ABSTRACT
Wacky viral videos of piano-playing cats, laughing babies, and boys wielding toy lasers in their garage are typical associations people have with YouTube. Many people visit the site after someone has given them a link to a popular video (Madden 2007). One girl whom I interviewed said that her father sent her a link to a video in which a man played guitar with a spoon. Separated by distance, people sharing media can feel closer by experiencing similar forms of mediated humor. Although many people watch YouTube, not everyone posts a video, or even rates or comments on videos. Many people are content to share the more viral forms.
