom on TV. So, for the sake of that disappointed, “of course it is/they are…” feeling you get when you see the Beatles at the top of a best bands of all-time list, I didn’t include the two NBC sitcoms and the FX whatever-it-is. There has to be at least SOME intrigue. So, I present to you, the 10 best sitcoms of 2011…not named Community, Parks and Rec, or Louie.

With the global economy crumbling, citizens taking to the streets to vent their frustrations through protest, and People magazine shockingly cheating Ryan Gosling out of the Sexiest Man Alive title he so rightfully deserves, it often felt like the world was spinning out of control in 2011. That's why it's a great thing there was so much great comedy for people to turn to as a distraction from the hardships of the world. We’re in the midst of a major comedy boom, partly due to people finding solace from their troubles in humor and partly due to the overabundance of great laughs available from all the new platforms for comedy [...]

I watched a lot of bad comedies this year. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Take Me Home Tonight, Just Go with It, Zookeeper, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son…the list goes on and on. But all of the unfunny films of 2011, there was one that was especially unfunny, a movie so bad that I’m still not sure if it actually happened – and I’ve seen it twice. No, I’m not talking about Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star, which was more performance piece than film, and might actually be a brilliant piece of postmodern something-or-other; I’m referring to the year’s worst Happy Madison production, Jack & Jill.

I began writing the column "Lost Roles" for Splitsider in February, taking a different actor, actress, filmmaker, movie, or TV show each week and examining all of the that entity's alternate casting possibilities that almost came to be. Sure, it's fun to imagine what it would have been like if Tim Burton went through with his whim to cast Bill Murray as Batman or if Danny DeVito had played George Costanza or if Marc Maron had been given the Weekend Update anchor job that Lorne Michaels considered him for, but looking at the "lost roles" of various performers also offers a deeper insight into who these comedians are and [...]

It's a good thing I enjoy humor because, if I had to estimate, I'd put the number of humor pieces I've read this year somewhere in the low thousands. As a fan — and as someone who's numb to the embarrassment that comes with laughing aloud while riding public transportation — I imagine I'd have read some fraction of these just for fun. But as someone who’s had the privilege of editing Splitsider's Humor Section for the past nine months and compiling the list below (who am I kidding? tl;dr), I’ve been overwhelmed in the best way possible by the volume and quality of the humorists populating the [...]

Just to get it out of the way: Bridesmaids.

Now, there wasn't a Bridesmaids video game, but we are required by the Splitsider style guide to mention it in all year-in-review articles. It was a great movie. Have you seen it? Melissa McCarthy was the best.

With that out of the way, let's talk about the magical world of video games, where anything is possible except for not being called a racist thing by a child. 2011 was a grand old year for interactive entertainment. While there wasn't a lot of innovation, there was a ton of polishing that turned sequels such as Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda: [...]