Without these YouTube videos, 2008 would just not have been the same. These sometimes shocking but always hilarious videos brought a welcome break from the abundance of not-so-great news that seemed keep building up all year (hello, economic crisis!) They also proved an extremely helpful tool for spreading news, such as campaign info for the Presidential election.

Let's take a trip down memory lane, with the Top Ten YouTube Videos of 2008, from Huffington Post. The videos are ranked by a combination of number of views, laugh factor, and newsworthiness.

10. Everybody Knows Who Sarah Silverman Is F***ing

The epitome of viral video. I can't think of a single person who hasn't seen this video.




9. Yes We Can

will.i.am's "Yes We Can" won the election for Obama, if you believe some of the fluffier journalism during the campaign.

8. You Can Vote However You Like

Ron Clark Academy's take on T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" was inspired, though not as bi-partisan as it could have been. Case in point - "McCain's the best candidate/With Palin as his running mate."




7. Tom Cruise On Tom Cruise: Scientologist

Gawker took a risk by posting this video, which is supposed to be for Scientological eyes only, but it eventually made its way on to YouTube. Worth watching for Cruise's declaring, "We are the authorities on the mind."

6. Andy Samberg, King Of YouTube

Was Andy Samberg responsible for YouTube's $1.5 billion sale? Probably not, but he certainly didn't hurt the site's value with "Lazy Sunday" in 2005. Since then, his videos are generally YouTube stars... depending on how long NBC leaves them on the site.




5. Star Wars According To A Three-Year-Old

Good thing she didn't try to explain any of the newer movies. Three-year-olds always miss the nuanced drama of Galactic Senate procedural votes.




4. Corey Won't Take Off His Sunglasses

The Australian teen who threw a huge party at his parents' house while they were away bucked the cliche by being completely unrepentant, profiting from the debacle, and having a pierced nipple.




3. Drunk History

Technically posted a week before 2008, Drunk History made its way around the web early in the year and spawned three subsequent volumes. Michael Cera is sometimes criticized for only having one character, but anyone who's ever read Gore Vidal's Burr knows that Alexander Hamilton really was that awkward.




2. Indian Baby Toss Ritual

Name says it all.




1. O'Reilly Does It Live

This leaked video from Bill O'Reilly's early days at Inside Edition solidified speculation that America's newsman had more than a bit of a temper. As the video gained popularity, Stephen Colbert filmed his inevitable parody, which can also be seen below.

Wow, some of these seem a lot older than a year... it's been a long 2008! What was your favorite of all these clips?