Top 10 funniest clips of 2008

December 30, 8:52 PMAtlanta Movies ExaminerRyan McNally

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While by no means a comprehensive list of the funniest stuff of ’08, here are 10 clips that had me laughing during this past year (note: these are not listed in any order of preference). The majority come from films, but there are a few other mediums included to mix things up. Where possible, clips are included so the uninitiated can join in the fun:

1) Forgetting Sarah Marshall, “The Self-Loathing Song.” After taking relationship beatings from both Sarah (Kirsten Scott Bell) and Rachel (Mila Kunis), Peter (Jason Segel) sits down at the piano to work on his epic Dracula musical. What emerges instead is this gem of an "artist" in crisis. 

2) Tropic Thunder, “Cruise the Producer.” In need of some serious image rehab, Tom Cruise delivered a highly amusing performance as a balding, hot-tempered, booty-dancing movie producer. 

3) Burn After Reading, “Malkovich Pops Pitt.” The Coen Brothers returned to comedy, and when a clueless gym employee (Brad Pitt) tests the patience of a government agent (John Malkovich), slapstick fun—and a great Malkvoch rant—ensues.

4) Role Models, “Talking the Talk.” Jane Lynch has some hilarious one-liners, and of course leads Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott have their momemts, but for me the funniest part of this flick was watching Joe Lo Truglio speak the ridiculous language of lords and lieges with a straight face. (The film isn’t available on video yet, but in the meantime you can check out the trailer below.)

5) Gran Torino, “Talking Tough.” Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) gives Thao (Bee Vang) lessons in “talking like a man,” and Thao’s efforts to use his newfound knowledge result in some highly amusing scenes. (For a full review of the film, click here. And until Gran Torino hits DVD, you can watch the trailer below.) 

6) FunnyorDie.com, “Proposition 48: The Musical.” Jack Black, Will Ferrell and other special guests join together for a musical comedy about California’s amendment banning gay marriage. With lines like, “People listen to our plea / They’ll teach kids about sodomy,” it’s tough not to laugh.

7) Curb Your Enthusiasm, anything involving Funkhouser. This past season of Curb (debuted in ’07 on HBO, ’08 on DVD) was the best since Season 3, thanks partly to Bob Einstein’s hilariously dry turn as Marty Funkhouser.

8) The Jimmy Kimmel Show, “I’m F---ing Ben Affleck.” Sarah’s Silverman’s original salvo “I’m F---ing Matt Damon”  was humorous, but Jimmy Kimmel upped the fun a notch with his star-filled response, featuring cameos by Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle and Cameron Diaz.

9) You Suck At Photoshop, “Clone Stamp and Manual Cloning.” For anyone who has used Photoshop—and for many who haven’t—the travails of the world’s angriest Photoshop guy make for good fun. Here he shows how to remove a “dirty liar ring” from an unfaithful spouse’s finger.

10) Jim Gaffigan “Bacon.” This year’s “Sexy” tour again confirmed Gaffigan’s standing as one of the world’s funniest stand-up comics. If you haven’t seen his live show, it’s a must. (Note: Gaffigan’s "Bacon" routine isn’t available yet on DVD, but in the meantime check out his classic "Hot Pockets" bit below.)

So, what funny stuff did you see in ’08—cinematic or otherwise—that missed the list? Post your picks below.