Homestar Runner

Internet fads come and go. Some are short-lived and others linger like the smell of something rotten and forgotten in the back of the fridge. Either way, they are an undeniable facet of popular culture that you're either in on or left scratching your head at. That moment of realization that someone else shares an appreciation for some stupid cartoon ("WTF mate?" anyone?) can be a moment of indescribable harmony. And that's something we're all searching for. Why do you think Daniel Tosh is so popular?

I was probably one of the last people in my grade to get the internet at his house. With its arrival I stopped spending time at the library harassing my friends on Instant Messenger and began doing so from the comfort of my parent's living room. One day, a guy in my Algebra class told me about Homestarrunner.com. Before YouTube and Facebook, forums and flash cartoons were the best combination of entertainment and socializing on the internet. The brand of humor on this site was right up my alley: a mix of silliness, cleverness and geekiness. The following summer involved a lot of staying up 'til 3:00 AM poring over every video on the site and posting on a Homestar forum with newfound friends from various places around the world. Our screen names and avatars became as recognizable as our real-life friends. It was the humor of the cartoons that brought us together, but it was our personalities that cemented the bond. Secrets were shared, infatuations were formed and awkward phone conversations were had. Above the kitschy reality of establishing a camaraderie without actually meeting, this forum was an important vehicle in my social maturity - for better or worse.

The cartoons on Homestar Runner likewise became important building blocks. Imitation of their comical stylings helped me to embrace my own sense of humor. When frequenting the website became a thing of the past, some of the relationships I'd established with people via the forum remained. The core group of us have moved across several forums and have established our own individual friendships. While most of us have still never met, we trust each other and value each other's opnions. Our connection as fans of the Homestar Runner website is resigned to an afterthought. Until the other day I hadn't been on the website but once or twice in the past three years.

Like that one unexpected Christmas gift that you can never predict but is always the most treasured part of the holiday season, the brothers behind Homestar Runner have presented us with a new cartoon. Whether an old fan or a new fan, or not even a fan at all, I recommend you give this a watch. If it doesn't make you laugh out loud like it did me, maybe it will at least put you in good spirits:

http://www.homestarrunner.com/xmas10.html

Happy holidays, everyone.