16 amazing animated series and movies to add to your comfort show list

Because cartoons aren’t just for kids.

Jan 21, 2025

Photo credit: Bluey and Flow promo images – Bluey (left); Flow (right)

In times of stress, comfort shows can provide just the right amount of escapism, familiarity, and emotional relief. When the world seems to be crumbling around us, sometimes the only way to actually relax is to thrust ourselves into the world of fiction, where characters reflect the best parts of ourselves (or at least the funniest parts) and storylines are soothingly predictable.

As far as what types of comfort shows to watch, many might gravitate towards sitcoms or reality shows. But man, are those folks missing out on what feels like a golden age of animation. It’s not just kid cartoons anymore, nor the sardonic slapstick styles of “made for adult” cartoons like The Simpsons or Family Guy. We’re talking deeply compelling storylines set against incredibly striking visuals. What’s not to like? You get everything you enjoy about good TV, while getting to escape into art.

And, animated films and television shows haven’t only added more depth, but breadth of variety. We’ve curated a list of some for you to consider during your next binge. Whether you want to laugh, cry, or do both at the same time, there’s sure to be something worth watching.

Whimsical + Fun

These are more nostalgia driven, and have a bit of a classic cartoon feel. For when you want to just let your inner child come out for a bit.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

This animated Nickelodeon show premiered in 2005 and also made our previous “comfort shows” list because it’s just that good. Sure, it’s made for kids, but viewers of all ages continue to appreciate the show’s quirky, loveable characters and interwoven mindfulness lessons. What’s more, ATLA does a lot of heavy lifting in its storylines. Though the packaging of the show is indeed whimsical and fantastic, it fearlessly tackles deep topics such as genocide, the destruction of war, nationalism and imperialism, social justice, loss, the importance of protecting the environment, and the value of love, friendship, and family. There’s a reason its remained extremely popular since its debut twenty years ago.

Bluey

Bluey is even more of a kiddie show, and yet is perfect for kids and parents alike because of its relatable, realistic family dynamics, tackling complex emotions in a child-friendly way with clever humor and wholesome portrayals of everyday life. And because every character on the show, including the parents, share their discoveries, many adults find the show to be healing.

Adventure Time

Speaking of progressive kid’s shows, if you’re looking for an animated show that features a charming bromance, gender swaps, body positivity, and fun slang like “oh my glob!” then check out Adventure Time. It premiered on Cartoon Network in 2010 but still holds up with or without the power of nostalgia thanks to how it portrays growth, relationships, trauma, and the beauty of life and friendship.

Over the Garden Wall

Over the Garden Wall is an American animated miniseries that centers on two half-brothers who travel through a mysterious forest called The Unknown to find their way home, encountering a variety of strange and fantastical things on their journey. Since premiering on Cartoon Network in 2014, the show has become a cult classic of sorts, and surged again in popularity thanks to a three-minute stop-motion short celebrating its 10th anniversary this past November. When you enter The Unknown prepare to be enthralled by a spooky, yet whimsical story that belongs in a Brothers Grimm’s collection, brought to life by an incredible voice acting cast and score.

The Dragon Prince

The Dragon Prince, later known as The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aaravos, was a clear attempt to tonally pick up where Avatar left off (it was written by the same writers, after all). And in many ways, it follows a similar fantasy quest template. We have a bit of an enemies-to-lovers thing going on as Callum, a human training to be a mage, and Rayla, a Moon elf, begin their quest whilst taking care of the infant Storm Dragon, the titular Dragon Prince during a time of conflict between magical beings and mankind. But the story definitely finds its legs, creating its own unique blend of goofy charm and mature plotlines.

Epic Action

Moving into more mature, complex territory here, this next batch of shows are great options for folks who think cartoons aren’t for them. These are more like the works of Shakespeare, set in a painting.

Arcane

This show is, in a word, STUNNING. Both in terms of visuals and storytelling. Yes, it’s based on the League of Legends video game, but you can be the antithesis of a gamer and still appreciate it’s complex characters, deep emotional themes, and well-crafted world. Talk about a brilliant meditation on classism and trauma.

The Legend of Vox Machina

Again, this animated series is captivating whether you’re into Dungeons and Dragons or not. Though there’s plenty of silly humor in this one, it is well balanced with serious (downright heartbreaking) moments as well. If you’ve got a soft spot for found family dynamics, enjoy.

Blue Eye Samurai

After becoming a near overnight mega hit on Netflix, Blue Eye Samurai was dubbed not only one of the best animated shows on the platform, but one of its best shows period. You could almost think of it as an elevated anime, that tonally feels like a spaghetti western samurai film hybrid alá The Magnificent Seven. Beyond the revenge plot is also an inspiring story of transcending societal expectations, all in order to find one’s own greatness. This is made evident by one of the key characters, Akemi (voiced by Brenda Song) declaring “I want to be great” during a pivotal fork-in-the-road moment. That’s all we’ll say about that.

Based on a Comic Book

Sure, cartoons are not a hard sell for comic book fans, but when put into animated form, even non-nerds can enjoy the high stakes storylines and compelling characters that come with the genre, making it even more accessible.

Harley Quinn

The animated series on Max exudes all the qualities that most people love about this iconic comic book henchman-turned-villainess in her own right. It’s vivacious, it’s fun, and it’s bonkers. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, the romantic relationship between Harley and Poison Ivy is put front and center and refreshingly full of queer joy.

X-Men 97

There’s a reason this show has been hailed a masterpiece, and nostalgia has very little to do with it. This animated series succeeds at what all the live action iterations have failed to do in tackling Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s original themes of prejudice, racism, and the importance of fighting against them.

Invincible

Invincible has all the campy comic book fun that we grew up with as kids, and yet still goes down very, very dark roads. In a similar vein to Amazon’s The Boys, it portrays the reality of being a hero, and how being idolized does not a hero make. Arguably though, unlike The Boys, there’s as much heart as there is grit.

Movies

Because not everyone has the wherewithal to binge yet another series. animated movies offer plenty of comfort, too. You might notice that most of the movies on this list came from 2024—and rightfully so because it was a good year for animation.

Flow

This little independent Latvian film is making a huge splash this awards season, and for good reason. The dialogue-free story—which centers around a lone black cat and its unlikely crew of a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a Golden retriever—is less of a movie and more of a beautifully profound meditation on life itself. It’s whimsical, poignant, breathtakingly gorgeous, and worth many, many watches. Primarily because the first watch is so stressful seeing those animals get into hairy situations.

Wild Robot

Ever wanted an animated film that feels like a ”warm hug from a mother?” Then this is the film for you. Based on a somber children’s book by Peter Brown that deals with grief, loss, and found families, the movie is just deeply resonating. Definitely a “grab your tissues” kind of watch. But a very cathartic one.

Spirited Away

Truthfully any of Hayao Miyazaki’s works could fit the bill, but Spirited Away specifically feels like being thrust into a Japanese fairytale. And yet, there are universal themes of self-discovery, facing fears, and the importance of identity. Don’t expect a cut-and-dry hero-vs-villain storyline here, but prepare to walk away with lasting wisdom.

Inside Out 1&2

Similarly, Pixar’s animated films about dealing with complex human emotions doesn’t have a true antagonist, and it’s because of that that audiences are able to explore mental health and/or emotional struggles we have all had and see them in all new, hopefully more compassionate ways. Both the original and its sequel are part film, part therapy.

We understand that times might be especially anxiety inducing, particularly those experiencing loss or stress from the California wildfire emergency. That’s why Upworthy has created a resource guide for those who need help, and those who want to help. Perhaps after regulating and finding calm (hopefully with one or more of these shows!), it might be a good read.

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Youth-led party for community engagement, MEDEA, Tanzania Captured by James Roh for Pura

Culture, Education, Empowered Women, Equality, Family, Identity, Modern Families

The next generation of female leaders has arrived. Here’s how they’re making sure they (and every girl) get a chance to learn.

Malala Fund and their local partners, with support from Pura, help girls find their voice. The result: greater access to education and a better world.

Sarah Watts

3/8/2026

Music, community and joy drive real change

In a small village in Pwani, a district on Tanzania’s coast, a massive dance party is coming to a close. For the past two hours, locals have paraded through the village streets, singing and beating ngombe drums; now, in a large clearing, a woman named Sheilla motions for everyone to sit facing a large projector screen. A film premiere is about to begin.

It’s an unusual way to kick off a film about gender bias, inequality, early marriage, and other barriers that prevent girls from accessing education in Tanzania. But in Pwani and beyond, local organizations supported by Malala Fund and funded by Pura are finding creative, culturally relevant ways like this one to capture people’s interest.

The film ends and Sheilla, the Communications and Partnership Lead for Media for Development and Advocacy (MEDEA), stands in front of the crowd once again, asking the audience to reflect: What did you think about the film? How did it relate to your own experience? What can we learn?

Sheilla explains that, once the community sees the film, “It brings out conversations within themselves, reflective conversations.” The resonance and immediate action create a ripple effect of change.

MEDEA Screening Audience in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura

Across Tanzania, gender-based violence often forces adolescent girls out of the classroom. This and other barriers — including child marriage, poverty, conflict, and discrimination — prevent girls from completing their education around the world.

Sheilla and her team are using film and radio programs to address the challenges girls face in their communities. MEDEA’s ultimate goal is to affirm education as a fundamental right for everyone, and to ensure that every member of a community understands how girls’ education contributes to a stronger whole and how to be an ally for their sisters, daughters, granddaughters, friends, nieces, and girlfriends.

Sheilla’s story is one of many that inspired Heart on Fire, a new fragrance from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection that blends the warm, earthy spices of Tanzania with a playful, joyful twist. Here’s how Pura is using scent as a tool to connect the world and inspire action.

A partnership focused on local impact, on a global mission

Pura, a fragrance company that recognizes education as both freedom and a human right, has partnered with Malala Fund since 2022. In order to defend every girl’s right to access and complete 12 years of education, Malala Fund partners with local organizations in countries where the educational barriers are the greatest. They invest in locally-led solutions because they know that those who are closest to the problems are best equipped to solve and build durable solutions, like MEDEA, which works with communities to challenge discrimination against girls and change beliefs about their education.

But local initiatives can thrive and scale more powerfully with global support, which is why Pura is using their own superpower, the power of scent, to connect people around the world with the women and girls in these local communities.

The Pura x Malala Fund Collection incorporates ingredients naturally found in Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Brazil: countries where Malala Fund operates to address systemic education barriers. Eight percent of net revenue from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection will be donated to Malala Fund directly, but beyond financial support, the Collection is also a love letter to each unique community, blending notes like lemon, jasmine, cedarwood, and clove to transport people, ignite their senses, and help them draw inspiration and hope from the global movement for girls’ education. Through scent, people can connect to the courage, joy, and tenacity of girls and local leaders, all while uniting in a shared commitment to education: the belief that supporting girls’ rights in one community benefits all of us, everywhere.

You’ve already met Sheilla. Now see how Naiara and Mama Habiba are building unique solutions to ensure every girl can learn freely and dare to dream.

Naiara Leite is reimagining what’s possible in Brazil

Julia with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura

In Brazil, where pear trees and coconut plantations cover the Northeastern Coast, girls like ten-year-old Julia experience a different kind of educational barrier than girls in Tanzania. Too often, racial discrimination contributes to high dropout rates among Black, quilombola and Indigenous girls in the country.

“In the logic of Brazilian society, Black people don’t need to study,” says Naiara Leite, Executive Coordinator of Odara, a women-led organization and Malala Fund partner. Bahia, the state where Odara is based, was once one of the largest slave-receiving territories in the Americas, and because of that history, deeply-ingrained, anti-Black prejudice is still widespread. “Our role and the image constructed around us is one of manual labor,” Naiara says.

But education can change that. In 2020, with assistance from a Malala Fund grant, Odara launched its first initiative for improving school completion rates among Black, quilombola, and Indigenous girls: “Ayomidê Odara”. The young girls mentored under the program, including Julia, are known as the Ayomidês. And like the Pura x Malala Fund Collection’s Brazil: Breath of Courage scent, the Ayomidês are fierce, determined, and bursting with energy.

Ayomidês with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura

Ayomidês take part in weekly educational sessions where they explore subjects like education and ethnic-racial relations. The girls are encouraged to find their own voices by producing Instagram lives, social media videos, and by participating in public panels. Already, the Ayomidês are rewriting the narrative on what’s possible for Afro-Brazilian girls to achieve. One of the earliest Ayomidês, a young woman named Debora, is now a communications intern. Another former Ayomidê, Francine, works at UNICEF, helping train the next generation of adolescent leaders. And Julia has already set her sights on becoming a math teacher or a model.

“These are generations of Black women who did not have access to a school,” Naiara says. “These are generations of Black women robbed daily of their dreams. And we’re telling them that they could be the generation in their family to write a new story.”

Mama Habiba is reframing the conversation in Nigeria

Centre for Girls' Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura

In Mama Habiba’s home country of Nigeria, the scents of starfruit, ylang ylang and pineapple, all incorporated into the Pura x Malala Collection’s “Nigeria: Hope for Tomorrow,” can be found throughout the vibrant markets. Like these native scents, Mama Habiba says that the Nigerian girls are also bright and passionate, but too often they are forced to leave school long before their potential fully blooms.

“Some of these schools are very far, and there is an issue of quality, too,” Mama Habiba says. “Most parents find out when their children are in school, the girls are not learning. So why allow them to continue?”

When girls drop out of secondary school, marriage is often the alternative. In Nigeria, one in three girls is married before the age of 18. When this happens, girls are unable to fulfill their potential, and their families and communities lose out on the social, health and economic benefits.

Completing secondary school delays marriage, and according to UNESCO, educated girls become women who raise healthier children, lift their families out of poverty and contribute to more peaceful, resilient communities.

Centre for Girls’ Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura

To encourage young girls to stay in school, the Centre for Girls’ Education, a nonprofit in Nigeria founded by Mama Habiba and supported by Malala Fund and Pura, has pioneered an initiative that’s similar to the Ayomidê workshops in Brazil: safe spaces. Here, girls meet regularly to learn literacy, numeracy, and other issues like reproductive health. These safe spaces also provide an opportunity for the girls to role-play and learn to advocate for themselves, develop their self-image, and practice conversations with others about their values, education being one of them. In safe spaces, Mama Habiba says, girls start to understand “who she is, and that she is a girl who has value. She has the right to negotiate with her parents on what she really feels or wants.”

“When girls are educated, they can unlock so many opportunities,” Mama Habiba says. “It will help the economy of the country. It will boost so many opportunities for the country. If they are given the opportunity, I think the sky is not the limit. It is the starting point for every girl.”

From parades, film screenings to safe spaces and educational programs, girls and local leaders are working hard to strengthen the quality, safety and accessibility of education and overcome systemic challenges. They are encouraging courageous behavior and reminding us all that education is freedom.

Experience the Pura x Malala Fund Collection here, and connect with the stories of real girls leading change across the globe.

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Photo credit: Elena Ternovaja (left), Marie-Lan Nguyen (right) via Wiki Commons – (L) Emma Thompson; (R) Alan Rickman

Culture, Pop Culture

Emma Thompson’s witty, heartfelt tribute to Alan Rickman is truly one for the ages

May we all have a friend who shares our quirks this lovingly and articulately.

Annie Reneau

Upworthy Staff

4/7/2026

Actor Alan Rickman gave us so many memorable characters, from the terrorist Hans Gruber in Die Hard to the oft ill-tempered antihero Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films, to the unfaithful husband who broke Emma Thompson’s heart in Love Actually.

Though he was often cast as a villain, Rickman’s distinctive voice and irresistible screen presence made audiences love him. He brought a unique human touch even to his most odious bad guy characters, a quality that makes perfect sense when you hear Thompson, his friend and co-star in seven films, talk about his character in real life.

In a moving tribute upon the release of his diaries in October 2022, Thompson shared insights into the virtues and quirks that made Rickman “blissfully contradictory.”

Alan Rickman signing autographsu00a0at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, January 2011. Photo Credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons

Thompson is at the top of her award-winning writer game here, and her words about Alan Rickman are filled with heart, wit, respect, admiration and love. It’s truly a eulogy for the ages.

Watch (or read the full transcript below):

People love Thompson’s tribute to her friend and some have even shared their own stories of their encounters with Alan Rickman:

“A close friend of mine bumped into him in a theatre in London many years ago. My friend instantly recognised Mr Rickman and from nowhere, instantly found the courage to ask him for his autograph. Having neither pen nor paper for this, he asked Mr Rickman if he would mind waiting a moment whilst he collected the items from somewhere, anywhere! The moment became at least 10 minutes or so, and when my friend ran back to a now empty theatre foyer, he noticed one solitary figure. Mr Rickman had waited patiently for my friend to give him what he asked for.”

“I was lucky enough to work with him on a film. At lunchtime I joined the line for a meal and as I payed and went to turn to look for a table, someone knocked into me from behind and my drink went flying. I turned and it was Alan, he apologized put his hand on my shoulder and said let me get you another. He came back with a cup of tea and I was so overwhelmed. I was shocked how he was so down to earth and a real gentleman.”

“I meet him once in Boots and said hello, he realised it was a reflex to recognising a known face. He picked up an item we both were looking at, smiled and said “well hello there are we going to arm wrestle for this?” That deep tone rendered me mute, I realised it was Mr Rickman and instantly denied needing this forgotten thing, apologised for well nothing really, smiled and backed away. He was a giant of a fellow on and off the stage and will be missed.”

“Everything she said is true. I was fortunate to have dinner with him and his wife and his drama teacher. He was charming and friendly and shared some great ideas about directing, which I use today in my theater group. He is missed by many.”

Indeed he is.

Here’s the full transcript of Thompson’s tribute:

“The most remarkable thing about the first days after Alan died was the number of actors, poets, musicians, playwrights and directors who wanted to express their gratitude for all the help he’d given them. I don’t think I know anyone in this business who has championed more aspiring artists nor unerringly perceived so many great ones before they became great. Quite a number said, latterly, that they’d been too shy to thank him personally. They had found it hard to approach him. And of all the contradictions in my blissfully contradictory friend (hold on, Thompson), this is perhaps the greatest this combination of profoundly nurturing and imperturbably distant.

He was not, of course, distant. He was alarmingly present at all times the inscrutability was partly a protective shield. If anyone did approach him with anything like gratitude or even just a question, they would be greeted with a depth of sweetness that no one who didn’t know him could even guess at. And he was not, of course, unflappable. I could flap him like nobody’s business and when I did he was fierce with me and it did me no end of good.

He was generous and challenging, dangerous and comical, sexy and androgynous, virile and peculiar, temperamental and languid, fastidious and casual, the list could go on. I’m sure you can add to it. There was something of the sage about him, and had he had more confidence and been at all corruptible, he could probably have started his own religion.

His taste in all things from sausages to furnishings appeared to me anyway to be impeccable. His generosity of spirit was unsurpassed and he had so much time for people I used to wonder if he ever slept or ever got time for himself. A word not traditionally associated with Alan is gleeful, but when he was genuinely amused he was absolutely the essence of glee. There would be a holding back as the moment built, and then a sudden leaning forward and a swinging around of the torso as a vast, impish grin flowered, sometimes accompanied by an inarticulate shout of laughter. It was almost as if he was surprised by himself. It was my life’s mission to provide those moments. I remember Imelda Staunton nearly killing him by telling him a story about my mother and an unfortunate incident with some hashish—it’s a really good story, I won’t tell it now—I’ve never seen him laugh more before or since. It was a bit like watching someone tickling the Sphinx.

One Christmas Eve party I had a sprig of mistletoe hanging up at home, and I was loitering under it and turned to find Alan bearing down on me. I lifted up my chin hopefully. He smiled and approached. I puckered. He leaned in under the mistletoe and a sudden change came over his face. His eyes started to glitter and his nostrils to quiver. He lifted up a hand, reached in, and pulled a longish hair out of my chin. ‘Ow!’ I said. ‘That’s an incipient beard,’ he said, handing me the hair and walking off.

That was the thing about Alan—you never knew if you were going to be kissed or unsettled, but you couldn’t wait to see what would come next. And the trouble with death is that there is no next. There’s only what was, and for that, I am profoundly and heartbrokenly grateful. So the last thing we did together was change a plug on a standard lamp in his hospital room. The task went the same way as everything we have ever done together. I had a go. He told me to try something else. I tried. It didn’t work, so he had a go. I got impatient. I took it from him. I tried it again. It still wasn’t right. We both got slightly irritable, then he patiently took it all apart again and got the right lead into the right hole. I screwed it in with a screwdriver. We complained about how fiddly it was, and then we had a cup of tea. Took us at least half an hour, this thing, and he said after, ‘Well it’s a good thing I decided not to become an electrician.’

I’m still heartbroken that Alan’s gone, but these diaries bring back so much of what I remember of him. There is that sweetness I mentioned, his generosity, his champion of others, his fierce, critical eye, his intelligence, his humor. He was the ultimate ally in life, art, and politics. I trusted him absolutely. He was, above all things, a rare and unique human being and we shall not see his like again.”

Alan Rickman posing for a fan at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, January 2011. Photo credit: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia Commons

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: America’s Got Talent/YouTube – Roni Sagi and her dog, Rhythm, love to dance together.

Culture, Pop Culture

A surprisingly impressive dancing dog duo brought the house down on ‘America’s Got Talent’

Sure, border collies are smart, but this is something else.

Upworthy Staff

Heather Wake

4/7/2026

What dog owner wouldn’t want to jam out to Queen with their pup while the world watches? Of course, our version probably wouldn’t be nearly as impressive as what Roni Sagi and her black and white border collie, aptly named Rhythm, did for America’s Got Talent in August 2024.

First off, audiences knew they’d instantly be in for a treat when Sagi and Rhythm recreated the band’s famous pose for “Bohemian Rhapsody.” But it only got better from there in a routine that featured a mash-up of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Don’t Stop Me Now.”

Roni and Rhythm performing to Queen.

The dance duo wowed judges and audiences alike with synchronized steps, turns, flips, and even a cool bridge pose trick (seriously, this was a dog owner’s dream come to life). Simon Cowell jokingly asked “How do we know the dog is a real dog?” because Rhythm was just that good. The duo went on to finish as runners-up in the Season 19 finale, with Simon Cowell calling their semifinal performance a perfect “10.”

Roni and Rhythm in the AGT semi finals.

Rhythm is a dancer

Sagi would later end up sharing that Rhythm earned his name from an early age, already tapping his little feet on her bed at only 6 weeks old. By that point, Sagi had already had experience training therapy dogs, which undoubtedly gave her a good foundation for working with her little “tornado storm.”

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise that Rhythm is so gifted. After all, border collies are notorious for being able to pick up skills quickly, and there have been several border collies that have broken world records—including records for intelligence, balance, and skateboarding (yes, really).

But Sagi seems to credit their chemistry less on Rhythm’s species traits, and more on his individual personality. “It’s so much fun to have a partner that wants [to perform] as much as you,” she said. “He wants to do it all, and he wants to do it now, and he wants to do it as good as he can.”

High praise in the comments section

“This was the most amazing dog act I’ve seen!” one person wrote.

“That precious dog Rhythm is SO talented and smart!!! I don’t understand how he knows what to do when his back is to her?!! This dog is truly dancing and just extremely talented!!!” added another.

Another said, “This dog is the most energetic and enthusiastic I’ve ever seen.”

Of course, Rhythm wasn’t getting all the love. One person wrote, “I don’t usually like dog acts, but this was impressive. Roni is very creative with what she does and obviously a great dancer herself and trainer.”

“Unbelievable…those steps omg.”

“It’s how the dog is ACTUALLY running around HAPPY!”

“That doggie deserves a million treats. Fantastic!”

“Yet I have to say to my dog sit 87 times before he actually sits, probably also from being tired of standing not because I said it.”

Even when they’re just rehearsing and dancing together at home, watching Rhythm and his human move together so harmoniously is truly incredible to watch:

View this post on Instagram

Maybe we can’t get all dogs to perform quite on this level, but it does show us just how amazing man’s best friend really is.

You can follow Roni Sagi and Rhythm on Instagram.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Hayden Shiff/Flickr – Comedian Josh Johnson.

Culture, Pop Culture

Comedian struggles to accurately explain how people used to get online with AOL

“Do you want to hear any other facts that sound like they’re from the Middle Ages?”

Jacalyn Wetzel

4/7/2026

Coming of age at the same time as the Internet is a wild experience that can be hard to explain to younger generations. At a recent stand-up event, comedian Josh Johnson found himself in a mixed-age crowd discussing early Internet use. He quickly realized just how difficult it would be to explain how people got online in the early 2000s.

For one, the process of getting onto the World Wide Web would likely sound made up to anyone under 30. And honestly, is there anyone who fully understands how it worked? Still, the comedian gives it his best shot, and hilariously struggles through it in a clip shared on his Instagram.

Josh Johnson.
Photo credit: Hayden Schiff/Wikimedia Commons

“When I got the Internet, it was on CD,” Johnson reveals. “To this day, I don’t know how that worked. What…what…what is on the CD? What is that, because I thought you had to have…”

That’s when he realizes he’s going to struggle with the explanation. Johnson warns the audience the process is going to be annoying, drawing even more laughter from those watching.

Audience members laughing.
Photo credit: Canva

“Some of you are young, and this is going to sound fake, but you used to…” he says before pausing to laugh with the audience. “No. You used to get Internet…okay…you would get an offer in the mail. They would mail you Internet. You would open the mail, and it would be Internet in the mail, but it would be a CD.”

He then explains that a CD is a compact disc, and that Internet companies like AOL would send them through the mail as free trials. They could also be picked up at grocery stores near the checkout lanes.

The comedian says that when you received the CD, “you would put it in the computer and for whatever reason, you got like 30 hours of Internet, which was a lot back then. I know y’all use it up in a day, today, but 30 hours used to be a lot of Internet, and you would surf the web. It was called surfing. We had a name for the World Wide Web, that’s where the WWW comes from. Do you want to hear any other facts that sound like they’re from the Middle Ages?”

View this post on Instagram

The more he explains, the more ridiculous it sounds out loud. With the Internet now easily accessible through Wi-Fi—not weird discs that mysteriously connect you—the old way feels almost unbelievable. But it’s true. There are likely storage boxes and landfills full of free Internet trial discs, long forgotten after cable Internet replaced dial-up.

People can’t get over how the world worked in the early days of the technology boom.

“Wait until the youths find out Netflix used to send DVDs to rent through the actual mail,” a commenter writes.

Audience members laughing.
Photo credit: Canva

Another person writes, “Not to mention we would have several different internet providers because of all the ‘free trial’ disks. Each month or whenever you ran out of internet from the previous disk…what a time to be alive.”

Someone else jokes, “They weren’t just mailed. They came flying in like letters to Harry Potter’s front door…”

One person says, “My frugal midwestern mom had us on dialup for ages bc she hoarded all the AOL free trial CDs. I will hear that dialup tone on my death bed good lord.”

“And had bout 8 different email addresses so you could keep getting multiple free trials,” another person writes.

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Photo credit: via Edu Seijas/YouTube – The Bee Gees singing "How Deep is Your Love" in 1998.

Culture, Pop Culture

The Bee Gees perform ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ live and a capella in resurfaced 1998 clip

Some say it’s even better than the original.

Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff

4/6/2026

In 1998, The Bee Gees, brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, stopped by ITV’s “Des O’Connor Tonight” with acoustic guitars in hand to promote their recent release, “One Night Only,” an album and live concert DVD featuring many of the band’s biggest hits.

The highlight of the performance was when Barry got ready to strum his guitar for a performance of “How Deep Is Your Love,” the 1977 megahit from the “Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack,” but instead chose to sing the song a cappella.

Their signature sound

Barry starts the song solo in his beautiful falsetto, but then, when his brothers join him, they create a wonderful harmony that only brothers can make. The show’s host, Des O’Connor, a notable singer himself, even joins in for a few bars.

Earlier in the performance, the brothers played their version of “Islands in the Stream,” a song made famous by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in 1983 that was written by the Bee Gees. In 1998, the song was enjoying a resurgence as its melody was used in the song “Ghetto Supastar” by Pras of The Fugees.

Writing for music icons

Robin Gibb later admitted that the song was initially written for Marvin Gaye to sing, but he was tragically murdered in 1984 by his father. The band also had Diana Ross in mind while composing the tune.

During the appearance, the band also sang “Guilty,” a song that the Bee Gees wrote for Barbara Streisand and Barry produced in 1980.

You can watch the entire performance here:

The Gibb brothers started making music together when they were children, and after their first public appearance together at a local movie theater in 1956, they were hooked on performing.

“It was the feeling of standing in front of an audience that was so amazing,” said Barry. “We’d never seen anything like it. We were very young, but it made an enormous impression. We didn’t want to do anything else but make music.”

After the family moved to Australia in 1958, Barry, Maurice, and Robin were “discovered” at the Redcliffe Speedway, where they had asked to perform between races. Even over the tinny PA system, their harmonies made an impression. Speedway manager Bill Goode introduced the trio to DJ Bill Gates, who set them up with a recording session.

From a land down under

If you’ve ever wondered how the Bee Gees got their name, that was it: Bill Goode, Bill Gates, Barry Gibb, and the brothers’ mother Barbara Gibb all had the initials B.G. After a strong reception on the airwaves in Brisbane, Gates forwarded the brothers’ recordings to a Sydney radio station. They got a lot of airtime there as well, and the band had a run of success performing in Australia, but it wasn’t until their return to England in 1967 that they became the international sensation we all know today.

Manager Robert Stigwood had received tapes from the Gibbs brothers and called them up within weeks of their arrival in the U.K.

“I loved their composing,” Stigwood told Rolling Stone in 1977. “I also loved their harmony singing. It was unique, the sound they made; I suppose it was a sound only brothers could make.”

More than just disco

And, as they say, the rest is history. The award-winning 2020 HBO documentary, “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart” tells the story of the band with loads of footage from throughout their 40-year career, which includes not only their disco-era fame, but the various phases of their musical journey and the countless songs they wrote for other artists.

As one commenter wrote, “People that call the Bee Gees a ‘disco group’ don’t have a clue. They had 10 albums out before they ventured into ‘disco.’ Their song catalogue is amazing and some of their very best songs were written long before Saturday Night Fever. Those ‘disco’ songs are classics as well. It is nice to see they are finally getting the recognition they deserve.”

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Flickr/Wikipedia, America’s Got Talent/YouTube – Prince would be so proud.

Culture, Pop Culture

Prince wrote a singer an original song. Her performance left ‘AGT’ judges astounded.

“If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”

Heather Wake

Upworthy Staff

4/6/2026

When the 2024 Summer Olympics ended, few knew we weren’t quite done marveling at elite-level humans at the top of their game. America’s Got Talent returned from its two week hiatus in August 2024 with eleven incredible acts, but it was R&B singer Liv Warfield who stole the show with her rendition of “The Unexpected,” a song that just so happened to be written specifically for her by Prince. No big deal.

Warfield had already wowed audiences with her initial audition, which earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. But her follow-up performance had Cowell saying, “If this was the Olympics for singing, you would have won the gold medal.”

Liv Warfield after receiving the Golden Buzzer. Photo credit: NBCUniversal.

Judges Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel echoed similar praises. Vergara called Warfield’s set “perfection,” while Mandel, a self-proclaimed Prince fan, told Warfield that “The Purple One knew what he was doing when he gave you this gem. That was a million-dollar performance.”

And it’s not hard to see why Warfield got such high remarks. Beyond her unbelievable vocals was her undeniable star power and ability to transport us all back in time to the days of 70s rock n’ roll.

As one viewer put it, “If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”

Just watch:

From Prince to AGT

Warfield’s connection to Prince began in 2009, when she joined his New Power Generation band. Though she noted that “backing up Prince was a dream,” not to mention the fact that she’s already made several chart topping achievements on her own, she still felt like her ultimate potential had yet to be reached, hence her AGT audition. Now, her quarterfinal performance has made Cowell declare another defining moment in her career.

“It felt to me like all those years you’ve been climbing the ladder to where you want to be, it all came out in those three minutes,” he said.

Indeed, what a testament to the power of steadily going after your dreams. Raw talent is great, but even with God-given gifts, there’s still so much work that goes into being ready for big opportunities. Though she didn’t win the competition in the end, Warfield is already a winner through and through.

Learning from the master

Warfield is continuing on her musical path in her hometown of Chicago and was invited to perform the Star-Spangled Banner at a Chicago Cubs baseball game in May of 2025.

@livwarfield
Thank you @cubs for inviting me out to sing. ✨Beautiful Day, Beautiful People,Energy at @cubs game! With my @zinzannichicago Family❤️✨. Although sis, was hiding out like the 🦀 that I am. 😂😂🤘🏾 Love y’all! Yesterday was necessary 🫀. PR Queen @aidanhenri 😘✨🫶🏾 @princenolov3 😘
♬ original sound – LiV Warfield

Her Prince roots are alive and well in her stage performances as she performed in a tribute concert series during the summer of 2025. She also has multiple albums under her belt, beginning with “Embrace Me” in 2006 and continuing through her 2023 album “The Edge.”

Warfield has credited Prince with her musical development, telling NPR in 2014:

“He’s influenced me first and foremost, as a performer. Just kind of like taking chances first. It took me a while. Like I thought I was a good performer, but when I got part of the New Power Generation, I was like, ‘Whoa this is a whole new world for me.’ And even in the writing and arranging, and him just teaching me how to really listen to the music. Listen to every instrument, give space, and I wasn’t really thinking about those things. I just wanted to hear everything. I thought, ‘If everybody plays, it’s good.’ … Sometimes it could sound like noise, but he just really kind of developed my ear.”

Liv Warfield performing on AGT. Photo credit: NBCUniversal

Just more proof that musical legends live on not only in the music they leave behind but in the talent they help nurture and develop.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Canva – salt (left) skillet over a fire (right)

Culture, Pop Culture

Ancient salt frying, the cheaper alternative to oil frying, is making a comeback

Don’t worry, this won’t make your food salty.

Heather Wake

4/6/2026

Online, you’ll find hundreds of newfangled hacks to get food crispy and golden brown without the oil. But one new method taking over TikTok isn’t new at all. In fact, it’s centuries old.

Enter: salt frying. Recently, Roice Bethel (@roicebethel) went viral after sharing a clip of himself dropping chicharrones and popcorn kernels into a frying pan filled to the brim with salt and salt alone. Then voila, each of the foods puffed out, ready to eat…leaving some viewers dumbfounded.

“Am I being gaslit?” one person quipped.

@noflakeysalt
Bonus Points if you can guess what part of the world this technique comes from. In English it’s called salt frying! #easyrecipe #foodhacks #foodscience #cookinghacks #deepfried
♬ original sound – noflakeysalt

History of salt frying

In truth, the technique of using salt (or sand) to cook certain foods has been around for millennia in countries like China, India, and Greece. And you’ll still find it among street food vendors today. In India, for instance, far far (or fryums), made from potato starch, tapioca, and/or wheat flour, are often made this way.

In China, chestnuts roasted in large woks filled with hot sand are a seasonal winter staple, prized for their subtly smoky flavor. And in Bangladesh, peanuts are traditionally toasted in pans of hot black sand, which helps them roast evenly without burning.

Similar techniques have also appeared in parts of the Middle East and Mediterranean, where cooks have long relied on heated salt beds to gently cook or warm foods. Historically, these methods were especially useful in places where cooking oil was scarce or expensive, making salt and sand practical alternatives. Not to mention that watching foods cooks this way is also a treat for the eyes.

In Turkey, sand has also been a tried-and-true way to make coffee, seen below.

How salt frying works

Really, salt or sand frying isn’t so much frying as it is dry roasting. Frying food in oil makes food crispy by rapidly dehydrating the outer layer. The intense heat triggers the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for browning and complex flavors, and causes surface starches to gelatinize and harden while the inside stays moist.

When heated, salt and sand act as equally excellent heat conductors. Both can store and distribute heat evenly, surrounding food on all sides and eliminating hot spots. This creates a consistent cooking environment that mimics the effect of deep frying, only without added fat.

As Kurush F. Dalal, an archaeologist and culinary anthropologist, told Food & Wine, “it’s an incredibly cost-effective and very controllable process,” especially since you can reuse the salt you fry with. Tell that to the southerners among us who save every drop of their bacon grease!

Salt frying tips

Now, if you’re excited to try this cooking style out yourself, there are a few caveats—the most important being that this really only works on dry ingredients. Salt will stick to any damp ingredients and completely ruin the taste of the dish.

Second, it is advised to use coarse salt, according to Food & Wine. And at least one person on Reddit suggests that no matter what salt or sand you use, “let it heat for 15 minutes to let the volatile compounds evaporate (like iodine).”

Lastly, you’ll need a large, deep fryer-friendly utensil, like a wok or cast-iron skillet, that can hold a lot of salt or sand.

So, while it may look like a viral magic trick, salt frying is really just ancient ingenuity making a well-deserved comeback. Some things are timeless for a reason.

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Photo credit: via Martha Stewart/YouTube – Robin Williams making Martha Stewart crack up.

Culture, Pop Culture

Robin Williams and Martha Stewart barely keep it together in this classic cooking segment

“I feel incredibly honored to have grown up in an era where we had this wonderful man.”

Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff

4/5/2026

It’s hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since the great Robin Williams left our world. The man left a fantastic legacy of laughs, from his time on TV’s Mork and Mindy to his performances in comedy hits such as Mrs. Doubtfire and Disney’s Aladdin.

Williams was also an incredible dramatic actor, giving memorable performances in films such as Dead Poets Society and Good Morning, Vietnam.

But the Comic Relief star always shined brightest when he improvised on stage, whether on talk shows or in stand-up comedy. One appearance on Martha Stewart Living from 2004 resurfaced last year because of how quickly he improvised jokes while cooking with Stewart. It’s also great because Stewart plays the perfect straight woman to Williams, although she has a tough time holding it together.

Their chemistry was spicy

Whenever Stewart mentions an ingredient, whether cumin or brown sugar, Williams turns it into a comedic riff. He also jokes in Spanish and does a few accents that feel off-color over 20 years later, but they’re delivered with the best intentions. Williams also walks a bit of a tightrope during the segment while he tries to keep his humor appropriate for daytime TV while reacting to Stewart, who is “rubbing the meat.”

“I feel incredibly honored to have grown up in an era where we had this wonderful man,” the most popular commenter on the YouTube video wrote. “His ability to change characters on the fly is remarkable,” another added. “His spontaneous humor is unmatched! He was an incredibly smart, kind and funny man. He is sorely missed!” another commenter said.

Who were Martha Stewart’s favorite guests on her show?

Years later, Stewart would admit that Williams was one of her favorite guests on the show. “We had so much fun because he was the fastest wit and the fastest mind and his mind was like a computer,” Stewart told AOL in 2022. “No matter what I said, he had a retort and he was so quick. I was marinating meat and he loved that—can you imagine what he did with ‘marinating meat’ and ‘rubbing the meat’ and ‘ooh la la?’ Watch the segment; it’s really good.”

Martha Stewart relationship advice hits different.

MARTHA, the definitive documentary on the life of the self-made icon, is now playing. pic.twitter.com/wJ55XHZiZU
— Netflix (@netflix) October 30, 2024

What’s The Many Lives of Martha Stewart film about?

Although Martha Stewart has rarely been out of the spotlight over the past five decades, she was in the news after releasing the 2023 Netflix documentary about her life, The Many Lives of Martha Stewart.

The film follows Stewart’s journey from teen model to Wall Street stockbroker to the queen of entertaining and good taste. Eventually, she would become America’s first self-made female billionaire. The documentary also discusses the insider trading scandal that sent her to prison in 2004.

The film also reveals Stewart’s guiding philosophy. “I have two mottos. One is: Learn something new every day. And the second one is: When you’re through changing, you’re through,” Stewart says in the film. “Change that garden if you don’t like it. Rip it out and you start all over again.”

If you want to relive the hilarious moments between Stewart and Williams in your kitchen, here’s a recipe for the Chili Espresso Steak Rub.

This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Monclair Film/Wikipedia & Kevin Paul/Wikipedia – Brendan Fraser (left), a cockpit (middle), and Harrison Ford (right).

Culture, Pop Culture

Brendan Fraser wows audience with pitch-perfect story of how he first met Harrison Ford

“I’m smiling ear to ear and damn I needed that.”

Heather Wake

4/3/2026

Some celebrities really live up to their fictional personas. Harrison Ford is certainly one of them, and this recent story from Brendan Fraser is a prime example of it.

During a panel at MegaCon Orlando, Fraser shared how he first met Ford while working together on the 2010 film Extraordinary Measures, based on a true story. In the film, they play two men who team up to develop a drug to save children from a life-threatening disease.

As Fraser told the crowd, he randomly received a phone call from his costar, asking how quickly he could get to the airport. Not wanting to disappoint, Fraser replied, “I guess I can get in a cab now.” Apparently, as soon as he arrived, Ford was there waiting for him. The two then hopped on Ford’s plane, where Fraser was allowed to sit in the co-pilot’s seat.

@disadventurelife
This is the first story he tells about Harrison Ford. Want me to share the second one too? #brendanfraser #harrisonford #megaconorlando #celebrityinterview @FAN EXPO
♬ original sound – Disadventurelife

Showing himself to be a true Star Wars fan, Fraser recalled, “I’m Chewbacca, b**ches,” dusting himself off proudly. Honestly, who could say no to being Chewbacca to the OG Han Solo? And even if you aren’t a Star Wars aficionado, it’s heartening to see Fraser relive a positive memory from his earlier Hollywood years.

“I’m smiling ear to ear and damn I needed that,” one viewer on TikTok aptly wrote.

Another gushed, “Han Solo flew you around? AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE.”

“This made me cheese so hard what a legend,” added a third.

This is only one of two hilarious Ford stories Fraser shared. Apparently, for one scene, Fraser couldn’t remember a newly updated line and was growing more flustered with each failed take. Ford, clearly done with the situation, grabbed a Sharpie, wrote the line on some duct tape, and promptly stuck it on his forehead so Fraser could simply read it.

@disadventurelife
another hilarious story from Megaconorlando #harrisonford #brendanfraser #celebrityinterview #megaconorlando @FAN EXPO
♬ original sound – Disadventurelife

“It was hysterical, but it totally defined Harrison,” Fraser recalled during an interview in Beverly Hills, according to the Orange County Register. “His philosophy on acting is ‘Do it, and do it right.’”

The outlet also noted that Ford was only trying to help his co-star relax. It just happened to be in the most Harrison Ford way possible.

“Marlon Brando once said that an actor can’t care about anything or the audience will see it on his face. Maybe Brendan was caring too much,” he quipped.

It’s interesting to think about how this time must have felt for Fraser. After the success of The Mummy, he had become an Indiana Jones type in his own right. And there he was, a decade later, not only meeting the OG, but actually working alongside him. That kind of full-circle moment had to feel surreal and nerve-wracking all at once.

And now, both universally loved actors have enjoyed their own renaissance of sorts: Fraser with his Hollywood comeback in projects like The Whale, Doom Patrol, and Rental Family, and Ford with Shrinking. Who knows—maybe we’ll see them share the screen again. If so, there will likely be even more great stories to come.

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