Years before social feeds, a crudely animated Christmas card hopped inbox to inbox. South Park’s underground “Spirit of Christmas” short became one of the web’s first true viral videos and announced that Comedy Central would be participating at the center of Internet culture. The show’s momentum carried into South Park Studios, which put full episodes and clips online early and trained fans to expect next-day streaming and lines built to be quoted. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart turned news into a civic habit you watched and then immediately posted, a pattern The Webbys Awards recognized in 2008 and again throughout Trevor Noah’s tenure and Stewart’s return in 2025. Stephen Colbert pushed the bit even further. He mobilized Facebook armies, gleefully “Google-bombed” Wikipedia, and accepted Webby Person of the Year in 2008 with the iconic and appropriate five-word speech: “Me, me, me, me, me.” Broad City jumped from web series to network hit. Key & Peele, Inside Amy Schumer, and the Comedy Central Roasts turned sketches and specials into viral tentpoles. Named Webby Media Company of the Year in 2021, Comedy Central’s legacy is clear: it helped make the Internet itself comedy’s central stage.

NOTABLE WINS

Colbert Nation (2010)

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (2008)

Comedy Central’s Indecision (2013)

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The 30th Annual Webby Awards is Open

Earning a Webby Award can take your company to new heights, but only if you participate. Submit work in the 30th Annual Webby Awards by the Early Entry Deadline on Friday, October 24, 2025 for best pricing.