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Satire & parody: videos Hacker News recommends
Satire: news satire, The Onion, tech parody, parody videos, mockumentary, TV satire clips like Silicon Valley, absurd skits mocking culture and politics, spoof commercials. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (270 comedy videos, 31 music videos, 23 commentarys), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- Stand-up & sketch comedy 244
- Music performance & songs 239
- Music theory, synthesis & production 103
- Film & TV clips 310
- Film analysis & criticism 39
- Documentaries & storytelling 202
- Literature & writing craft 43
- Visual arts, photography & architecture 42
- Sports & athletics 38
- Magic, puzzles & curiosities 34
- Arts & entertainment (other) 75
- 10 HN recommenders 10 months 2018–2026HN considers it a classic, hilarious and sobering talk on ML inscrutability and tech hubris, often rewatched.
- 15 HN recommenders 11 months 2012–2026B Ben Woodhams · comedy videoRecommended as the standard companion to any Adam Curtis film, since it lampoons the style and gives reasons to take his claims with skepticism.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2020–2025HN fans hold it up as a favorite among his videos and an example of gloriously bonkers technical art, and cite it in floating-point discussions.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2013–2025HN loves it as a funny, shorter sequel and even uses it to introduce Erlang in university classes.
- 8 HN recommenders 6 months 2017–2025HN repeatedly names it as one of the funniest and best talks, a favorite example of absurd computation.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2013–2026Y Yoram Bauman · talkBeloved as a humor masterpiece and often cited as required viewing on what not to do in an academic talk.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2015–2024HN recommends it as a funny deconstruction of TED talk style, and as a favorite example of the appearance of meaning without content.
- 8 HN recommenders 6 months 2019–2026HN commenters call it a must-watch for its deadpan, absurdly elaborate engineering and cite it for ideas like diluting strong engines with random moves.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2014–2023Go-to reference in lottery threads for the point that earmarked lottery revenue does not really add to school funding.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2017–2026HN recommends it as an entertaining four-minute introduction to evo-devo that works even for people who dislike the original song.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2024M Masood Boomgaard · comedy videoHN commenters recommend it as funny anti-motivational comedy that also touches on real truths about productivity and the rat race.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2013–2026HN uses it as shorthand for vague, detail-free visionary pitches and as a satirical jab at TED-style techno-utopian talks.
- 5 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2026Tom7 is an HN favorite, and this video is praised as hilarious, educational silly ML that keeps getting better.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2011–2024R Radical Discourse · music videoOffered as a quick, entertaining primer on Keynesian versus Austrian economics, especially for newcomers to Hayek.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2021R Reaktor · talkHN commenters love it as a witty and insightful tour of design anti-patterns, applicable to DSLs, OOP and API design.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2024HN commenters call it one of the best and funniest Onion News Network videos and a sharp parody of teen girls.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2013–2025HN invokes it as the best spoof of how news is formulaically produced, often when discussing media quality or automated news.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2025HN recommends it as an entertaining explanation of chroma keying, green screens and how cameras process color.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2016–2026D Dave Rondot · comedy videoUsed as the canonical reference for the jargon-parody trope, and as a joke whenever technobabble appears.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2011–2026B Brant Walsh · comedy videoHN commenters bring it up whenever Microsoft product naming, branding or marketing is confusing, pointing to it as a long-running self-aware critique.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2024D DocShadow660 · comedy videoHN commenters recommend it as a surreal, perfectly observed parody of old educational films, and quote it in jokes.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2012–2025L LimeXd · comedy videoHN commenters bring it up whenever a poll or survey result looks suspect, as the classic illustration of biased question framing.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2017–2025Commenters share it as a funny, memorable example of evasive depositions and of obstruction over public records requests.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2026B boburnham · music videoHN commenters bring it up in threads about the internet, attention economy and smartphones, mostly as a favorite, with a few dissenters.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2025Commenters call it a favorite Daily Show clip and link it as a ready answer to climate-skeptic arguments.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2022HN commenters recommend it as the Onion Talks parody most relevant to tech and startup culture.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2025T tablet reader · talkHN recommends it as a hilarious talk by a beloved speaker, and also uses it to jab at JavaScript's quirks.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2020J Jonathan Pie · commentaryShared after the 2016 election and later as a pithy account of why Trump won and why political division needs to be moved past.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2025L lisperati · music videoHN shares it as a fun, cheerful introduction to Lisp culture that people say they rewatch.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2021HN likes it as a funny, entertaining presentation, frequently linked in threads on NP-hardness of games and NES automation.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2026S stormmovie · comedy videoQuoted often for its line on alternative medicine that works being called medicine, and recommended as a full-length listen.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2024–2025HN commenters recommend it as a catchy, accurate piece of science edutainment, and admire its footnote practice.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2025J Jared Khan · comedy videoHN brings it up whenever curriculum fads or Common Core complaints appear, as a funny precedent from the 1960s.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2025HN people recommend it as an entertaining example of great effort on a trivial problem, and cite the template in LaTeX-versus-Word discussions.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2025R Ryan George · comedy videoHN recommends it as a funny sketch that lays bare the crazy things people have gotten used to on Amazon.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2019HN commenters cite it as a sharp, accessible primer on the NCAA's amateurism model and athlete compensation, including for readers outside the US.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2026C CYBERGEM · comedy videoHN users post it as a meme or satirical comment in threads about AI regulation, age verification and online identity.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2024Praised as painfully accurate office satire, with the channel's sketches called genius.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2026L lasagnacat · comedy videoHN cites it as the prime example of going absurdly deep on a tiny subject, and as a favorite among long YouTube videos.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2023N No Unicorns · commentaryHN cites it in discussions about how media should report mass shootings, as an expert-backed argument for not glorifying perpetrators.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2026HN quotes it constantly, mostly as a joke or reference, whenever rocketry, engineers' ethics or skill-versus-morality comes up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2010–2024M My Damn Channel · comedy videoRecommended as a classic, funny Photoshop tutorial series with a strong comedic personality.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2024–2026HN readers point to it as an example of Tom7's ridiculous-but-brilliant programming projects, here tied to license parody and typesetting.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025V VELCRO® Brand · comedy videoHN recommends it as a delightful sequel to the original ad, brought up in threads on trademarks and the original campaign.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2026HN posts it as a joke in productivity and focus threads, and some praise the channel as pitch-perfect satire of tech stereotypes.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–20246 66NOVA66 · comedy videoLinked in nearly every F-35 or procurement thread as the classic illustration of feature creep and design by stakeholder committee, including in software.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2023Cited to illustrate false balance and the trouble with giving all sides equal weight.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2025B bill wurtz · explainerHN commenters list it among favorite long-form, info-dense YouTube videos and as a representative piece of Wurtz's quirky creativity.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2021H Hostis Humani Generis · comedy videoHN posts it, often jokingly, as a prescient and witty explanation of Britain's ambivalent stance toward Europe, especially around Brexit.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2024N Netflix Is A Joke · commentaryHN recommends it as an accessible explanation of how Intuit's lobbying and deceptive design undermine free tax filing.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2026Recommended as a funny, clear explanation of native advertising whenever sponsored content in media is discussed.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025T Tom Lehrer · music videoPosted whenever Lehrer comes up, as the best way to see him perform, and treated as a complete stand-up-style set.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2026HN posts it as a favorite comic summary of debt avoidance and spending discipline, and as a joke in buy-now-pay-later threads.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023G genuinelyfunnynazi · comedy videoRecommended as a savage, ahead-of-its-time parody of startup and tech culture.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2025H Hunter Stair · comedy videoHN commenters point the uninitiated to it as a beloved parody series, often in threads that mention yacht rock.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2023Recommended as a funny parody that resembles agile as practiced at large companies.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025D Dylan Beattie · music videoShared as developer humor, with commenters insisting any Dylan Beattie mention must come with this song.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2022Pointed to in debates over stadium subsidies as a persuasive case that cities should not pay for stadiums.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2024F FraKctured · music videoCited in threads about taste and terrible music as a famously engineered 'worst song', mostly for its curiosity value.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2021C cnxlinux · talkRecommended as an entertaining talk showing that targeting software projects and introducing bugs is nothing new.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2010–2021D dananddanfilms · comedy videoUsed as a running joke or satirical shorthand whenever the Daily Mail is cited or criticized.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2026S Sassy Justice · comedy videoBrought up in every deepfake thread as a funny and technically convincing early example of synthetic media used for satire.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2023HN commenters cite it as a favorite Lehrer song and invoke it as a joke whenever elements or science-themed wordplay come up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2017D David Mitchell's Soapbox · comedy videoHN people share it as a funny and apt take whenever job postings or recruiters demand passion.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025R Ryan Long · comedy videoPosted as relevant satire in threads on wokeness and identity politics, with some saying it is barely an exaggeration.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2009–2026T TheRichterScales · music videoResurfaces in threads on startups, valuations and hype cycles as a funny, prescient bubble satire.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2026Shared in Excel threads as a funny parody that treats spreadsheets like an e-sport.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2025HN commenters cite it as the canonical joke about administrators multiplying regardless of the work, whenever threads turn to institutional or corporate bloat.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2026C charstarleneTV · comedy videoCited in threads about phone addiction and distraction as a classic, widely seen illustration of the problem.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2023HN commenters link it when discussions turn to dam failures, bridge collapses, or the unglamorous work of maintenance.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2021Shared in dog-breeding threads as a snappy summary of the genetic-diversity problem.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2020S Some More News · commentaryOccasionally recommended as an in-depth critical take on Shapiro, though mentions are sparse and partisan.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2024J John Mcafee · comedy videoHN mostly cites it as a notorious piece of McAfee lore, usually jokingly, whenever John McAfee or antivirus uninstallation comes up.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2012–2026HN mostly drops it as a joke in async, Node and concurrency threads, and some call it hysterically funny.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025HN mentions it as an enjoyable science parody song, one of a set of A Capella Science videos.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2018X xox · comedy videoShared as a delightful example of a famous media hoax.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2025Shared as comic relief that hits close to home for people who work with infrastructure at scale.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2023P Premium Movies · videoIt is recommended in threads on the F-35 and defense procurement as a funny, mostly factual look at how requirements balloon, with some warnings about its accuracy.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2025I Infranaut · commentaryPointed to as an informative rebuttal to the popular claim and as an explanation of the film's satirical effect on Westerns.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2020HN quotes it in discussions of engineers' moral responsibility and recommends it as a favorite of Lehrer's witty songs.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2008–2018K kerviel88888 · comedy videoHN points to it as a funny but accurate send-up of banker thinking, noting that comedians grasped the crisis before Lehman collapsed.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024HN uses it as shorthand for the argument that car dominance was manufactured by deliberate propaganda.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2024HN commenters point to it as satire that illuminates strange transhumanist and digital immortality culture.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024V videogamedunkey · comedy videoRecommended as a funny but surprisingly accurate illustration of streaming fragmentation driving piracy.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2018Cited in encryption policy threads as a funny, accessible primer and for its fake Apple ad.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2020HN cites it as an entertaining, fact-based explainer of gerrymandering tactics, though one commenter criticizes it as inconsistent.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2010–2025R rlcarnes · comedy videoHN uses it as a joke whenever jargon-heavy or meaningless technical pitches appear, and praises it as a masterclass in technobabble.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2024HN brings it up as the sharpest satire of scientists who serve whoever pays them, and as a favorite Lehrer song.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2025Shared as a joke about JavaScript culture and tooling, usually without much explanation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2024D Dylan Beattie · comedy videoShared as a funny programming joke poking at the endless proliferation of web frameworks.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2023W Weidmann · comedy videoUsed as a joke or satire reference in moderation, free-speech and police threads.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2026T The IT Crowd · comedy videoIt is used as a recurring joke whenever threads touch on the internet as a physical thing, and sometimes praised as a favorite sitcom.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2018V VideoFunStation · comedy videoPosted as the obligatory joke in any thread about speech recognition, and recommended in a thread on what makes people laugh.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2019V Veso Vey · comedy videoMostly used as a joke reference whenever forklifts, safety or dying on the job come up, with one commenter calling it a funny and bloody case for warehouse safety.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2024N Netflix Is A Joke · commentaryCommenters point to it when discussing the lax regulation of cruise ships and flags of convenience.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026B Benjamin Staffin · comedy videoUsed as a shorthand joke for Google-scale bureaucracy and the difficulty of simple tasks at large companies.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2023N niccollsdp · videoHN commenters recommend it as a well-made version of the story and quote it jokingly whenever discussions touch on biology versus machine intelligence.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2024HN mostly drops it jokingly in threads about grammar, apostrophes and language, and occasionally discusses the animated video's making.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2012–2025HN uses it as a recurring punchline whenever a device removes keys or buttons in favor of touch or novelty controls.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2023–2026Shared as obligatory humor in FFmpeg and video tooling threads, praised as a funny take on the open source user experience.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 344. Use search to find the rest.
Questions
What is the most recommended satire & parody video on Hacker News?
USENIX Security '18-Q: Why Do Keynote Speakers Keep Suggesting That Improving Security Is Possible? by USENIX: HN considers it a classic, hilarious and sobering talk on ML inscrutability and tech hubris, often rewatched.
How is this satire & parody list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.