The rise of online comedy content
We all love to laugh. Whether it is stand-up, comedy films, or just a good old fashioned joke told by a friend, anything that can get us laughing is worth praise. Of course, as with many forms of entertainment, the internet has played a huge role in the recent evolution of comedy and the continuing growing success of online comedy content is now having an effect on comedy clubs.
Whether we like to admit it or not, the internet influences entertainment. Not just comedy or film, but even sports and betting. For example, we need look no further than NetBet sport, and bookies like that, that have made wagering easier than ever. However, as a result, their accessibility and popularity has had an effect on the 'land-based' betting market.
The question is, has online comedy had a negative or positive effect on the 'land-based' comedy industry?
The early days
Though we take it for granted nowadays, the internet is actually a relatively new phenomenon. It only came to prominence in the 1990s, and even then, most people did not spend as much time online as they do now. Yet, the early years of the internet did bring us some comedic gems, content that certainly laid the ground work for online comedy today.
The launch of YouTube was a huge deal for the world of online entertainment. In the early years of the video-hosting platform, one-off creators would post short sketches, that managed to reach a worldwide audience. These shorts played a huge role on comedy today, and even the BBC has taken some inspiration from those early YouTube sketch shows.
The Brit Crew were among the more successful YouTube comedians to come out of the United Kingdom in the 2010s. The group of 20-something-year-olds dedicated their time to creating humorous, relatable and engaging content, aimed at a young adult audience. In terms of success, the two most popular members of the Brit Crew ended up being Zoe Sugg and Alfie Deyes.
Written comedy
When people think of online comedy, they often think of sketch videos, but there is also a world of written comedy to be found online. Several internet portals built up big followings based on the words they published. Sites like BuzzFeed - which set up a UK edition in 2013 - thrived in the 2010s.
It isn't hard to understand why UK-based comedy blogs became so successful. British comedy is known for being honest, provocative, and witty. The internet is particularly fond of counter-authority attitudes, which is why British comedians tend to thrive online, both in vlog and blog format. It is also why British comedians are often clipped, and shown on video-sharing platforms, like TikTok. Speaking of which...
TikTok: A new revolution
Just as YouTube did back in 2008, TikTok has been having a profound impact on the online comedy world in the 2020s. Like YouTube, TikTok is a video hosting platform, however it does have a special twist: videos have a length limit. That means that prospective comedians are kind of 'forced' to create short, to-the-point, punchy videos that can get fans to laugh in a few seconds.
A well-known saying among creatives is that restrictions breed creativity. In the case of TikTok that has certainly been the case. The time limits imposed have ensured that comedians get to jokes quickly, and leave no 'padding' in their sketches - thus hooking viewers in.
The impact of the internet on comedy
As the BBC has written about, traditional stand-up comedy has started to morph due to online influences.
Audience members attending gigs that have been watching comedians on TikTok in short-form moments are expecting the same snappy fast-paced material style in the live setting.
They're also expecting a lot more crowdwork than actually is traditionally seen in a stand-up club. This is because comedians will normally share their improvised crowdwork clips online, rather than their actual scripted stand-up material, so that they don't 'burn' their set. This has given the young generations watching online content the idea that live comedy experiences are normally a comedian talking to the audience.
The success of online creators also means the types of people playing comedy clubs, and even touring theatre-sized venues, is changing. Henry Rowley, for example, built up an audience via TikTok sketches and has now transferred that audience to ticket-buying fans who come to see him live.
What will the next revolution be beyond online comedy? Who knows, but British comedy will always continue to evolve: there will be something!