From Dorm Room to Dropout: A History of CollegeHumor
The birth, death, rebirth, and death of an OG internet media brand
If you’re an “elder Millennial” like me, there were a few iconic websites (outside of the social networks) that shaped your early interactions with the internet - Wikipedia, eBaum’s World, Homestar Runner and CollegeHumor.
CollegeHumor, which still exists to this day on the Dropout streaming service, has had a surprisingly long and winding history. From its humble beginnings in a college dorm room to navigating the turbulent waters of corporate ownership, it's a tale of laughter, adaptation, and ultimately, reinvention. As of September, CollegeHumor has retired its brand name and fully leaned into its new identity as Dropout.
Dorm Room Origins (1999-2006):
In 1999, Josh Abramson and Ricky Van Veen launched CollegeHumor.com during their freshman year of college. Back then, the internet was a wilder, woolier place, and CollegeHumor quickly gained a following as a collection of sophomoric articles, photos and videos.
The CollegeHumor homepage in 2001 (source: the wayback machine)
Their entrepreneurial spirit didn't stop there. In November 2004, they launched Vimeo, a portmanteau of 'video' and 'me', and also started BustedTees, a novelty clothing line.
While Vimeo lost the battle YouTube for dominance of online video, CollegeHumor leaned into the space with original comedy clips, led by Sam Reich who joined the company as director of original content.
IAC Acquisition (2006):
Fast forward to 2006, and CollegeHumor was attracting more than 6 million monthly unique users and generating more than 200 million monthly page views. The site caught the eye of media giant Barry Diller - Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp acquired 51% of CollegeHumor for a reported $20 million. It was the “first site to join IAC Programming, launched earlier that year to buy and build branded online content properties that engage passionate communities.”
Corporate Comedy (2006-2020):
Under IAC's ownership, CollegeHumor kept producing viral content, yet the landscape began to change. The site shifted towards more mainstream, advertiser-friendly humor. This shift brought creative limitations to popular series like "Jake and Amir." Additionally, CollegeHumor ventured into television with "The CollegeHumor Show," a brief foray that highlighted the difficulties of adapting online comedy to TV. However, other television projects like "Adam Ruins Everything" found greater success. This success suggested that shorter, digital shows could potentially be reformatted for TV and sold to cable networks. In 2010, they also introduced Dorkly, a sister site focused on nerd culture.
The CollegeHumor homepage in 2010 (source: the wayback machine)
The company's growing reliance on platforms like YouTube and Facebook posed challenges, eventually leading to CollegeHumor.com redirecting to its YouTube channel (a decision which I’m sure stung even more given the Vimeo connection). The need to align with IAC's advertising goals and navigate YouTube's content moderation policies further complicated matters for CollegeHumor.
In 2018, aiming to reduce their dependency on external platforms and advertising, CollegeHumor launched its own streaming service, Dropout.
IAC Pulls the Plug and The Rise of Dropout (2020-Present):
The challenges crystallized in 2020 as IAC decided to step back from CollegeHumor.
Sam Reich, then Chief Creative Officer, acquired the company amidst significant layoffs. The company downsized drastically, with Brennan Lee Mulligan of "Dimension 20" as one of the few creatives remaining.
CollegeHumor emerged from this period entirely focused on Dropout, its subscription-based platform, allowing for more creative freedom and the development of content that was true to Sam’s vision. Shows like "Dimension 20" and "Game Changer" found a dedicated audience, although one far afield from the original.
In September, coinciding with Dropout's five-year anniversary, Sam announced the decision to retire the CollegeHumor brand name, signaling the company's evolution. In the video announcing this transition, founders Josh and Ricky made an appearance, endorsing the new direction. Today, CollegeHumor lives on as a legacy brand within Dropout, while still featuring many cast members from its IAC days across various current shows. This transition from a modest dorm room project to a corporate entity and back to its origins highlights the resilience and adaptability of creative content in the digital era.
In an interview with Variety, Reich said that “we’re in the mid-hundreds of thousands [of subscribers] and growing,” meaning that, at $5.99/month, Dropout is likely generating at least $30m in subscription top-line, three years after its resurrection.
So, when you see someone wearing a Dropout hoodie, it represents more than just a comedy platform. It symbolizes a piece of internet history and the ongoing journey of a brand that has adapted, survived, and flourished in an ever-changing digital landscape.