Modern Family: Haley’s funniest moments, ranked

Deeya
Still from Modern Family (Image via Peacock)
Still from Modern Family (Image via Peacock)

Created by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, Modern Family, is a popular sitcom that features Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, and others. The show aired for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2020 and focuses on the lives of three interrelated family members in Los Angeles. The show is presented in a mockumentary style and the cast members speak directly to the camera in confessional interview segments. The show was a huge success, both critically and commercially and even won multiple Emmy awards. One of the most hilarious characters of the show is Haley Dunphy, played by Sarah Hyland, who is a simpleton when it comes to studies but loves partying, boys, and fashion. Here are 10 of Haley’s funniest moments.


When Haley fell for a younger boy, when Haley came back from prom, and other hilarious moments of Haley Dunphy from Modern Family, ranked

10. When Haley wanted her sister to get popular

Still from the show (Image via TBS)
Still from the show (Image via TBS)

Haley and her sister Alex, have a love-hate relationship in Modern Family. While Haley is the fashionista, Alex is the studious one. Although, Alex always envies Haley’s ability to be popular. In season 2, episode 4, therefore, Haley decides to give Alex some tips on becoming popular. Haley decides to become a cool girl called Mackenzie, who is making Alex run around and Alex hopes that by doing everything according to Mackenzie, she will also become popular. But Haley feels bad after some time and decides to tell her sister that she need to take some of the power back that she has given to Mackenzie. Hilariously, Haley mentions that there are two girl groups—cool girls and girls like Alex. And Alex can go from the former to the latter by being stern with Mackenzie and showing her her place. However, what Haley meant was that Alex can go from the latter to the former. The scene is funny and actually sweet as Haley teaches her sister to stand up for herself.


9. When Haley starts her own business

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

As the season progressed in Modern Family, viewers saw the evolution in Haley Dunphy and her maturity. However, there were still some moments that were true to Haley’s personality and made for a laugh. In season 8, episode 3, Haley comes to the house hungover in her characteristic style. When Claire asks if she would like some coffee, Haley mentions that she has been awake the whole night and needs a few hours of sleep. She also requests her family to not make any noise. Claire is still worried about whether Haley is searching for a job and Haley mentions that she has decided to start her own business. When Phil asks what kind of business, Haley replies that she promotes clubs and hookah bars through social media, along with some other girls. While Claire is worried about the nature of the job, Phil is more supportive and Haley even says that she made a good amount of money last night. Hilariously, Alex makes a comment about Haley’s dress and plays a pun upon the words hooker and hookah.


8. When Haley had to write a college essay

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

Haley Dunphy is that one character in Modern Family, who knows how to dress up and party hard but does not have a clue about studies and general life common sense. Most of the hilarious gags around her, revolve about her inability to process common sensical things and instead, being worried about boys, parties, and dressing up. In season 3, episode 7, Haley is worried about filling out her college essay and gets stumped by a question. She hurries to ask her mom and when Claire asks what the question is, Haley says that it revolves around the biggest obstacle she had to overcome in life. Hilariously, Haley mentions that she can think of an instance when her third-grade teacher mentioned that she had ADD. But Claire is quick to clarify that her teacher meant that she “couldn’t” ADD, and she put it that way because she knew you couldn’t SPELL. When Haley realizes this, it is a truly hilarious moment.


7. When Haley is hungover from prom

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

Haley Dunphy is the queen bee in Modern Family and there are some important moments in the life of a high school student that they don’t want to miss, especially Haley. One of those events is the prom night. While Haley does not care about any other event related to school life, she definitely does not wait to dress her best and have a gala time during prom night. In season 4, episode 1, Claire asks Alex about her prom and Alex being Alex, she talks about cleaning up after the event and becoming a teacher next year. However, Haley comes next and she makes quite an appearance. Hilariously, her hair is disheveled and she is clearly hungover. When Claire asks if she has been drinking, Haley smartly replies that they both know the answer and therefore, Claire should not bother asking. But when Claire insists to know, Haley says that she has not. However, the comedic scene does not end her as Haley’s boyfriend for the night, ends up staying at the Dunphy house and wakes up from the sofa and greets everyone—much to Claire’s horror who cannot fathom that Haley let a boy stay over.


6. When Haley did community service

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

In season 4, episode 9, Haley finds herself in yet another interesting and funny situation. Modern Family is a show that is full of laughs and comedy and this one about Haley is one of them. While Alex tries to record a video of Haley getting ready for community service, Claire and Phil request her to not do that as it might upset Haley even more. However, Haley dresses up glamorously for the event and is happy that she gets to wear orange, which suits her. In the next shot, it is revealed that Haley has to do community service because she was arrested for accidently assaulting a police officer when she fell on him. All of this happened because Haley was evading arrest for underage drinking. Hilariously, Haley is happy when the law enforcement officers let her go and only tell her to do community service. Haley says that she was let go easily because she does not have any prior criminal record. Phil immediately checks her about not being too proud about such a thing.


5. When Haley got a job

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

Even though Haley has not always been the brightest of the lot, she does have immense fashion knowledge, which has helped her find her voice and career. In season 6, episode 7, Haley arrives at Mr. Sinclaire’s office to get a job as a fashion assistant. However, Sinclaire is less than impressed with her and funnily enough, criticizes her appearance and her blog, which does not have an “edge”. But Haley is not one of those to take criticism lying down and she reminds Sinclaire that he should not hate “cutesy” because half of his clients at the Grammy’s were also just that—cute. Sinclaire says that she does have edge but she should direct it towards others. When he asks Haley if she can find out five fashion mistakes in his assistant’s outfit, Haley is quick to list out all five, leaving Sinclaire stumped and Haley even hilariously asks if she can point out the mistakes of Sinclaire’s outfit, proving viewers that Haley is not to be messed with.


4. When Haley acted like she got drunk for the first time

Still from the show (Image via TBS)
Still from the show (Image via TBS)

One of the most funnies moment of Modern Family happens when the whole family decides to celebrate Haley becoming an adult and now having the license to drink openly. The whole scene is funny as Haley and Gloria make fun of Claire who forced Haley to change her shirt twice and made her eat something before so that she does not get drunk. When Claire protests that she was just giving advice about fashion and casual drinks, Haley and Gloria make fun of that as well, leaving poor Claire to just laugh it off. However, the funniest part happens when all of them raise a toast to Haley’s first drink and even before the rest can finish, Haley is able to finish the whole drink at once. When everyone is surprised at her speed, Haley immediately says, “oh, it burns!”. This is hilarious because Haley is clearly acting to be a novice in front of others, while she already has years of drinking experience.


3. When Haley got a driver’s license

Still from the show (Image via TBS)
Still from the show (Image via TBS)

Modern Family is all about the small moments of celebration that each of the characters get to celebrate and the viewers get to watch. In season 1, episode 16, Haley is able to pass her driving test and happily announces the news to her mother and sister. She even has a document to prove it. However, the scene is hilarious because as soon as she gets off the car and jumps with joy, the car begins to move ahead on its own because she forgot to put it in parking. Looking at this Claire, immediately tells Haley to submit the document in the office, before her driving instructor changes his mind. Hilariously, the driving instructor is still in the car and he has to ultimately stop the vehicle. He is not impressed and the look on his face is comedic to say the least.


2. When Haley said more than she should have

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

In season 4, episode 7, Haley has been caught for evading arrest for underage drinking and for accidently injuring a police officer. During her discipline hearing, Haley is impressed by Phil’s speech earlier and begins to accept that she has no defense. She honestly mentions that she did drink even though she is underage and accidently harmed a police officer. Haley finally accepts that it is time she took some responsibility. While Phil and Claire look proudly at their daughter, they are in for a shock because Haley also begins to accept other things like the fact that she slips in her pinky finger in the dining hall when they weigh her salad. Hilariously, she also mentions that she has missed many morning classes as well. Her list of confessions gets hilariously problematic as she mentions that she has dated two teaching assistants. As Phil and Claire become uncomfortable, Haley also mentions that she lied on her application to get here. Hurriedly enough, Phil has to step in and stop Haley from blabbering. Towards the end of the scene, Haley even mentions the wrong mascot, which makes the whole scene extremely funny.


1. When Haley fell for a young boy

Still from the show (Image via Peacock)
Still from the show (Image via Peacock)

Haley from Modern Family is always on the lookout for good-looking boys and in season 1, episode 22, she falls for one. However, there is a twist. During a scene, Haley and a boy are sitting next to each other at an airport. Haley begins to have a crush on him and tries to impress him. The boy is drawing something and Haley asks him what it is. The boy simply replies that he is drawing a robot and there is a dinosaur behind him. The boy mentions that he is making a comic strip for a school project and Haley horrifyingly remembers that she had to do that as well when she was in eight grade. Haley therefore quickly realizes that the boy is an eight grader. The scene is hilarious and it is made even funnier when in the next shot, Alex begins to laugh hysterically when she learns that Haley fell for a 14-year-old. Alex makes fun of her sister by saying that “he’s my soulmate” and falls of the couch laughing.

Edited by Deeya