ADVERTISEMENT

We all know very well that things in this world tend to backfire. Call it a law of nature, a frequent twist of fate, or destiny. “Look who’s laughing now” is a phenomenon that has happened to virtually every one of us, and no matter what you do, it repeats again and again, and again.

The Reddit community “There Was An Attempt” is dedicated to precisely the comic absurdity of all the attempts in life that went against the plan, or turned in the wrong direction. Created in August 2015, the subreddit now has 1.9m members that are not immune to the funny attempts that “were there.”

“People enjoy the slapstick comedy of it. At the end of the day, everyone is laughing,” the subreddit’s moderator told Bored Panda in the interview that you can read in full below. And now we leave the stage to the ensued hilarity.

You May Also Like:
#2

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

To Complain About A Child Selling Hot Dogs

reddit.com Report

Bored Panda spoke to redditor u/F4T4-M0RG4N4, the moderator of the r/ThereWasAnAttempt subreddit, who said that the community has evolved a lot since it was created 5 years ago.

“When I first joined the team, it was mostly a screenshot sub. A few months back, there was some drama about how there were only three mods who ran the subreddit (which at the time had around a million members).” As a result, they invited more people to join the moderator team and removed the screenshot posts.

#5

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

To Make Speaking 2 Languages Sophisticated

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#6

To Sound Literate

To Sound Literate

reddit.com Report

For those who’re wondering what, precisely, “there was an attempt” refers to, u/F4T4-M0RG4N4 explained that it’s basically about “someone attempting something but ultimately failing.”

Conceptually, it’s similar to “if someone tried jumping off a trampoline into a pool but when they tried to jump, the trampoline tore. In that case, you could say, 'Well... there was an attempt, at least' and that’s where our subreddit comes into play.”

The posts are mainly about “some people having a dumb idea, trying out that idea, and failing.” This misery is what makes it so funny. 

#7

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

To Prevent The Homeless From Sleeping Here

reddit.com Report

#8

To Start Cat Racing

To Start Cat Racing

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jihana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is just adorable 🤣 Also: why would you think a cat would get out of a box?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

To Prove That Patton Oswalt Is A Failed Comedian

To Prove That Patton Oswalt Is A Failed Comedian

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT

Today, the moderator team only allows video submissions and cross-posts, “which are posts that were in one subreddit but were reposted to another (kind of like retweeting.” This format works better for r/ThereWasAnAttempt, since screenshots can more easily become reposts, for one.

Especially when there’s one similar subreddit that’s specifically for social media clapbacks and comebacks, but its content mainly features screenshots.When it comes to their 1.9 million member count, the moderator said that “I don’t think we have the exact same post frequency as, say, a meme subreddit.”

Partly, it’s because it isn’t easy to repost something from r/ThereWasAnAttempt. “I could probably look at the new section for r/memes and see quite a few frequent reposts.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#14

To Shame Atheists And Take Away Their Holidays

To Shame Atheists And Take Away Their Holidays

reddit.com Report

#15

I Mean... You Tried..?

I Mean... You Tried..?

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Steve Barnett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Having Voldemort trying to kill him at every opportunity finally took its toll on Harry Potter'

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

To Arrest A “Drug Dealer

To Arrest A “Drug Dealer

reddit.com Report

#18

To Make Fun Of A Bird

To Make Fun Of A Bird

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
DforDory
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least he realised it. If you can't laugh at yourself, you're doomed.😁

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

To Shame Men

To Shame Men

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#22

To Convince People To Be Pro-Life

To Convince People To Be Pro-Life

ZedU_KOh Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you got a tiny Voldemort in your womb, abortion might not be the worst idea.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

To Defend God

To Defend God

reddit.com Report

#25

To Be Racist

To Be Racist

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Queen fhk
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Am proudly a Muslim just like a Christian proudly a Christian and also like an atheist who is proudly an atheist!!!!!!! It's our believe when people think about freedom of speech, they forget about hurting other people's religion, but when we stand for our rights we are themed as paranoid. Just leave us alone, stop looking for trouble which you wouldn't get and exercise Human Rights fairly not partially degrading other people's religion. I quote everyone is different yet you try to make everyone the same religion, race, tribe all " Differences matters, yet that makes us who we are, denying our differences is denying the truth " I am A PROUD MUSLIM, it's me not you allow me to practice my religion in peace and stop popnosing on my affairs, everyone deserves right to religion just as u think!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

To Suggest A New Idea

To Suggest A New Idea

MatthewKeysLive Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Flawless! And you should be able to make a audio contact with other people in real time so you can tell them, instead of typing a message for them.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

To Eat A Mozzarella Stick

To Eat A Mozzarella Stick

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#32

To Replace I'm Sorry With Thank You

To Replace I'm Sorry With Thank You

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Charlotte
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But actually this is a technique I used in customer service. For example when you put a customer on hold to go get more info, you ask them if they’re happy to wait. When you get back you thank them for waiting. If you say “sorry for the wait” it suggests you did something wrong, when really you were just doing your job. It leaves a different impression on the customer and genuinely impacts satisfaction.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

To Prove How Unfashionable These Jeans Were

To Prove How Unfashionable These Jeans Were

reddit.com Report

#35

To Provide Front, Side, And Rear Photos For The Car Insurance Rep

To Provide Front, Side, And Rear Photos For The Car Insurance Rep

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#37

To Get A Cardi B Tattoo

To Get A Cardi B Tattoo

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Some Cool Guy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never realized that there is a level of messed up that someone would want to get an Anne Frank tattoo on your damn FACE

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#39

To Display Plus Size Clothes Without Causing Offence

To Display Plus Size Clothes Without Causing Offence

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Roger Haywood
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Considering that there are no plus sized mannequins, I think its good improv. (I'm on the larger size myself, and I'm nowhere near offended)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#40

To Stand Up For The Joker

To Stand Up For The Joker

kigucunt Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Welcome to the Internet, where you can be offended by literally everything,

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#42

To Fuck The Police

To Fuck The Police

reddit.com Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#47

To Criticize A Garbage Man

To Criticize A Garbage Man

reddit.com Report

Add photo comments
POST
Sanne H.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t know how it’s in other countries, but here in NL apparently it’s one of the best paid low-education jobs available. A friend of mine did it as a student job while in university and apart from the smell he was quite happy with it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#48

To Be A Professional Company

To Be A Professional Company

mckenziedenisee Report

Add photo comments
POST
Pamela24
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All that's gonna do is make more people drive drunk. If Uber is so concerned about people throwing up in their cars or being violent (which is understandable) they should charge a deposit and/or allow the drivers to have pepper spray or something to defend themselves if necessary (not guns!).

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#49

To Create 3 Mexican Countries

To Create 3 Mexican Countries

reddit.com Report

#50

To Hide

To Hide

reddit.com Report

Note: this post originally had 150 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.