Candid Camera

. . . if someone, somewhere comes up to you and says: SMILE, you're on Candid Camera!"

Is it possible that this longest-running show in tv history celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1996? As of this writing, the show's up for its 60th in just a couple of years.

The original reality-tv show, this one's been offering its good-natured fun for generations. It's extremely positive, delightfully entertaining, and awesomely creative. Imagine coming up with a host of different gag set-ups every week. No wonder they've taken to soliciting ideas from viewers.

Alan Funt carried the show along brilliantly through decades, passing the torch to son Peter, who's obvisously inherited dad's penchant for good-natured humor. In 2000 Dina Eastwood (Clint's real-life wife) became co-host, and the two (as of 2004) are merrily carrying forth each week.

I find myself taping each show, and playing it back various times during the week, just for smiles, chuckles and laughs. What a wonderful, warm, show it is! What good sports people are as their leg's being pulled. And what fun it is when they're told they're "on camera."

This has to be one of my favorite tv show of all time. Bravo, "Candid Camera!" May you continue forever!

I remember the earlier two incarnations of Candid Camera as well as the short-lived five-day-a-week that was hosted by Dom DeLuise and with Peter Funt picking up where his father/creator Allen left off, it's still a very funny show. Candid Camera still caught ordinary people "in the act of being themselves" in strange situations.

It was also great to see vintage candid clips with Allen Funt, especially the one with the talking mailbox. To me, his best work was when he interviewed kids and that was also part of the show's success. Let's not forget the addition of Peter Funt's co-host, Suzanne Somers, who added a lot to the proceedings.

Hopefully some day, the show will be back on any network, where once again hear someone say "Smile! You're on Candid Camera!"

I really enjoyed "Candid camera" with Dom DeLuise and I was surprised to see that after the years Suzanne Somers have becomed the co-star of the show. But that was the only positive side of the show - the whole studio, the intro, the hosts - all that give the new meaning to the word "pompous".

Well, that would be OK if the materials weren't so cr*ppy - I mean come on, the best you can do is show few men that have problem with getting ketchup out of the bottle, Suzanne Somers walking with Halloween basket in July, ice cream place that sells only vanilla...? I've seen few episodes and each time it was horrible. They were posing like it's the greatest show ever and then fill the time with scenes so dull that I really felt embarrassed to watch. Even the people in them looked bored and that just can't be good.

One of the commenters has stated that this show is approaching its 60th year. This should tell you a lot about the cruelty of human nature and how so many of us get a kick out of seeing someone degraded on national TV. I'm aware that the "marks" have to sign a release form consenting to the airing of the segment in which they appear, but this doesn't tell me that these people are good-natured sports. It simply re-enforces the fact that some people will do ANYTHING to be on national TV.

I have as much of a sense of humor as anyone, but it doesn't extend to watching people being made to look like idiots, and it never will. If this show or anything like it comes on TV and I can change the channel, I will. Otherwise I'll leave the room.

How funny would it be if one of the "marks" became so stressed-out that he had a fatal heart attack on camera? I think the crew would just keep filming and hope they could get the consent of the family. I can't see how anyone except someone with a sadistic streak a mile wide could honestly enjoy watching people be pranked and made fools of. Personally, I believe that Allen Funt was a cruel individual- and so is anyone who enjoys this garbage.

This is an updated version of Allen Funt's classic TV show Candid Camera, hosted by Allen's son, Peter. You get to see numerous takes of people being filmed in the most usual situations - my favorite being a guy who thought he traveled to a different airport, only to be told he was on Candid Camera.

As the IMDb summary says, there are gags ranging from malfunctioning gadgets to disappearing objects, and strangers making odd requests. Funny stuff here and the humor is presented very well - great to see the people's surprises when they are told they were on camera. Funt does a nice job hosting, as does his co-host, Suzanne Somers.

It's nice show for some light-hearted family entertainment and a good one to cheer you up.

Grade B+