Funny / CGP Grey

• In the "Are Hong Kong and Macau Countries" video, when he starts explaining how the name of China's "One country, two systems" program is really nonindicative what with the Special Economic Zones and Taiwan and so forth, so he concludes...
  We can't talk about everything, so back to China, Hong Kong, and Macau, oh my!
• On the surface just using the running gag "Because Empire!" isn't very funny, but it just pops up on so many videos as a common and omnipresent motivation for Renaissance and Industrial Revolution-era politics that it becomes funny.
  • It's still funny when he alternates it, usually adding a slight pause between the words to give the viewer a second to anticipate the word "empire," but then he concludes with something else. "Because...Vikings." "Because...Cromwell." Etc.
• In the "How to Become Pope video" he represents the interviewing of priests to become bishops with text-bubbles that read "What is your quest?" and "What is your favorite color?"
  • Later on CGP Grey says that the Cardinals are sequestered by having their cell phones taken away. One Cardinal manages to hide his, and later on, can be seen to be playing with it when he's supposed to be praying.
• In the "How to Become the British Monarch" video (filled with political assassinations, people dying without heirs, and so forth), his credits contain the line "Many, many stick figures died in the production of this video." The use of stick figures to represent real people is as much a tradition for him as xkcd, so it's there for the fans to notice.
• In the "How Many Countries Are There" video he gets a bit stressed about the fact that so many unofficial countries come with the baggage that if the Western world acknowledges these places as "real" countries someone will object...
  Thus the innocent question "How Many Countries" has led us straight to a big "World War III: Press Here to Start" button which is getting depressing, so let's move on to... (the screen changes to show the conflicted Israel-Palestine region) Oh...right... (the screen changes to show that CGP Grey's avatar has taken off his glasses so he can facepalm and possibly massage his face a bit) No more politics! (two-second black screen with only the word "No" on it)
  • Another part:
    A notably awkward case being Taiwan (a huge China avatar appears, looming over the Taiwan avatar and scowling at the audience)...er, sorry, Chinese Taipei. Which is totally part of China (the China avatar starts to leave) and no one would ever think otherwise! (Cut to CGP Grey's avatar, holding one hand up to his mouth to whisper, eyebrows lifted in worry) Is China gone? (Resumes normal voice) Okay!
• "Where is Scandinavia?", which is chiefly about the less-than-crystal-clear edges of the definition of Scandinavia, spends some time talking about the Nordic Council, which he introduces as a "Viking cool kids club that other Northern European places occasionally unrealistically dream of joining". As he's saying this, a smaller-looking Scotland edges into frame straining to reach for the assembled Council like a child reaching for candy in a store before the UK pulls her back off-screen. (And as a bonus, the video was released about six months before Scotland's independence referendum.)
• In "Are Daddy Long-Legs Spiders" he uses the line "[Cellar spiders] also produce venom, but then so does everything in that bloody country" while showing a map of Australia and covering it with pictures of native animals (including obviously non-venomous species like kangaroos and koalas) as well as Yahtzee's avatar from Zero Punctuation. It's only up for a second, but it's there to make you laugh.
• In "A Brief History of Santa" CGP Grey shows a more traditional Saint Nicholas (red cloak and hat closer to clerical garb) facing down a presumably American Santa lawn decoration:
  In the Netherlands, however, St. Nick is still successfully holding his own as a distinct character (a speech bubble is added for St. Nick reading "You shall not pass!", and their relative positions are similar to Gandalf and the Balrog)
• In "Vatican City Explained" he has the King of Vatican City (aka the Pope) hold up his sword with a textbox that says "I have the power!"
• The "Top Chicken" bit from Zebra vs Horses: Animal Domestication:
  Chickens will peck, peck, peck until they've worked out who's top chicken. But you know who's really top chicken? We're top chicken.
  • He then briefly discusses dogs and cats regarding domestication. Dogs are man's best friend who love to serve humans as they view them as part of the pack. And Cats… are just tiny tigers that live in your house.
  • From the same video:
    Some animals have reproductive, um, "preferences", that make them incompatible with captivity. Looking at you, pandas! The time and energy humans have spent to get pandas to "get on with it" is comical! Hunter-Gatherers need an animal so eager to breed it gets it wrong sometimes! (Cut to image of a pillow, labeled 'Unrelated Stock Image')
  • Also, a succinct explanation on why humans didn't domesticate a proper draft animal until the discovery of horses:
    Why didn't the first humans ride out of Africa on the backs of zebra to conquer the world? Because zebra are bastards.
• In "Quick and Easy Voting for Normal People", he seems audibly perplexed by the existence of veggie burgers.
  (As he's listing of the diner options the group will pick from)...and Burger Barn: Every Burger Ever! Including the ones made from...not-meat? (An arrow points to the veggie burger onscreen and asks "Broccoli?")
• In "Brexit, Briefly", the avatar for a Brexit campaigner assumes the facial expression and arm position of the shrug emoticon. CGP Grey's minimalist art style makes this possible without drawing attention to itself.
• In "STICK FIGURES AROUND THE WORLD?!?! (Special Announcement)" "Update.", on his second channel, Grey brilliantly mocks The Fine Brothers for their attempt to license the word "react" and their easily replicable video format for money, as well as their stilted, sarcastic-sounding apology video after. A very fine example of YouTuber Apology Parody.
• In "A Brief History of the Royal Family", his description of the 1936 abdication crisis:
  ...Edward VIII, who finally breaks up this neat and tidy (and somewhat boring) line of succession by committing a scandal: marrying a commoner. An American commoner! An American commoner divorcee! Twice over! Gasp!
• The Race to Win Staten Island is a goldmine, chronicling CGP's attempt to pin down the truth of Billopp's race to encircle Staten Island, all while getting increasingly frustrated that no two sources match up.
  (flipping books off of a table) Nothing is consistent!!
  • After identifying Rev. Disosway as the one who invented the story of Billopp's race, Grey explains that he has to drop the matter because further investigation would require going to the New York Public Library, thousands of miles across an ocean from where he lives in London. Cut to Grey on an airplane to New York.
    Grey: I couldn't let it go.
• Hexagons are the Bestagons is basically Grey trying to convince a guy that hexagons are the best shape. And it turns out he admires the hexagon a little too much. Cue comment jokes about everyone being pressured to join a cult, and a few "you could make a religion out of this" jokes on the side.
• The fact that he titled a video "Someone Dead Ruined My Life.. Again," describing difficulties with creating a video about the history and origins of the name Tiffany.
  • He also reveals that antiquarian and editor Thomas Hearne (the person who had caused him such grief) had a running feud with none other than Alexander Pope, taking great joy in how Pope skewers Hearne with his mockeries, while Hearne's responses are largely Lame Comebacks. He declares the spectacle "delicious beef" and the highlight of his readings into the topic, showing himself happily eating a steak while caricatures of Pope and Hearne throw crumpled paper at one another in the background.
• Grey discusses the United States interstate highway system in "The Interstate's Forgotten Code and takes a few jabs at the same time.
  • Upon being disappointed to learn that I-5 does not officially have a leading zero in Federal Department of Transportation recordkeeping, Grey spray-paints a leading zero on a sign right next to the embodiment of the DOT while ignoring her visible annoyance and disapproval.
  • His explanation of numbering includes Spur I-190 which leaves Buffalo, NY and terminates in "the wilds of Canada"—shown as an unfortunate motorist driving off an unfinished highway while a confused moose looks on.
    Grey: Nice!
  • His discussion of the LIE (Long Island Expressway) and how it abruptly ends at the far eastern end of Long Island.
    Street Sign: LOL buddy, good luck finding the Lincoln Tunnel.
• Grey picks up a thread he discussed more than six years prior on Hello Internet and puts state flags on a tier list. Hijinks ensue.
  • So many US State flags break the basic rules of vexillology that he ends up having to create an entire second sub-tier list for F tier.
  • Grey's Running Gag of making fun of California (as he's originally from New York).
  • Connecticut attempts to offer Grey some grapes after he flatly notes she's a 'fan of the grapes' due to the grapevines on her flag. After receiving her very low grade, she shrugs it off and returns to her desk, eating grapes the whole time.
  • Grey tries to display Virginia's flag for criticism, but is unable to due to Youtube's strict censorship policies.
    Grey: Oh god are you trying to get me demonetized?! Your flag has nudity, murder, and an explicit call to violence.
    (*Virginia grins smugly off to one side*)
  • Idaho's seal-and-banner is so bland and breaks so many design rules that Grey Facepalms at it.
    Grey: Idaho, you wrote your name twice, I can't even right now, F-F.
  • Maryland's notoriously chaotic and garish flag is deemed So Bad, It's Good and ascends to S tier.
• In his "How To Be A Pirate Captain" video, which is already hilarious due to him actually affecting a pirate accent, includes this immortal line:
  Captain: As pirates, we be wanting booty. Booty, be licious.
  • The captain also goes over the various ways that pirates get ships to lower their guard to be plundered, including camouflage sheets over their cannons to make it look like they have less guns than they actually do. The recruit points out that the camouflage looks terrible, causing the captain to let out an offended "Yarr!"
    • There's also his "How To Be A Pirate Quartermaster" video, where the Quartermaster using the word "booty" results in both the pirate captain and the recruit stifling their giggles, much to his annoyance.
    • The second time the Quartermaster has to use the word booty, he replaces the word with treasure instead to sound more professional. Both the Captain and the stick figure listening to him shoot him a couple quick disapproving looks.

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