The Year in Viral Video

Nearly two months into the WGA strike, there's not much else to watch besides reruns, reality TV and viral video. Here are my top 10 viral videos of 2007:

10. Chocolate Rain

Tay Zonday is 25 years old, though he looks like he's 14. His song, "Chocolate Rain," was posted on YouTube last April. To date, it has over 12 million views on YouTube. Because of Zonday's peculiarly deep voice, the clip landed Zonday on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "The Opie & Anthony Show." FHMonline.com ranked the video #1 on its list of the Top Ten Viral Videos of 2007. AOL's video blog ranked the video #9 on its list of Best Viral Videos.

9. Dramatic Chipmunk

The Dramatic Chipmunk, also known as the Dramatic Prairie Dog, is only 5 seconds long. Taken from a Japanese TV show, it has inspired a number of spoofs. The video was ranked #4 by AOL's video blog, #4 by New York Magazine and #8 by FHM.

8. Soulja Boy

Soulja Boy's instructional video on how to "Crank That" inspired a dance craze which had everyone "cranking," including Santa, a children's ballet class and "Kosha Boy."

7. Inmates Thriller

Accused criminals perform Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines. The sight is so unusual; it's hard to tear your eyes away. It has yet to be confirmed whether or not the inmates were forced to perform. The video has nearly 10 million views on YouTube. The clip was ranked #5 by Time Magazine and #5 by AOL's video blog.

6. Don't Tase Me, Bro

During a Q&A session with Senator John Kerry at the University of Florida, Andrew Meyer is removed by security officials. The video drags on for nearly two and a half minutes and, at parts, is disturbing. As you can probably guess, the funniest part is when Meyer yells "Don't tase me, bro!" which is an odd choice of words for someone in his position. The video inspired a number of spoofs including a Britney Spears version and spin on an MC Hammer classic titled, Can't Tase Me. FHM ranked the original "Don't Tase Me" as #7.

5. Leave Britney Alone

I don't know a single person who didn't catch Britney Spears' VMA performance in one form or another. The performance attracted criticism of Britney's lip-synching, choice of costume and dancing skills. Chris Crocker, a 20-year-old from Tennessee, openly expressed his sadness about how Britney was ostracized. The video was posted on YouTube in September. To date, it has over 14 million views. The clip was ranked #1 by Time Magazine and #10 by FHM. According to Time Magazine, Crocker recently signed a deal for his own reality show.

4. Drunk Hasselhoff

An intoxicated David Hasselhoff reclines on the floor, eating a Wendy's cheeseburger, while his teenage daughter films him. The video leaked, launching Hasselhoff into Internet stardom. FHM ranked the video #6.

3. Brohemian Rhapsody

Popular among college students and nostalgic frat boys, Brohemian Rhapsody is a 6-minute epic video by the clever folks at College Humor. Watch it on YouTube or on College Humor in HD.

2. The Landlord

A recent addition to YouTube, this viral video was originally posted on FunnyorDie.com. Will Ferrell stars in this hilarious clip alongside director, Adam McKay's, daughter. The video has over 50 million views. Funny or Die recently posted a version featuring commentary by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. The original clip was ranked #2 by Time, #8 by New York Magazine and #2 by FHM.

1. Miss South Carolina Answers a Question (Time #3, FHM #3)

Answering a question in front of a live audience is certainly a daunting task. I'm sure that beauty pageant contestants of years past have cracked under pressure but in the age of viral video, the blunder can spread like wildfire. This video has over 20 million views on YouTube. My personal favorite is the version with subtitles, which has over 4 million views.