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Gen X is trying to come to grips with getting 'old.' It's not going so well.

We are NOT prepared for Salt-n-Pepa to be played in the doctor's office waiting room, thankyouverymuch.

The Holderness Family/Facebook

Gen X is eating dinner earlier and earlier.

The thing about Gen X being in our 40s and 50s now is that we were never supposed to get "old." Like, we're the cool, aloof grunge generation of young tech geniuses. Most of the giants that everyone uses every day—Google, Amazon, YouTube—came from Gen X. Our generation is both "Friends" and "The Office." We are, like, relevant, dammit.

And also, our backs hurt, we need reading glasses, our kids are in college and how in the name of Jennifer Aniston's skincare regimen did we get here?

gen x, getting older, jennifer aniston, friends, midlife We're not ready. Giphy

It's weird to reach the stage when there's no doubt that you aren't young anymore. Not that Gen X is old—50 is the new 30, you know—but we're definitely not young. And it seems like every day there's something new that comes along to shove that fact right in our faces. When did hair start growing out of that spot? Why do I suddenly hate driving at night? Why is this restaurant so loud? Does that skin on my arm look…crepey?

As they so often do, Penn and Kim Holderness from The Holderness Family have captured the Gen X existential crisis in a video that has us both nodding a long and laughing out loud. Salt-n-Pepa in the waiting room at the doctor's office? Uh, no. That's a line we are not ready to cross yet. Nirvana being played on the Classic Rock station? Nope, not prepared for that, either.

Watch:

Hoo boy, the denial is real, isn't it? We grew up on "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, for goodness sake, and it's starting to feel like we made a wrong choice a chapter or two back and suddenly landed our entire generation in a time warp. This isn't real, is it? Thirty years ago was the 1970s. That's just a Gen X fact. So what if we've lived long enough for our high school fashions to go out of style and then back into style and then back out of style again?

Seriously, though, we can either lament our age and stage in life or we can laugh about it, and people are grateful to the Holdernesses for assisting with the latter. Gen X fans are also thrilled to see their own experiences being validated, because at this point, we've all had that moment in the grocery store or the waiting room when one of our jams came on and we immediately went into a panic.

gen x, midlife, getting older, grocery store music, middle age It's a dark day at the grocery store when the music of your youth comes on. Photo credit: Canva

Fellow Gen Xers commiserate in the comments:

"They were playing The Cure in the grocery store and I almost started crying. I mean, how 'alternative' can you be if you're being played in Krogers? You guys are great! Thanks for making us laugh."

"When I turn on the classic rock station I expect the Doors or CCR not Soundgarden or Nirvana."

"I couldn’t believe it when I heard Bohemian Rhapsody being played in Walmart. That was edgy in my day."

"I know!!! Bon Jovi at the grocery store!!! That was my clue in!!"

gen x music, bon jovi, middle age, midlife crisis, getting older Bon Jovi isn't supposed to be "classic rock." Giphy

"That horrifying feeling when I realized that when I play Nevermind for my kids now in 2024, I’m playing them 33-year-old music, but when my dad played the Let It Be for me in 1984, it was only 14-year-old music."

"The first time I heard my jams on the oldies station I cried. I'm not old! I just have to take a picture of something to blow it up so I can see it better with my readers but everyone does that. Early dinners? Hey I'm hungry by 5 why wait."

"Long live Gen Xers! We have to be strong!! We can get through this together!! #NKOTBmeetsAARP"

Hang in there, Gen X. We didn't build up all that resilience and attitude in our youth just to fall apart at this point. Let's own this stage like we invented it and make it as cool as we are.

You can find more from the Holderness Family on their Facebook page, their podcast and their website, theholdernessfamily.com.

This article originally appeared last year.

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Popular

Comedian perfectly sums up everything you need to know about Gen X in three definitive words

"If y'all don't like this joke, guess what – you're only giving me more cred."

Photo supplied by Jason Salmon

Jason Salmon talks about generations through comedy.

Jason Salmon has his finger on the pulse of just what makes Generation X tick. But in typical X fashion, his own promotional YouTube page boasts that he's been "described as like getting the best advice you’ve ever gotten from the dumbest guy you know."

His humility only makes him that much more charming. But the truth is, what we think doesn't really matter to his X Generation. In his comedy special, Biscuits and Gravy, at one point he asks the audience if there are any Gen X-ers. A few people clap and cheer and he responds, "Yeah. I don't even care. That's how Gen X I am. That's a calling card to our generation."

@jsalmoncomedy
Gen X would like you to leave us alone #genxtiktok #dontcare #genx #genxtiktokers #lucky #Standupcomedy #Jokes #fyp #CleanComedy #jasonsalmon

He points out the unlikelihood of a Gen X-er even being offended by that. "That's not even dismissive to a Gen X-er. It's like 'I don't care.' 'I don't care, also. Nice to meet you.'"

He then points to a person in the crowd and asks, "What generation are you?" But before they have a chance to answer, he jokes, "It doesn't matter. I don't care. That's the beautiful thing." He adds that if an audience member doesn't like the joke, guess what? Doesn't care. "If y'all don't like this joke, guess what, you're only giving me more cred as a Gen X-er. You're only making me more powerful."

The truth is that some of the stereotypes about Gen X aren't exactly true. Sure, we had director Richard Linklater calling us slackers. And Ben Stiller's film Reality Bites didn't exactly help dissuade the argument that we were ultra prepared for adulthood.

Gen X, Reality Bites, Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, gif Convenience store dance scene from the film Reality Bites Giphy, Universal Pictures, Jersey Films

But in an article called "8 Things That Gen X Gave the World" (via The Arrow, via – gasp – the AARP website) Esquire editor and radio and television personality Dave Holmes dispels some of those myths. "Generation X is exactly like corn. We’re largely ignored in the broader culture, disregarded in polling, a demilitarized zone between the boomers and the millennials. But we’ve actually contributed a great deal to the society that has spurned us."

He goes on to list some of those contributions, which in part include: blogs, alternative comedy, "comic books as our new global religion," and a little something called the Internet. Of the latter, he writes that in 1994, after he'd graduated from college and moved to New York, he had a friend who was "writing code for the Sony Music website."

He shares, "At the time, I had no idea what the word 'website' meant. My understanding of the Internet came entirely from Prodigy, a rudimentary content delivery network. But then one Saturday afternoon, Mike and I went up to his office, he turned his monitor on, and after that 20-minute connection process, he opened Netscape and typed in 'http://www.yahoo.com.' 'There,' he said, 'search for anything.' 'Anything?' I asked. 'Anything at all. Someone will have made a website for it.'"

Gen X, early internet, The Internet, Netscape, the Web A GIF of what the early Internet looked like. Giphy

So while apathy might not be the best description for Gen X, Jason Salmon proves one thing we can all agree on: they (we) have a sense of humor.

Many of the comments agree. One commenter under his YouTube clips proves that maybe we DO care a little. "Why is Gen X trending so much lately? Are we finally getting the recognition that we don't care about?"

This article originally appeared in June.

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gen x

Humor

5 generations competed to see who’s the funniest. Gen X won and some Boomers have complaints.

"Every generation thinks they are the funniest. They're all wrong."

Canva

A comedian sits on a stool and tells jokes.

Before anyone gets offended, of course there are hilarious people of every age in every generation. That's just a fact. But a lot of people are biased in believing that their generation—from Alpha to Boomers—are definitively the funniest. The popular longtime web series Good Mythical Morning decided to put it to the test by bringing a comedian from every generation to participate in a game show. A "joke-off," if you will.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Hosts Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal welcome their guests, calling it the "laugh clash zone," and they immediately get to business. First we meet Adley Jones, representing Generation Alpha (born between 2010–2024). Next up is Teig, who announces he's Gen Z (b. 1997–2010). Then we have Jared Kassebaum in for the millennials (born 1981–1996). Next down the line is Amanda Cohen, who is Gen X (1965–1980). And last, but far from least, is Michael J. Carmichael, the baby boomer (1946–1964).

The way the game works is all of the comedians are given a topic of which they must write and tell a joke. It's a little more complicated, but for the purposes of "which gen wins joke contest"—we'll leave it at that. There's a small judging panel and a tiny studio audience, who mostly (frankly) seem bored, despite all of the comedians being adorably eager and funny. The topics the hosts can choose from are: AI, Trader Joe's, Disney adults, PDA, Cybertrucks, and "a wildcard joke."

comedy, laughing, audience, funny, gen People in an audience laugh. Giphy GEICO

Rhett is asked to choose the first topic, because of course, "he's taller." He chooses Trader Joe's. The comics deliver their best "What's the deal with Trader Joe's?" material, and while they all offer some interesting points of view, it's decided that the audience and judges responded most favorably to the millennial. (He tells a fun joke about Trader Joe's requiring their employees to have dainty tattoos.)

But there's much more to come. Three more rounds, and the comedians start loosening up. Gen Alpha takes the AI round with her "incel" joke, while Gen X strongly wins in the Cybertruck category by spelling out the word d-bag. Lastly, the hosts choose "wildcard" for the final round, wherein the comedians can choose whatever material they want. Everyone brings their A-game, but "based on the loudest laughs in the room," Gen X takes it again. (Personally, I was partial to the Gen Z-er, but to each their own!)

@dailymail
Which GENERATION has the best humor?! #generationz #genalpha #millennial #newyork #nyc #interview #timessquarenyc

The comment section perfectly exemplifies how it's fun to support ALL generations in the name of comedy. One person notes of the Gen X-er, "Amanda was the best come-from-behind I've ever seen. I liked Teig and Jared a lot more at first but she ended up slaying me in the later rounds."

Another commenter points out how tough the crowd was, especially the young girl in the front. "It took Pokémon twerking to get that lil girl in the crowd to laugh."

Some admit that what they found the most humorous doesn't fit with their gen. "I'm 22 years old and realize I have boomer humor." Another confesses, "The incel joke was so unexpected I spit coffee onto my work monitor. That little girl wins the whole episode!" (Let's hope their work monitor didn't explode.)

In over one thousand comments, every single comic got lots of love and support, but Boomer Michael J. might just have gotten the most. "Michael J was robbed!! So underrated, he deserves more love than this!!"

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Of course, this is only one small group of comedians on one small day. For a larger sample size with more famous comedians, Netflix Is a Joke compiled their own "who said it better" montage. Safe to say they all brought their respective houses down. Bo Burnham, Mark Normand, Ronny Chieng, Christina P, Patton Oswalt, Nate Bargatze, Jordan Rock, Mae Martin, Iliza Shlesinger, Michelle Wolf, Tim Dillon, and Jo Koy all give their insight on generational humor—and it's top-notch.

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Joy

Nate Bargatze explains what Xennials are and why they feel caught between generations

Like Generation Jones, Xillennials have their own unique set of traits that sets them apart from other age groups.

commons.wikimedia.org

Nate Bargatze performing stand-up.

Never heard of Xennials before? You're not alone! It just so happens, the term Xennial first appeared in an article for GOOD Magazine by writers Sarah Stankorb (who coined the term) and Jed Oelbaum. It was described as "a micro-generation that serves as a bridge between the disaffection of Gen X and the blithe optimism of Millennials." Other unique terms have come to describe this group (roughly figured to have been born between 1977-1983.)

These include The Star Wars Generation, The Oregon Trail Generation, and Generation Catalano, (the latter suggested by Slate writer Doree Shafrir in reference to Jordan Catalano on the hit 90s TV show My So-Called Life.). During his Netflix is a Joke segment, Nate gave us the reasons Xennials are truly awesome. Here are a few hilarious takeaways from Nate's bit on the topic:

Growing up as a young kid felt safe.

nate bargatze, nate bargatze special, millennial , xillennials, best comedian, millennial humor Kids playing outside, nary a care in the world. Photo credit: Canva

"When I was a kid, it felt like the 50s. You'd go outside and your parents just didn't know where you were. We went to school to school and played Oregon Trail on a computer at school! No one had a computer at home - it's like what are you a Zillionaire?"

They still had privacy.

While Nate confirmed he got AOL, a home computer, a beeper and a cell phone in high school, he didn't have social media until he was 26 with Myspace.

nate bargatze, nate bargatze special, millennial , xillennials, best comedian, millennial humor Be honest, how cringey was your AOL screen name? media4.giphy.com

"Whatever I did in high school is a rumor. It can't ruin my life!"

You are equally impressed and disappointed by other generations.

On a hotel stay, the Chromecast on his TV stopped working so he called the front desk. "The oldest voice I ever heard answers the phone. This guy was a Civil War survivor. I mean, he was the age where you just go 'Thank you for your service.' So I tell him my Chromecast is not working and I could have just made up a word. I mean, he's never heard of that. I could have said 'My beep bop broke.' He goes, 'Look, I don't know what this is. But there's a younger guy, I'm gonna send him up, he'll be able to help you."

A guy shows up, Nate mused, and he's "his dad's age." Nate immediately determined that if he can't fix it, this guy can't either. "But he's the generation that still wants to give it a try. So he comes into my room, sits on my bed, just a little too far back, I thought."

He then said the guy grabbed the remote and just started pressing everything. Nate suggested, "I'm gonna turn the shower on, open a window, let's try everything!"

The "pressing all the buttons" tactic shockingly doesn't work. Nate shared that the guy finally says, "Alright, there's a younger guy. He's about to come to work. And at this point, I'm like 'I'm the younger guy, man. It's alright dude, I don't need it.' And he goes, 'No, no, no, it's a Millennial." And I was like 'Alright, now we're getting somewhere. This is what the Millennial does. He was born with technology, he's gonna know how to fix this!"

So the guy said the Millennial will arrive to work in an hour. And Nate quipped, "Let me tell you. You know how quick that Millennial fixed it? Well, I'll never know because he just didn't come to work that night."

And guess who relayed this message. "I found out because the old guy called me. He was supposed to fill in for him. He was furious, dude. He hates that Millennial. He goes 'He never comes to work. He doesn't take it serious. He's got a peanut allergy.'"

In the end, it took a Xennial to figure it out. "I ended up fixing it myself, because it was just unplugged. So that's yeah…that's my fault."

Watch the full bit below:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Just like Generation Jones, Xillennials have unique qualities that don't necessarily fall in to either surrounding age group. If you tend to not really relate to your prescribed generation, it might be worth seeing if you relate more to those lesser known age groups in between.

This article originally appeared in February

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comedy

Pets

17 outrageous, side-splitting photos from the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

The 2021 crop of winners remains legendary.

via © Jakub Gojda/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021 and © Zoe Ross /Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

17 of the funniest photos from the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

If kids say the darndest things, it's safe to say that pets do the darndest things. One of the great joys of having a cat, dog, or other small animal to call your own is the endlessly entertainment they bring you. The way we communicate, and miscommunicate, with our pets is magical and hilarious. When you're lucky enough to capture some of that magic on film, you get the memory of a lifetime.

Taking photos are also an expression of love. It's no secret that pet owners are obsessed with snapping candid photos of sleeping dogs, yawning cats, and anything that looks cute, cuddly, or hilarious.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards are a fun-filled competition created by Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues. Past winners include a well-timed shot of a monkey who appears to have hurt the family jewels on a suspension wire. (Don't worry folks, no monkeys were harmed for the awards.) The competition has been so successful, the duo decided to branch out and create the Comedy Pet Photo Awards, where photographers can submit pictures of their furry friends for a £2,000 ($2650) prize.

Donations generated by the competition go to Animal Support Angels, an animal welfare charity in the U.K. The 2024 winner features a dog shoving his head through a way-too-small cat door. In 2023, the champion was a kitten caught redheaded trying to sneak attack his brother.

But even several years later, the crop of winners from the 2021 contest remains one of the best ever. The overall champion was Zoe Ross for "Whizz Pop," a photo of her labrador puppy Pepper who appears to be tooting bubbles.

“We never ever thought that we would win but entered the competition because we loved the idea of helping a charity just by sending in a funny photo of Pepper," Ross said in a statement. "She is such a little monkey, and very proud of herself, bringing in items from the garden and parading past you until you notice her. She is the happiest puppy we’ve ever known and completely loved to pieces.”

Here are the rest of the winners of the 2021 Comedy Pet Photo Awards.

Overall Winner: Zoe Ross "Whizz Pop," Penkridge, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Overall Winner: Zoe Ross "Whizz Pop," Labrador puppy, Penkridge, UK © Zoe Ross /Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Did this puppy swallow a bubble? Either he drank some bubble solution or this photographer just happened to have remarkable timing.

Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer "Jurassic Bark," Pittsboro, North Carolina

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer "Jurassic Bark," Pittsboro, North Carolina © Carmen Cromer/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"My golden retriever, Clementine, loves to stick her face in front of the hose while I water the plants. Her expression in this photo made me think of a tyrannosaurus rex, hence the title, "Jurassic Bark." Duh nuh nuuuh nuhnuh, duh nuh nuuuh nuh nuh, dun duh duuuh nuh nuh nuh nUUUUUUhhhh." – Carmen Cromer

Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott "Photobomb," Ystradgynlais, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott "Photobomb," Ystradgynlais, U.K. © Kathrynn Trott/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Jeff stealing the limelight from his brother Jaffa. What is it that cats love so much about photobombing?

Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, "I Said 'Good Morning,'" Platte River State Park, Nebraska

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, "I Said 'Good Morning,'" Platte River State Park, Nebraska © Mary Ellis/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"I like to visit the stable horses before I begin my hike at the State Park. This is the reply I received when I said 'Good morning.'" – Mary Ellis

When they say you should never look a gift horse in the mouth, maybe this is what they had in mind.

All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, "The Eureka Moment," Oxford, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, "The Eureka Moment," Oxford, U.K. © Sophie Bonnefoi/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Cutie and Speedy are two chicks hatched from eggs placed in an incubator at home in August 2020. They spent their first few weeks indoors. In the photo, they are just over two weeks old. They were curious about everything. This is the day they discovered their own shadow. It was hilarious to see them wondering and exploring that 'dark thing' that was moving with them!" – Sophie Bonnefoi

Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, "Sit!" Pacific Palisades, California

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, "Sit!" Pacific Palisades, California © Suzi Lonergan/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Our granddaughter gave the command to sit. Beau is very obedient." – Suzi Lonergan

Anyone who's ever owned an oversized dog has been here before. This snapshot absolutely reflects the hilarious reality of keeping a gentle giant in your home.

Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, "That Was a Good One!" Czech Republic

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, "That Was a Good One!" Czech Republic © Jakub Gojda/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This photo was taken by accident during the photography of my ex-girlfriend with her beloved mare. For this cheerful moment, I thank the fly that sat on the horse's nose and he instinctively shook his head." – Jakub Gojda.

The resemblance is uncanny!

Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, "Hugo the Photobomber," Walsall, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, "Hugo the Photobomber," Walsall, U.K. © Chloe Beck/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is my best friend Faith, her husband Alex, and their cheeky Sproodle, Hugo. Faith wanted a photograph to mark a special occasion—her first outing after shielding at home for 14 months. Hugo jumped into the frame at just the right moment!" – Chloe Beck

Highly Commended: Luke O'Brien, "Mumford and Chum," Coventry, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Luke O'Brien, "Mumford and Chum," Coventry, U.K. © Luke O'Brien/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Losing the opportunity to play with my human bandmates during lockdown, Flint, my rescue dog, soon taught me that we didn't just have sharp bones in common, but musical ones, too. He soon became the perfect substitute for a collaborative stomp up at home, so much so that we felt we deserved our own band name (Muttford and Chum). With my camera set up remotely during this shoot, I think it's fair to say that the image is proof that his conviction as a performer matches my own." – Luke O'Brien.

Luke and Flint could have been strong competitors in the lookalike contest, if you ask me.

Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, "Wine Time," Cichester, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, "Wine Time," Cichester, U.K. © Kathryn Clark/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"It's that time of day again! Little Blue enjoys it almost as much as me." – Kathryn Clark.

This cat just gets it.

Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, "Crazy in Love With Fall," Paderborn, Germany

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, "Crazy in Love With Fall," Paderborn, Germany © Diana Jill Mehner/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is Leia. As you can see, she definitely loves playing with all the leaves in autumn. It was really tricky to take this picture because you never know what the dog is going to do next." – Diana Jill Mehner.

Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, "Boing," Crosby Beach, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, "Boing," Crosby Beach, U.K. © Christine Johnson/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"I was busy playing with my dog on the beach and this dog came to play. I liked the shapes he was making in the air." – Christine Johnson

Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, "Ostrich Style," Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, "Ostrich Style," Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain © Manel Subirats Ferrer/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

Nuka playing hide and seek at the beach. Hey, we've all buried our head in the sand at one point or another.

Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, "Nosey Neighbor," Bromsgrove, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, "Nosey Neighbor," Bromsgrove, U.K. © Colin Doyle/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"According to Ozzy, we need a new fence panel ASAP. He is fed up with Chester our nosy next door neighbor spying on him every time he has a meal." – Colin Doyle.

There's a lot going on in this one, but the hidden camera is what really makes it a winner.

Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, "A Warm Spot on a Cold Day," Michigan

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, "A Warm Spot on a Cold Day," Michigan © Corey Seeman/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"Two of the morning regulars at the dog park are Gary (hound mix with the jacket) and Kona, one of the most chill dogs ever." – Corey Seeman.

Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, "So What?" San Diego, California

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, "So What?" San Diego, California © Lucy Slater/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

"This is how I like to sit!" – Vincent the cat

Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, "Photobomb," Poole, U.K.

pets, animals, wildlife, comedy, dogs, cats, funny, photography, photos, viral photos, photography competition Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, "Photobomb," Poole, U.K. © Mollie Cheary/Animal Friends Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2021

'"Bailey was so excited to see her friends, she couldn't sit still for a photo!" – Mollie Cheary

The photos are hilarious and adorable, but you might wonder: What's the point of all this?

The founders have actually given that quite a bit of thought. According to the website:

"Lots of people ask us why we do the competition and what we are trying to achieve. This is an epic question. So, we’ve had a really good think, (with tea and biccies obvs) and come up with this: 'Through the Comedy Pets, we want to promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues and celebrate the incredible and valuable contribution that pets can and do have on our lives.'"

So you're actually doing a lot of good by viewing, laughing at, and even sharing these photos. Great work!

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.,

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pets

Humor

Steve Carell performs a joyous dance mid-speech at Northwestern's graduation

"My topic this morning is kindness. So please shut up and listen."

Photo by Lara Heimann

Steve Carell speaks at the 2025 Northwestern graduation.

Steve Carell has done it again, this time at Northwestern University. Although he's not officially an alum of the school (he's a Denison University man), he's connected by his kids: one is an alum and another is about to graduate.

Introduced by the Dean of the School of Communications, Carell (in full university graduate regalia) takes the stage to give a nine-minute speech, which is truly hilarious and heartwarming in equal measure. He begins by telling everyone that it's an "honor, a privilege and an enormous pain in the a**" to be invited to speak.

Steve Carell gives a speech at Northwestern University graduation. www.youtube.com, TLOCK1971

He then shares the topics he considered when writing the speech: "Things like finding the courage to be yourself. Or how do you leave the world a better place? And who the hell is Big X the Plug? Where does he get off dropping out of Dillo Day?" This gets a huge round of applause.

Carell goes on to make brilliantly self-deprecating jokes, sprinkling in his trademark depth and kindness. Which also happens to be the topic he lands on: "My topic this morning is kindness. So please shut up and listen."

Steve Carell, The Office, Dancing, gif, kindness Steve Carell dances as Michael Scott. Giphy Peacock, NBC

He speaks for a while, captivating the audience: "Another stumbling block of kindness is the act of holding a grudge. We've all done it and it's an easy trap to fall into. Eighteen years ago, I attended the Academy Awards for the first time. As I walked down the red carpet, I was nervous, anxious and I felt terribly out of place. And then I stepped on the dress of a very famous actress, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around and was so mean to me, that I held a grudge against her for 17 years.

And then a year ago, we ran into each other again." He pauses. "And you know what? I was right the first time. She is horrible. So I guess what I'm saying is that 99 percent of cases, grudge holding is completely a waste of time. But the other one percent–it can be extremely satisfying."

As funny and uplifting as his words were, what happens next is where the true joy comes in. He asks the crowd to stand and after a few false starts with music, the DJ finally settles on The Ting Tings' "That's Not My Name." Steve begins dancing (complete with adorable "white man's overbite") and students and professors join in. But he actually kicks it up a notch when the Dean of the School of Communications (Dean Patrick Johnson) starts dancing too. They're so in sync, it almost feels choreographed.

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Carell then bounces down off the stage, waving his hands like he's in a gospel choir and begins high-fiving the extremely excited students in the crowd.

To thunderous applause, he then returns to the podium for the rest of his speech, joking, "That was as invigorating as it was disturbing." He tries to earnestly continue speaking, but is understandably out of breath from the rigorous dancing. He is finally able to eke out, "I will forever be connected to Northwestern and to Chicago. My daughter is a Northwestern grad, and my son will graduate next year."

Upworthy spoke to Lara Heimann, a proud mom to her Northwestern graduating daughter, Olivia. She was there that morning and tells us about Steve's ties with the school and Chicago, in general. "He did Second City and has ties with Northwestern grads like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert."

Surprisingly, she shares, "I don't think the dance was choreographed at all. It looked very spontaneous. He started moving around and then went back to the dean who is the Dean of Communications. He introduced him and said some really funny things, like 'We've been asking him for a long time to give a speech, so this is a long time coming. That's what she said.'" (Of course, that's a little wink to Carell's infamous character from The Office, Michael Scott.)

Steve Carell, The Office, Michael Scott, cringe Michael Scott is awkward. Giphy, NBC

Carell ends the second part of his speech with his personal words of wisdom. To name a few: "Hold the door for people, regardless of their gender, age or political affiliation. Be wary of those who use ChatGBT for personal emails. Never pick your nose in a car at a stoplight. Someone is watching you and it's grossing them out. Keep in touch with your friends that you've made here. Time goes by quickly. And as evidenced from before…just dance."

Finally, he adds, "Remember the little things, like being kind. And that you're not alone. Take care of one another. Remember to laugh when you have the opportunity. And to cry when necessary. And keep in mind, that as badly as you feel about the state of the world, your parents probably feel worse. Use that, take advantage of that. Now is the perfect time to exploit your parents' guilt…they might even let you live in the basement for an extra six months."

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Celebrity

Robin Williams and Martha Stewart can hardly 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."

via Martha Stewart/YouTube

Robin Williams making Martha Stewart crack up.

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 has been making the rounds recently 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.

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.”

- YouTube youtu.be

"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."

— (@)

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’s been in the news recently after releasing the new 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 last year.

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17 outrageous, side-splitting photos from the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

The 2021 crop of winners remains legendary.

Overall Winner: Zoe Ross "Whizz Pop," Penkridge, U.K.

Best Dog Category: Carmen Cromer "Jurassic Bark," Pittsboro, North Carolina

Best Cat Category: Kathrynn Trott "Photobomb," Ystradgynlais, U.K.

Best Horse Category: Mary Ellis, "I Said 'Good Morning,'" Platte River State Park, Nebraska

All Other Creatures Category: Sophie Bonnefoi, "The Eureka Moment," Oxford, U.K.

Junior Category: Suzi Lonergan, "Sit!" Pacific Palisades, California

Pets Who Look Like Their Owners Category: Jakub Gojda, "That Was a Good One!" Czech Republic

Highly Commended: Chloe Beck, "Hugo the Photobomber," Walsall, U.K.

Highly Commended: Luke O'Brien, "Mumford and Chum," Coventry, U.K.

Highly Commended: Kathryn Clark, "Wine Time," Cichester, U.K.

Highly Commended: Diana Jill Mehner, "Crazy in Love With Fall," Paderborn, Germany

Highly Commended: Christine Johnson, "Boing," Crosby Beach, U.K.

Highly Commended: Manel Subirats Ferrer, "Ostrich Style," Platja del Prat de Llobregat, Spain

Highly Commended: Colin Doyle, "Nosey Neighbor," Bromsgrove, U.K.

Highly Commended: Corey Seeman, "A Warm Spot on a Cold Day," Michigan

Highly Commended: Lucy Slater, "So What?" San Diego, California

Highly Commended: Mollie Cheary, "Photobomb," Poole, U.K.

Steve Carell performs a joyous dance mid-speech at Northwestern's graduation

"My topic this morning is kindness. So please shut up and listen."

Robin Williams and Martha Stewart can hardly 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."

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

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

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