Help me find the best of YouTube

December 9, 2011 3:12 PM

My mother still lives in the dark ages with 56k modem. Please help me find the best YouTube videos to put on a cd and put in her stocking at Christmas.

My mom has had a tough year and gets a laugh out of funny videos, but her access to the internet is so slow that it's pretty much impossible for her to watch videos on YouTube. I'd like to make a cd (or several) of videos that she can watch on her computer.

Specifically, what I'm looking for are videos of:
- cute babies and children
- cute animals
- bizarre or impressive wild animals
- other funny things that don't require knowledge of internet memes

Please no:
- cliche slapstick humor
- sad or mean videos
- videos that you'd only think were funny if you understood the references to other popular videos or internet phenomena
- videos with swear words or any reference to sexual content

I'm looking for as many as possible. Thanks in advance!

posted by summit to computers & internet (27 answers total)

There was this one of a dog playing with a baby.
posted by dilettante at 3:20 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Two Dogs Dining has always been my go-to pickmeup.
posted by lampshade at 3:23 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

The very short and very charming Corgi Stampede plus Kittens on a Roomba which is probably one of the greatest achievements of modern time.
posted by kate blank at 3:27 PM on December 9, 2011

Ninja Cat
posted by Thorzdad at 3:32 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Video Gum features a weekly roundup of cute videos with animals and occasionally animals with giggling babies.
posted by Gori Girl at 3:34 PM on December 9, 2011

Has she seen Charlie Bit My Finger or the kid zonked out after a trip to the dentist (you might have to explain that one)?
posted by runningwithscissors at 3:34 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Sneezing baby panda is a must. And this porcupine does NOT want to share his corn.
posted by amanda at 3:35 PM on December 9, 2011

Pet moose with fun music
Two cats talking
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
posted by 2ghouls at 3:37 PM on December 9, 2011

I just introduced my mother to Maru* and she was completely enchanted. May I suggest you choose three or four videos in a row of Maru entering boxes?

*Maru is a legitimate phenomenon: s/he has a book out. I swear.
posted by Elsa at 3:39 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

Moose playing in the sprinkler!
Immediate, pure, and unrefined joy in tiny goat form.
Big cats discovering pumpkins

French baby stories
Star Wars According to a 3-year-old
posted by Fui Non Sum at 4:07 PM on December 9, 2011

This one of baby finding mom's nose-blowing alternately hilarious and terrifying was very popular with my mother.
posted by smilingtiger at 4:24 PM on December 9, 2011 [1 favorite]

A fox diving in the snow?
The original Surprised Kitty?
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 4:35 PM on December 9, 2011

This blog entry has collection of videos of soldiers returning home from wartime deployment, and their dogs greeting them. I found it strangely addictive.

Also, check out Devour.com, which collects exceptional videos, especially film-based-- and videosift, which in addition to current virals will show you some goofy ones.

Cute Overload should be a good source.

Also, I strongly second the above-mentioned "kid zonked out," better known as "David after Dentist."
posted by Sunburnt at 5:23 PM on December 9, 2011

I love this cat.
posted by artychoke at 5:41 PM on December 9, 2011

I also love this dog.
posted by artychoke at 5:43 PM on December 9, 2011

Pedigree Dog Treats Ad - play this one with the volume turned up.
Two Jack Russell Terriers vs. the Sprinkler - includes Part II where they are meticulously drying themselves off
posted by invisible ink at 5:50 PM on December 9, 2011

NONONONO Cat
posted by skyl1n3 at 6:06 PM on December 9, 2011

This is a classic. In a perfect world there would be an internet orientation course for people who have never used it before, and this video would be part of the curriculum.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 7:09 PM on December 9, 2011

Exploding Whale, a classic newsreel video from the 1970 incident on the beach at Florence OR. In an earnest attempt to discard of a dead 8-ton whale that had washed ashore, dynamite was employed, resulting in what must've been the foulest rain since the plagues.

I remember passing this video a few times before I'd ever heard the term "World Wide Web." Took almost an hour to download it, as it was a several megabyte mpeg, naturally. Back then, we could only dream about 56K.
posted by Sunburnt at 8:19 PM on December 9, 2011

the dog who dances salsa
this dance fail one - i don't typically like videos of people falling but this is SO FUNNY
baby dancing to beyonce

you didn't ask for music, but these are things i would be glad to show my mom, so i thought i would send them along:

this beautiful music video 'Evelyn evelyn'
this beautiful music video by the david crowder band - it's lite-brite stop motion. the band is christian, i think - there's some sort of undertone going on. fyi.
kina grannis' jellybean animation video
pomplamoose singing Mr Sandman
Erato doing a Robyn cover a capella
posted by andreapandrea at 8:47 PM on December 9, 2011

ok now i can't stop. here are some more:

barking cat
pekingese dogs wearing wedding gowns (naturally)
humungous bubbles at the beach - this is just lovely to watch. it's no dancing babies, however.
OKGo's Rube Goldberg Machine - you know, their other videos could be cool too - especially the treadmill one
the world's most adorable toddler singing 'I'm You' and PLAYING THE UKULELE.
this is a commercial for milk. - it is also about cats with thumbs ganging up on humans.
squirrel obstacle course

also this gorgeous conceptualization of conception to birth


ooookay i could go on. clearly i watch too much internet.
posted by andreapandrea at 9:24 PM on December 9, 2011

I'm quite partial to Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, parts one and two.

Also, surprised kitten!
posted by I've a Horse Outside at 10:46 PM on December 9, 2011

Purina Allstars has tons of cute animal videos. I think you can click on the bottom right corner to see them on youtube.

http://animalvideos.yahoo.com/video-detail?vid=27380481&cid=24037714
posted by stray thoughts at 10:55 PM on December 9, 2011

I know of nobody who has reacted negatively on first exposure to the OK Go Rube Goldberg Machine. They've also done trained dogs and grass with brass.
posted by flabdablet at 4:53 AM on December 10, 2011

Did you think of getting her a broadband subscription? I know it's a different order of magnitude, cost-wise, but then she could OD on cute cat videos 24-7!
posted by Hartham's Hugging Robots at 11:45 AM on December 10, 2011

My go-to cute kitty videos when I need a quick pick-me-up are

Surprised Kitty!

and

Nom Nom Nom Kitty

(that last one's cute on it's own, but it'd definitely more funny in the context of knowing that LOLcats are supposed to go nom nom nom when they eat.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 11:55 AM on December 10, 2011

(Ms. Vegetable) I'm not the best at links, so you have to copy and paste, sorry:

slow motion labrador puppies to chariots of fire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMb1x8_Ghg0
kitten in a hamster ball http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go43XeW6Wg4&feature=related
hamster vacuum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjNP8LErRn0&feature=related
kitten and swiffer http://cuteoverload.com/2011/09/23/try-the-new-swiffer-hisser/
dog has a blanket http://cuteoverload.com/2011/07/27/nip-and-tuck/
do tigers like catnip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tklx3j7kgJY
big cats v. laser pointers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3BHSt42L0Y
posted by a robot made out of meat at 8:40 AM on December 11, 2011