Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mix Tape (2020) Film Review

Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape is a curated mix tape of the work of one Kati Kelli, a YouTube content creator who tragically passed away in 2019 due to complications with ongoing health issues. The film also includes Kelli’s first and final short film, “Total Body Removal Surgery.” With a mix of surreal and dark humor, Kati Kelli carved out a unique, underappreciated space on the crowded video platform; a true outsider and visual artist born out of 2010’s online culture.

Title card for Girl Internet Show a Katy Kelli Mix Tape

A Glimpse Into Outsider Culture Cultivated Online

What is immediately striking about the mix tape for those being introduced to Kati Kelli for the first time is her wholly original approach to comedy. While slightly disingenuous to make the easy comparison of Tim and Eric’s various programs, this definition works as a starting point for touching on the absurdist humor reliant on editing and over-emphasis of the mundane. Where Kelli differentiates is more on shedding a light on superficiality through a female perspective; perhaps a byproduct of being raised in the social landscape of Los Angeles.

The mix-tape, which after browsing Kati Kelli’s YouTube channel, only offers a snippet of her body of work. Still, the range here is a rather glorious mix of both indulgence and creativity. Scenes are as simple as Keli dancing to techno music in her best wine mom apparel, to longer bits with recurring characters and props; Kelli often found humor in throwing around dolls and treating them as her children.

Still from Girl Internet Show a Kati Kelli Mix Tape

Both of these approaches have their humor, as there is something delightfully absurd in Kelli fake crying for an extended period while showing the running make-up over and over to the camera. Videos of this nature are so indulgent to the point of parody while also reflective of the online parasocial relationship which, for some, can border on being pornographic. Alternatively, Kelli doing a fake commercial for Costco with her hyper editing and dry delivery of singing its praises is peak absurdist humor. It is difficult to pick a favorite entry in the mix tape, as each shows a different side of Kati Kelli both as a creative and as a human.

A Reminder of What Was Lost

Each skit entertains, but the lead-up to Kelli’s first short film is where it really sinks in how much of a talent was lost with her passing. “Total Body Removal Surgery,” takes the absurd idea of removing your entire body, because #bodiesrgross, and becoming a sort of sentient being that can just transform into various items (we get to see a dude f** a lamp). Would it have launched Kelli into the realm of stardom? Not necessarily, but her niche appeal and unique approach to comedy undeniably had the potential to go onto greater notoriety and cult status.

Beyond Kati Kelli’s natural charm and infectious personality, what makes Girl Internet Show such a resounding success is how it highlights the evolution of outsider culture; from the streets and little clubs/bars into the modern era where artistic expression can be broadcast through the bedrooms of thousands. Of course, there is a degree of saturation and varying quality with online content, but Kati Kelli is exemplary of the most creative voices that were able to craft unforgettable and irreplicable videos in the confines of her home.

Still from Girl Internet Show A kati Kelli Mix Tape

This also gives a slightly tragic edge when considering how much of our content is now algorithm and AI-generated. Even Kati Kelli’s channel is destined to be buried to the point of obscurity in years to come instead of held up like the monument it should be. This reality not only faces all creators who try to make their mark online, but it also highlights how many profoundly talented people have likely fallen through the cracks. As such, Kati Kelli speaks for the countless outsiders out there, wanting to express themselves freely, fully embracing their eccentricities and not having to worry about algorithms or others’ expectations. Her work should be celebrated, even if her particular brand of humor does not align with your own.

Jane Schoenbrun and Jordan Wippell, who put together Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape, have not only done a wonderful service to the memory of the incredibly talented YouTube creator but have created a time capsule to the glory days of the internet where individuality could thrive. Anyone interested in the internet culture of the 2010s must absolutely check out Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape.

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