Top Five, also TopFive, is an Internet humor website maintained by Chris White. The site, which has been in operation since 1994, publishes a new "top five" list every Monday through Friday. The list items are submitted by a group of amateur comedy writers spread out across the USA, with a few residing in other countries. Editor White selects the best submissions, polishes them up and publishes the finished product.
The lists themselves range in topics, though the most common are those making fun of pop culture, politics, big business, the Internet, and TopFive itself. The site is not afraid of stepping on toes and can at times be downright vicious, although usually in a humorous manner. The quality of the lists varies from hysterical to somewhat pedestrian.
Due to Financial concerns, TopFive ceased publishing new comedy on August 28, 2008. The site owners are currently in the process of recreating and re-branding the site and are now publishing partial lists taken from the archives in an attempt to procure greater funding.
Top Five in popular culture
editTop 15 Chinese Translations of English Movie Titles
editThe site has twice been brought into the public eye. The first incident occurred in 1998, when someone attached the list entitled "Chinese Translations" list to an article in the Wall Street Journal[1]. The list took notable American movies and, quite poorly, "translated" them into Chinese. Other news outlets to report this list as factual include the New York Times[2], the Los Angeles Times, ABC World News Tonight, and CNN's Showbiz Today. As is documented by the site, both the New York Times and World News Tonight issued corrections[3]. The #6 entry on the list, "Babe" - "The Happy Dumpling-to-be Who Talks And Solves Agricultural Problems" was featured as an answer on the May 24, 1999 episode of Jeopardy!.[4]
Top 13 Jewish Country & Western Songs
editThe second incident began in 1999. TopFive published a list of "Jewish Country & Western Songs"[5], which were quoted by presidential candidate Al Gore in a campaign speech. Among the major news outlets to cover this were New York Daily News, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, San Jose Mercury News, the New York Times[6], Slate, and the Chicago Tribune. As a sign of thanks, the TopFive team received a personal letter from Gore.
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ Rick Broadhead. Dear Valued Customer: You Are A Loser. p. 196. ISBN 0740738232.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Unknown parameter|pubdate=ignored (help) - ^ "More fun with Chinese movie titles". Salon. 1999-01-07. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
- ^ Janelle Brown (1999-12-03). "New York Times falls for an old Net gag". Salon. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
- ^ "Jeopardy! Show #3401 - Monday, May 24, 1999". The J! Archive. 1999-05-24. Retrieved 2007-07-06.
- ^ The Top 13 Jewish Country & Western Songs list at TopFive.com
- ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (2000-05-10). "THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE VICE PRESIDENT; After McCain-Bush Act, Gore Tries Catskill Routine". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-07-06.