Funny or Die

Infobox_Company
company_name = Funny or Die
foundation = California (2007)
owner = Funny or Die Inc.
type = Comedy
company_
company_slogan = it's that easy... you decide.
location_city = Los Angeles, California
location_country = U.S.
key_people = Adam McKay
Will Ferrell
Judd Apatow
Randy Adams
homepage = [http://www.funnyordie.com/ www.funnyordie.com]

Funny or Die is a comedy video website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production company, Gary Sanchez Productions with original and user generated content. Funny or Die is also unique in that it contains a good deal of exclusive material from a number of famous contributors (e.g. Judd Apatow, James Franco) and has its own Funny or Die Team (FOD Team) which creates original material for the site.Michael Kvamme, an aspiring young comedian, came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site and the site was developed by Randy Adams. Videos are voted on by users of the site; those that are deemed funny stay, but those that are not "die" and are relegated to the site's "crypt".

The site's first video, "The Landlord", has received over 55 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing, beer-drinking two-year-old landlord. [ [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/74 The Landlord video page] ] In June 2007, they received venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital, [cite web|url=http://www.sequoiacap.com/company/funny-or-die/|title=Sequoia Capital funds Funny or Die] and in June 2008, they announced a partnership with HBO. [cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987248.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|title=HBO Joining Forces with FunnyorDie]

Voting system

Unlike other viral video sites, members of Funny or Die are encouraged to vote on videos which they view. Depending on the outcome of votes, a particular video is ascribed one of five statuses.

* Immortal
* Walking Tall
* Kinda Cute
* Uh-Oh
* The CryptSome videos are not voted on and are therefore declared "Chosen Ones".

Funny or Die Comedy Tour

In February, Funny or Die launched “Will Ferrell’s Funny or Die Comedy Tour Presented by ‘Semi-Pro’", in conjunction with the promotion of the movie Semi Pro, . The tour featured Ferrell, members of the FOD Team and comedians Zach Galifianakis, Demetri Martin, Nick Swardson and Andrea Savage. Adam McKay and Will Arnett served as tour announcers. The eight-city tour hit college campuses in Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, North Carolina and New York.

Partnership with HBO

In June 2008, HBO and FunnyorDie announced that HBO had purchased a stake of less than 10% in Funny Or Die. With this, Funny or Die will be responsible for developing at least 10 half-hour episodes for HBO, and the companies may organize future comedy tours together. Regarding the agreement, Will Ferrell said, "I don't want to overstate the importance of this deal, but this is the missing link moment where TV and Internet finally merge. It will change the way we as human beings perceive and interact with reality. Okay, I overstated it. But it is an exciting deal." [cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9965649-7.html|title=HBO invests in Will Ferrell's Funnyordie.com]

In August 2008, FunnyorDie hired Andrew Steele, a twelve year veteran of Saturday Night Live, and one of three head writers in recent years to oversee content production and development for the site and for the HBO partnership. [cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990102.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1|title=Funny or Die made of Steele]

Or Die Networks

Funny or Die UK

Funny or Die launched its UK site www.funnyordie.co.uk on 23rd September 2008. The UK site will feature the very best of the stateside offering combined with a library of homegrown clips.

David Walliams and Matt Lucas of Little Britain fame spearheaded the UK launch as co-founders and will be providing exclusive clips, sketches and a weekly blog to the site on a monthly basis as well as overseeing a brand new London based content team.Funny or Die has also announced a key partnership with Hat Trick Productions with a long term aim to identify and support new British comedy talent.

Following the success of FunnyorDie, parent organization Or Die Networks [ [http://www.dmwmedia.com/tags/or-die-networks “Or Die Netowrks”] ] has spun out three additional verticals, based on FunnyorDie’s binary voting system.

hredorDie.com

Shredordie.com, launched October 23, 2007, [ [http://www.901am.com/2007/tony-hawks-shredordiecom-launches.html “Tony hawk’s Shredordie.com Launches”] ] is an action-sports website OrDie Networks created in partnership with Tony Hawk. Users rate videos of members performing (or failing to perform) stunts by clicking either “Shred” or “Die.” Shredordie.com was prominently featured in Tony Hawk’s Boom Boom Huckjam Tour.

PwnorDie.com

Pwnordie.com, launched July 1, 2008, [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4PRN/is_2008_July_1/ai_n27877482 “Or Die Networks Got Game”] ] is a site devoted to all things video game, where users can post and enjoy videos about walkthroughs, cheats, reviews, or parodies of popular games. Users vote content either “Pwn” or “Die.”

MorradeRir.com.br

Morraderir.com.br, launched July 28, 2008, and brings to Brazil the same home for comedy as FunnyorDie.com in the US. Users can view professional and user-generated content unique to Brazil and also from FunnyorDie.com, and upload their own videos as well. The site features celebrity content from Ivete Sangalo, Sabrina Sato, Diogo Portugal, Fernando Caruso, Luis Miranda and others.

EatDrinkorDie.com

Eatdrinkordie.com, launched August 20, 2008, [ [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hgJNhb-Wf2LoMwde_89q22VLoIGwD92M92P03 “Funnyordie sites expand into Cooking”] ] is a culinary site where users vote videos on preparing and enjoying food as either “delicious” or “die.” Tom Colicchio is one of EatDrinkorDie’s primary content partners, and the site has also featured content by Art Smith, Gary Vaynerchuk, Michael Chiarello, Jon Shook and Vinney Dotolo, and Sophie Uliano.

Celebrity appearances

*Judd Apatow ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6231 "James Franco gets fired"] )
*Jason Biggs ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/9eb2662310 "The Glitch"] )
*Louis C.K. ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/fd1b1c483f "Louis CK and a Child"] )
*Michael Cera ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2781 "Chinese Fireworks"] )
*T-Pain ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/86a76df842 T-Pain vs His Vocoder] )
*Kristin Chenoweth ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/aa15baae2b "Intervention with Kristin Chenoweth"] )
*Willem Dafoe ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/456a15f639 "The Procedure"] )
*Larry David ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d346d33656 "Help A Bald Brother Out"] )
*Oscar De La Hoya ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2509 "The Fight After the Fight"] )
*Danny DeVito ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/60d14b6331 "Danny DeVito & The Contract"] )
*Jenna Elfman ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5738 "Mama Jams"] )
*Jimmy Fallon ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5001 "lonelyfallon32"] )
*Will Ferrell ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/33f2687080 "Good Cop, Baby Cop] )
*Will Ferrell ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/36d31abcf2 "Will Ferrell Answers Internet Questions] )
*Neil Flynn ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/777e61b0ea "Working Mommy"] )
*James Franco ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/56c2d6a703 " The Hills"] , [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f12ee4dfcf "Acting Lessons with James Franco"] )
*Ana Gasteyer ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/456a15f639 "The Procedure"] )
*Gina Gershon ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/61410aa4ff "Gina Gershon Strips Down Sarah Palin"] )
*Al Goldstein ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/49d139dd0d "Al Goldstein with Gettin' Some"] )
*Steve Guttenberg ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/cfa7881384 "Steve Guttenberg's Steak House"] )
*Rachael Harris ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f864dd6cf8 "Cougar 101 with Hunter Parrish"] )
*Katherine Heigl (" [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/6231 James Franco gets fired] ")
*Ed Helms ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2907 "Zombie American: Part One"] )
*Paris Hilton ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/64ad536a6d "Paris Hilton Responds to John McCain Ad"] )
** See also Paris Hilton energy plan
*Paris Hilton ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/06ae3d8563 "Paris Hilton Gets Presidential With Martin Sheen"] )
*Lil Jon ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/bbb707e4d8 "Lil Jon: Terminal Bling"] )
*Mike Kaddour ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/32fb1805d8 "Iphone — This Is Susan"] )
*Jamie Kennedy ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2730 "Rollin' with Saget"] )
*David Koechner ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5778c22304 "iO Presents Stage Time: Pitching In"] )
*Mila Kunis ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/56c2d6a703 "The Hills"] )
*Blake Lewis ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0e7e65a11c "HIGH-FIVE HOLLYWOOD!"] )
*Eva Longoria ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5216488a3b "EVA LONGORIA SEX TAPE"] )
*John Mayer ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/26050ea6ee "2 Guys 1 Cup"] )
*Jack McBrayer ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f1a5a4cbe6 "Livin' 'Neath the Law with Jack McBrayer"] )
*Jeff Mills ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d4c887caf4 "There Will Be Blood (DVD Extra)"] )
*Christopher Mintz-Plasse ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3522ad043c "Piracy PSA with Chris Mintz-Plasse] )
*Bill Murray ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/eae26bb96d "FCU with Bill Murray"] )
*Jerry O'Connell ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/3f716ffebe "the parody video Tom Cruise WANTS you to see!"] )
*Hayden Panettiere ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/d047cbeadf "Sexual Harassment with Hayden Panettiere"] )
*Hayden Panettiere ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5f7305ea6d "Hayden Panettiere PSA: Your Vote, Your Choice"] )
*Hunter Parrish ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f864dd6cf8 "Cougar 101 with Hunter Parrish"] )
*Rhea Perlman ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/60d14b6331 "Danny DeVito & The Contract"] )
*Jeremy Piven ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/168 "Perry Hilton"] )
*John C. Reilly ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/fa1420df1f "Green Team"] )
*Simon Rex ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/4b01ea8095 "Palatial Regalia"] )
*Andy Richter ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/456a15f639 "The Procedure"] )
*Bob Saget ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2730 "Rollin' with Saget"] )
*Ryan Seacrest ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0e7e65a11c "HIGH-FIVE HOLLYWOOD!"] )
*Martin Sheen ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/06ae3d8563 "Paris Hilton Gets Presidential With Martin Sheen"] )
*Brooke Shields ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2326 "Playground Tales"] )
*John Stamos ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2730 "Rollin' with Saget"] )
*Milo Ventimiglia ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0e7e65a11c "HIGH-FIVE HOLLYWOOD!"] )
*Olivia Wilde ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/e222fbee64 "Olivia Wilde Does It Early"] )
*Henry Winkler ( [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/1cf2bfb2ba "Cancer Interrupts Your Life With Henry Winkler"] )

References

External links

* [http://www.funnyordie.com/ Funny or Die]
* [http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/ Funny or Die UK]
* [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/1785f25c3f FoD Happy First Birthday video montage]
* [http://www.eatdrinkordie.com Eat Drink or Die]
* [http://www.shredordie.com Shred or Die]
* [http://www.pwnordie.com Pwn or Die]