Everyone has a soft spot for the Olympics. Whether you’re admiring the pure feats of athleticism, living vicariously through the tales of triumph and sacrifice or just speculating on when Bob Costas and his one good eye will be back on the air, the Olympics serve up some of the best TV around — particularly if you love the running dialogue offered by commentators.
But putting that many people and cameras in one place means you’re bound to capture some funny moments — and inspire others. Here’s our list of five not-to-be-missed Olympic laughs:
1. Luge Love: Regardless of what you think about Russia’s track record on gay rights, this commercial will make you laugh. The brilliant use of an ’80s song excerpt, the slow-mo videography and the awesome punchline at the end are all the ingredients you need for a big viral hit.
2. #OlympicPickupLines: The games have a well-deserved reputation as Hookup Central. Jimmy Fallon starts the ball rolling and we’re never sure where it’ll stop. Our favorite?: @ir_mek “want to come up to my room? i have a door…”
3. The New McKayla?: Every so often, an Olympian does the unimaginable: They let down their guard and pull a face that shows what they really think about the judges’ scores. Remember 2012 summer games’ McKayla Maroney? Well, American figure skater Ashley Wagner’s similarly unimpressed face has launched a new round of memes — and if she’s smart, she’ll take a page from Maroney’s book and laugh it off. Here’s a great piece from Bustle with tips on how to manage her meme fame going forward.
4. Boom Goes the Dynamite: How Olympic skiers do the whole mogul thing is beyond us. Our knees would have knocked out all of our teeth before we even got to regionals. Adding Star Wars’ AT-AT walkers to the mix doesn’t seem sporting, but it is funny.
5. Colbert Report on Ice: Special correspondent Buddy Cole makes butching up the U.S. speed skating team look easy. But I’d like to see him try that on the male figure skaters. Show us your gold face!
Got any favorite moments of your own to share? Post them in the comments section below. Happy Sochi!
