If you have no idea what's going on in the chat, the key is sticking around for a while. You might not understand all the random that happens, but if you hang out, if you come by just to lurk, you'll get that a lot of it is inside jokes. You'll be in on them the more time you spend in the IRC. I didn't get it when I first came by either, but now I make it a point to stop by at least everyday. You meet awesome people you'd never have the chance to talk to otherwise, and the randomness seems a lot less random the more time you spend hanging out.
Just jump in! Even if what you have to say is more random then what we say, or if you have no idea what's up, just say so. Anyone and everyone is welcome in the IRC. It's a bowl of utter hilarity, what with me coming by drunk and rambling about Wes Borland, the Spoons and Laura Show, Lindsey mixing drinks in the bar for Five by Five and Willy and Lou being...Willy and Lou. We're not haters, even though I like to say otherwise. 😉
Anyway, I voted that I love the IRC. When there are people about, it's a good time to be had by all. And when things get dead, there's always a good round of trivia to cure the lack of funneh. 😀