A video compilation featuring pop star Ariana Grande, designed as a “Try Not to Laugh Challenge,” resurfaced online this month, gaining renewed attention eight years after its initial release. The video, originally published on November 15, 2017, by a user named arianachanels on YouTube, has garnered over 35,000 views as of February 23, 2026.
The challenge format presents viewers with a series of clips intended to elicit laughter, with the goal of remaining stoic throughout. The video’s renewed circulation comes amidst a broader trend of “Try Not to Laugh” content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. A similar video, featuring comedic performances, was posted on TikTok in July 2025 by @ardstandup, accumulating 23.7 million likes and 195,200 comments.
While the Grande video itself does not address current events, its resurgence coincides with a period of increased digital content consumption and the popularity of short-form video challenges. BatikAir Mag, in its November 2025 issue, highlighted coffee culture, a seemingly unrelated development, but indicative of the diverse content vying for attention online.
The original YouTube video’s description remains minimal, offering no additional context beyond the challenge’s premise. Google LLC retains copyright over the platform and its content as of 2026, according to the video’s end screen information.
A separate academic paper, published in 2010 and available through the National Academic Digital Library of Ethiopia, explores themes of laughter and violence in Israeli cinema, noting instances where laughter is juxtaposed with depictions of conflict. While unrelated to the Ariana Grande video, the paper underscores the complex cultural significance of laughter as a response to challenging or provocative stimuli.
