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At one point or another, everyone has had what Kathy Griffin calls the “church giggles.” Sometimes it’s just impossible to keep from laughing, even if you’re in the middle of a sermon. I work as a substitute teacher and I’ll admit, I’ve occasionally had trouble keeping a straight face when a student has said something particularly silly. I’ll try hard to avoid busting up, but sometimes I have to turn around and laugh silently against the chalkboard, hoping there’s no chalk dust on the back of my pants. It would stand to reason this would be even harder if you were in the presence of someone deeply, powerfully funny. That is exactly what happened with the professional entertainers in the following videos.
We all need a little pick-me-up sometimes, right? Luckily, the Internet is here to help—and we are here to help it help you. We have compiled the 10 most hilarious times when professionals just couldn’t keep from cracking up on live television. Try to keep a straight face while watching. Just try.
Turns Out He Really Does Laugh Like That
The hilarious Zach Galifianakis could not help but wheeze with laughter after hearing a particularly funny story from Mike Judge, creator of, among other things, Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill. Apparently, a disgruntled fan left Judge, who was on the show to promote the return of Beavis and Butthead, a voicemail in which he got the name of the show in question, shall we say, wrong. The live audience at last week’s Jimmy Kimmel Live also lost it when they realized that Galifianakis and his character Alan in The Hangover actually do have the same laugh. Repeat—this was not an act. Judge’s deadpan delivery had Zach slapping his knee and wiping away his tears. Although, let’s be honest: If you were sitting next to the guy who wrote Office Space, you’d be a mess too.
Peroxide on the Brain
Joan Rivers, one of the funniest women of our time, passed away recently. She was known far and wide for her abrasive, brutal style of comedy. Until her death, she was a constant presence on the red carpet before awards shows like the Oscars and the Emmys. Prior to that, though, she was a successful stand-up comedian and a regular on the late-night talk show circuit. For 21 years, Rivers was a recurring guest on The Tonight Show, which was hosted by Johnny Carson. Here she is, almost 30 years ago, insulting Christie Brinkley like only Joan Rivers can, and she can hardly keep it together long enough to reach the punch line.
Five months after this segment aired, Rivers began her tenure as host of her own program, The Late Show. Though it was a significant achievement to become the first woman host of a late-night talk show, Carson was infuriated. He never spoke to her again.
A Man at Night and a Man in the Morning
Sometimes, the best kind of comedian is the unintentional comedian. Ryan Lochte, the notoriously dim, handsome Olympic swimmer, became just that on a live interview. His discussion about his reality show, What Would Ryan Lochte Do?, which was cancelled after only one season, brought these poor newscasters to tears. Hopefully Lochte was able to overcome the weirdness of having cameras trained on him as he brushed his teeth during that short time. And bless him for giving these newscasters the laugh of a lifetime.
Located Where Donald Trump Jr.’s Chin Should Have Been
Bill Hader has always had a hard time keeping a straight face, especially when playing his famous character, Stefon. Rumor has it that the writers on Saturday Night Live would change his cue cards just before recording the segment so that Hader never knew what was coming. It worked—he laughed and broke character every time he played the part. In this clip, Hader, who left SNL last year, reprises his role as one of his most famous characters, and we are thankful for that.
I’m Going to Sing a Song
When a particularly inspired listener called into America’s Voice, the poor host had no clue what was coming. The caller proceeds to sing him a song and this guy just can’t keep from cracking up. By the end of the clip, he’s got tears rolling down his face.
Geoff the Robot
Geoff the Robot can always make Craig Ferguson, host of The Late Late Show, bust up. In fact, almost anything can. In this clip, while discussing Geoff’s place in Edinburgh, Craig and Geoff just fall apart. Try getting through this one with a straight face.
Spooky Old Lady Ghosts
When host Drew Carey brought up two unassuming elderly women to help with a sketch on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, he had no idea that they would produce one of the funniest clips of the entire show. They were supposed to make sound effects while Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles acted them out. Instead, they just make these weird, ghostly howls into the microphone. Stiles and Mochrie are game, though, and they manage to cobble together a sketch about Batman, Robin, and a very strange-sounding Batmobile. Drew, on the other hand, couldn’t keep it together quite as well.
Guy Fieri Hairdo
This might be the most commonly-used phrase in online publishing, but seriously, watch this one to the end. Jimmy Fallon and Bradley Cooper bring each other to tears for 10 minutes on The Tonight Show. They never quite get around to discussing Elephant Man, in which Cooper is currently starring on Broadway. They do, however, try pretty much everything to get a clean take. No such luck.
I Love Jesus, But…
Though Ellen DeGeneres is an undisputed pro (The Ellen DeGeneres Show has won a whopping 36 Daytime Emmys), even she has her weaknesses. In 10 seconds, one old woman on the phone says something that makes Ellen totally fall apart. Times like these make us thankful that not everything is scripted.
How Fast Can You Have Your Bags Packed for Milan?
As far as cracking up on live TV goes, this clip is arguably the greatest of all time. When Will Ferrell rolls out on his motorized scooter, Jimmy Fallon and Sean Hayes, of Will & Grace fame, absolutely lose it. Ferrell himself even lets out a few laughs, which almost never happens. It all combines to make this comedy gold.
Be sure to check out the other times this sketch appeared on SNL. You’ll get to see Pierce Brosnan with a soul patch and Fallon with happy tears in his eyes.