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Stuff All People Like - Reggie Watts

You remember the website Stuff White People Like?

It was created when the Internet was simpler, and nicer, and less vulgar...

06.13.12 | By: Mark Lukach

You remember the website Stuff White People Like?

It was created when the Internet was simpler, and nicer, and less vulgar. It poked fun at the “unique taste of millions,” and although its hey day is clearly gone, it produced content all the way up to 2011, with claims that white people like the World Cup, and Conan O’Brien, and vests.

The last addition to the official list is the TED Conference. For those that don’t know what the TED Conference is, here’s how it’s described at Stuff White People Like:

“The TED Conference is an invite-only affair that brings together the smartest minds from around the world to share their knowledge and wisdom with the attendees…These talks are like college lectures, except that they are free to listen, shorter, and white people aren’t hung over and pretending to listen.”

Tongue-in-cheek or not, this pretty much nails the TED Conference right on the head.

And then there was the time that Reggie Watts performed at the TED Conference.

Reggie Watts is a musician and a comedian. I’m not talking about the Dana Carvey, Chopping Broccoli variety of musical comedy, but the absurdist, esoteric, human-beatbox variety. In his live shows he improvises his way through an assortment of personas, and mixes in rhythmic vocal tracks and a cappella singing. It’s kind of like the kid who chatters to himself incoherently on the school bus, but if that kid was a grown up, with a huge afro, and is a genius.

Reggie starts his TED Talk in Spanish, then French, then moves into this British accent to spit out some of the most bizarre, non-sensical pseudo-intellectual garbage. It is incredible. And it’s ironic, too, which is great because Irony is #50 on the list of Stuff that White People Like. Watts is clearly making fun of TED talks while giving a TED talk. It’s brilliant.

The thing about Reggie Watts, and this is a full-disclosure warning, is that after you watch one of his videos, you want to watch all of his stuff online. You kind of need to see more of the performances, which defy description. So get ready to lose a few hours of your time.

The other thing about Reggie Watts is that he’s not on the list of Stuff White People Like. I think his appeal is broader. He belongs on Stuff All People Like.

More: Check out Reggie Watts’ homepage to see his upcoming tour schedule, see his photos, and see more videos. Gizmodo also did a piece on the equipment that Reggie uses that is pretty darn cool. Photo #1 via megan mcisaac and #2 and #3 from ReggieWatts.com