Mary Loves To Laugh -- 10 Scenes That Always Make Me Laugh

I love to laugh. I'll laugh at clever jokes, dumb jokes, slapstick, irony, puns, dark humor, light humor, pretty much all of it. I am not really a humor snob. Well, I do have my limits. I don't appreciate rape jokes or anything that is particularly mean-spirited. I grew up loving John Candy and Robin Williams and I think their light-hearted take on humor really formed the base of what makes me laugh at a young age. The next layer up from the base is Simpsons humor. Then it is downhill from there.

Really, John Candy's death heralded rise of cynical humor that became prevalent in the 90s (Still not over his death)

After watching a scene in a movie that without a doubt makes me roll with laughter, I decided to make a list of 10 scenes that always consistently make me laugh no matter how many times I see it.  This will be a countdown list with 1 being the best.

10. The Breakfast Club -- "All I need is a lobotomy and some tights!" 

There is nothing more 1980s, the decade of my birth, than the Breakfast Club. I have seen this movie more times than I could count. I cannot get tired of the tale of five different teenagers spending a Saturday together in detention only to realize they aren't so different after all. But besides the story, this movie has sentimental value to me. My late brother and I used to watch it when it would make its weekly rounds on TBS. He'd get excited over it and would quickly fix himself a snack and sit down and we'd watch it together. We would recite scenes and get each other laughing.


A friend of mine once said comedies are different experiences when you are with people and I think that is true. A lot of what I laugh at in the movie, I laugh at because I remember him laughing at it.

The Breakfast Club is a drama with comedy elements. It has many memorable moments that have seeped into the public consciousness and numerous quotes that have been lampooned and used in AIM status messages. And there are tons of parts of the Breakfast Club that makes me laugh -- especially John Bender Quotes.

This Guy

The quote above comes from when Andrew Clark and Bender get into an argument about school activities. Bender lays the sarcasm on thick. He'll go out for activities. He'll join the wrestling team. "All I need is a lobotomy and some tights!"

Why this line would get my brother and I laughing so hard -- and I still laugh so hard at it -- is simply the fact that Bender begins his sarcastic tirade then suddenly meets that sarcasm singularity. You know, what I mean, in which the tone almost sounds sincere. The delivery of the line also makes it.

You can watch the scene here.

9. Wolf of Wall Street -- Go Run Free

I should not have liked Wolf of Wall Street as much as I did. By all accounts, it does not seem to be a Mary movie. And yes, I have some critiques about it -- mostly that they could have stood to cut about 30 minutes out of it -- but mostly, I really enjoyed the rise and crashing fall of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Like the Breakfast Club, Wolf of Wall Street is a drama with comedic elements. I always chuckle when Jordan in the beginning throws a glass of orange juice in the bushes. When Jordan introduces his business partners and how most of them have something to do with selling and buying weed is another in which I giggle. I laughed hysterically during the famous powerful Quaalude scene when I saw it for the first time. Now, in rewatches, it gets a little less funny each time.

I find that happens a lot with slapstick

There is one scene, though, that for some reason gets more hilarious the more I view it. This is when the Jonah Hill character talks about marrying his cousin and what he would do if one of their kids had special needs. Now, I am actually a Jonah Hill fan. 21 Jump Street is one of my favorite stupid comedies that has come out in recent memory and Hill just has great comedic timing to begin with. He has such a natural way of speaking, even when he is playing an oddball like he does in Wolf of Wall Street. Some comedians will play such characters in such a way that they feel super imposed in the movie -- not that that is always a bad thing -- but Jonah Hill manages to make his style of comedy seep into the movie itself. Granted, as I noted before, this movie is a drama and Hill does dramatic well too -- but his comedic scenes, really were noteworthy.

I know it was the 90s in the movie but that sweatshirt fad really was odd

Note how natural he talks about it.  That is why I can't help but laugh hysterically when I watch this scene.

8. Teen Wolf -- "My Mom Does The Grocery Shopping"

Teen Wolf is one of my guilty pleasures, although maybe not the last couple of seasons (it got very meh). While the TV show is supposed to be a more gritty take on the Teen Wolf franchise from the 80s, I find where it really hits its stride is its comedy elements. The way Tyler Posey and Dylan O'Brien play off each other has to be one of my favorite pairings on the small screen. They are best friends in real life and that translates well. O'Brien's Stiles has hilarious moments, true, but I find Tyler Posey playing his wide-eyed, innocent, naive Scott McCall really gets me rolling.

Looks like a Wolf but is actually a Puppy

There is this scene in which the gif set of it is one of the most popular Teen Wolf posts on tumblr. I always reblog it when I see it and I always end up laughing for a good couple of minutes when I see it grace my dashboard. There is so much just so perfect about this scene. First off, Jackson, the asshole who confronted Scott, is wondering why Scott suddenly shined on the lacrosse field. He has no idea that it has to do with Scott's wolf powers so assumes steroids were used. Scott is not all that bright. He's not even playing dumb because he doesn't want his secret to get out. He honestly has no idea what Jackson is talking about. He doesn't know what juice means. The best part is how this confusion plays out for a few seconds on Scott's face before he says his line, "My mom does all the grocery shopping."

Wait, I have no idea what is going on now

Even now, I am just giggling at that gif. The look really makes the grocery shopping line that much more hilarious.

7. My Boss, My Hero -- Pudding Race

I've mentioned this scene before in my top ten Japanese Dramas but it deserves a place on this list too. Tomoya Nagase is one of my favorite comedic actors. Honestly, his delivery of lines and his facial expressions really get me laughing so hard.

I also have a type (or one of several). Shut up!

I won't lament on about this particular scene. I already touched on it in my jdrama post. But here's the scene in question. I recommend go and watching it. The part where I begin to loose it is when Nagase takes off the kid's jacket and throws it at him. The kid then collapses on the ground dramatically. And is probably stampeded to death. IDK.

6. Hercules -- "Guys, Olympus is that way"

I know it is far from perfect but I love Disney's Hercules. Yeah, I know it's not canon. Hera didn't give birth to Hercules and actually tried to have him killed like she always did with Zeus's numerous love children. But whatever. I understand. Disney had to write a kid's film and there is a lot in Greek Mythology that is not exactly kid friendly. Also, normally I would care, but Hades is not necessarily a bad guy in mythology (if you take the story about Persephone out of the equation). He got stuck as the God of the Underworld and may be unpleasant but not evil. I actually like Rick Riordan's interpretation of him best in the Percy Jackson books. Hades is grumpy and generally not fun to be around but hey, he went to greater effort to protect his demigod progeny than all those losers on Mt. Olympus.

This Hades probably used his children's blood a long time ago

But I am getting off topic. Having said that, I love James Woods as Hades. He really makes this movie. I love his wheeling and dealing interpretation of the Greek God of the Underworld. And he has many great lines and the most amusing dumb henchmen. Without James Woods, I probably wouldn't have watched Hercules as much as I have (although I do like the music a lot).

Anyways, while many Hades lines cause me to smile, there is one in particular that ALWAYS causes me to laugh hard.

After Hades lets out the titans (spoilers), the titans dramatically shout out for Zeus while doing their particular special elemental attack over the landscape. Hades then interrupts and points them in the opposite direction -- towards Mt. Olympus.

This is the response I get when asking for directions

I just love this joke because it is such a bait and switch. You're expecting the climax to get underway. The titans are out. They look cool, bad stuff is about to happen. They're... so friggin stupid.

ZEUS!!!


5. Mean Girls -- "If you're from Africa, why are you white?" 

Mean Girls is one of my most favorite movies. It is witty, thoughtful, memorable, and Lindsey Lohan's only good role. It also introduced me to Tina Fey. I always enjoy her writing. It is snarky, but not mean-spirited. It has reached that perfect balance in my opinion. It is really a rant for another day but I really don't like how comedy nowadays has gone from cynical to just mean and how people think that is edgy. I love snarky humor. I grew up on the Simpsons. But if your joke is bringing down a target that is already down, then it's really not funny. It is just sad.

But once again, I went off topic. Mean Girls has so many hilarious moments, it is hard to say which one always makes me laugh and not just laugh but laugh hard. It is no wonder Mean Girls has entered the cultural consciousness right up there with the Breakfast Club. There will be a day in which kids will say, "Stop trying to make fetch happen" and have no idea where it is from. So I guess -- fetch did happen.

YOU WERE WRONG, REGINA GEORGE!

However, there is one scene in particular that always makes me laugh. It involves the scene in which Cady first sits with the Plastics. She mentions how she is from Africa and then Karen Smith, the dumb one, asks if Cady is from Africa, why is she white? Then Gretchen Wieners (my favorite) responds with, "Oh my god, Karen, you can't ask people why they're white!"

Now, I'm gonna shame you on tumblr

The delivery on both those lines gets me every time. The blank look in Karen's face and Gretchen's righteous indignation. It's all perfect. Not to over-explain the joke or anything (but I have been doing this all post!) but what is great about this joke is it is edgy because it is about race but the target is sheltered white girls (a favorite Tina Fey targets to be honest). What Karen said is a typical white girl thing to say. Africa is filled with black people amirite?

Here get the extended scene.


4. Avatar: The Last Airbender -- "That's Rough, Buddy"

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of my most favorite series of all time while The Last Airbender is my least favorite movie of all time. Funny, how that happens. Avatar does a great job of tying together serious story elements with humor. There are many great lines in the franchise both of humor and those of the thought-provoking persuasion and if you're Uncle Iroh, both.

Uncle Iroh inspires me daily

For those of you who know me well, know I love Zuko the most. I love his pouty-mcpout face. I also love his journey from the spoiled prince as he overcomes his trauma (and himself) to become a great leader and teacher. But a lot of Zuko's lines crack me up, most of it has to do with how he is animated in the process. Whether it is him trying to hold his temper or just looking like a sad sack. My favorite is a subtle change. Aang says, "I don't care what people say, you're very smart, Zuko!" Zuko smiles then suddenly does a take as if to say, "Hey wait a minute, people have said I'm stupid?!"


But the scene I'm talking about here is probably the most famous and most meme'd scene in the series. I'm talking about is this one. In it, Sokka and Zuko are traveling to the prison they believe the Fire Nation took Sokka's father. They talk about past loves and Sokka says his first girlfriend turned into the Moon. The look on Zuko's face cracks me up. It's like the Teen Wolf one above. You can read his thought process. Like, "What do I even say to that?" Then he settles on one of the most beloved (and downright hilarious) lines in the series.

The key to comedy is always timing.

3. The Simpsons -- The Land of Chocolate

As I mentioned before, I grew up on the Simpsons and the show really contributes to what I will find humorous or not. There are many scenes, lines, and episodes that crack me up, even after all these years. Like guaranteed, if Sidshow Bob is in the episode, it is one of my favorites. Ralph Wiggum quotes still get me going. But honestly, there is only one scene that will cause me to helplessly giggle like a titmouse. It is the scene from the episode, "Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk." And if that doesn't give it away, here's another hint:

 I am of course talking about this magical scene. Do I even need to explain further?


2. Tropic Thunder -- Matthew McConaughey sees his son as a disappointment

Tropic Thunder is another of my favorite movies and is probably my favorite comedy. There are so many great moments and hilarious dialogue. It also made me like actors I'm not particularly wild about -- mainly Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise. Going back to what I mentioned before, what I like about the edginess in this comedy is the target of ridicule is Hollywood and overbloated egos and budgets. While nothing is above criticism, I feel a lot of people who criticize certain parts of this movie seem to forget that the target is Hollywood and out of touch rich people.


While each actor has a hilarious line or two or a dozen (looking at you, Cruise), the actor that cracks me up so hard is Matthew McConaughey as Tugg Speedman's agent. I don't know what it is about him. Maybe it is his good-natured personality combined with just being plain out of touch.

I don't care if I have to go through a jungle filled with dangerous drug lords, YOU WILL GET A TIVO!

There is one scene in particular that without a doubt just causes me to giggle uncontrollably. It is towards the beginning and McConaughey is calling Ben Stiller asking how the adoption thing is going. Stiller says sadly he thinks all the good ones are taken. McConaughey then says as he looks with great disappointment over at a picture of his own son, "At least you get to pick yours."

I'm laughing so hard at this pic right now

Just the look of such disappointment and disgust, I just lose it. There is so much that is perfect about that scene. The facial expression, the dialogue, and of course the sight-gag of the family picture. Here, watch it for yourself

1. Spy -- The Swedish Bodyguard

Paul Feig is quickly becoming one of my favorite director-screenwriters. Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Spy are all great comedies. I really love how he just believes in his female stars so much. I cannot wait for the new Ghostbusters film. Additionally, I really wish I had Melissa McCarthy growing up. I may have hated myself a little less as a teenager.

There is something about Melissa McCarthy's Susan Cooper in Spy that I strongly relate to. She lacks confidence in the beginning despite illustrating she is more than capable of being a spy. She is surrounded by people who don't believe in her -- except for her bff of course -- and she proves them all wrong.

In the end, Susan Cooper only had to prove to herself she could do it

I found that in of itself is what made this movie so important to me. There were so many scenes in the movie I just related to. One in particular is when Susan goes out to eat with Jude Law's Agent Fine, her partner. Fine is nice enough but there are these small throwaway lines that are just kind of hurtful and he doesn't even realize it either. And also how all her co-workers take advantage of the fact that Susan is practically a work horse. The fact that Susan comes to realize she has worth and grows confident in her abilities was just empowering for me. She realize all those people she thought she wanted to impress really don't matter -- even the hot Jude Law.

Anyways, Spy is hilarious. I cannot recommend this movie enough. There is so much I love about its message, its humor, and its actors. While I laugh at McCarthy's awkwardness in the beginning, Miranda Hart's act as the real Girl Friday, and Rose Byrne's icy bitchiness as Raina, the weapons dealer, there is one set of scenes that I just can't help myself but turn red with laughter.

Spoilers -- Susan Cooper gets an in with Raina by pretending to be a secret bodyguard  her father hired. Soon, only Susan and a Swedish bodyguard named Anton remain. Susan and Anton buttheads from there. At first, Anton is ice cold as Susan begins to antagonize him. Then slowly, Anton begins to break. Several scenes later, Susan demands, "What, are you going to cry?" And Anton collapses into tears.

Melissa McCarthy is a bombastic, comedic force. I imagine it must be difficult to toe the line with her. And here is this Swedish comedian who is not that well-known outside his home country involved in probably the most skilled, hilarious, comedic volley I have ever seen. Seriously, watching the three or four scenes between Susan and Anton is like watching an intense tennis match except instead of a ball, it is hilarious quips. Don't get me wrong, I love the Jason Statham/Melissa McCarthy scenes but I feel the Anton ones are so underrated. And I laugh hysterically every time they happen.

I can't find a clip of this so you're just going to have to watch the movie and see for yourself.

What scenes or lines make you laugh every single time?