America's Funniest Home Videos

If you're wondering which show started off the video clip format, it's definitely this show!

It first started off as a one-off special in 1989 on ABC, with the late Bob Saget, who was already known for playing clean freak Danny Tanner on Full House. The special was highly rated that it became a weekly series a few months later in January 1990. Saget hosted the show until he left in 1997, 2 years after Full House was cancelled by ABC.

The show did return in a slightly new format with dual hosts: John Fugelsang & Daisy Fuentes. They hosted from 1998 until 1999, when left after 2 seasons.

AFV would be reduced to occasional specials until 2001, when it returned to a weekly series with a new permanent host. Tom Bergeron (the first era of AFV I was exposed to), known for hosting Hollywood Squares in syndication at the time before hosting Dancing with the Stars from its inaugural season 'til Season 29, is currently the longest-tenured host of AFV, hosting for 14 years until he left at the end of the show's 25th season.

Currently, as of Season 26, Alfonso Ribeiro is the host.

Your milage may vary on your favorite era of the show, but one thing remained the same, and that's the home videos (for the most part). So, congratulations AFV, and keep on laughing!

I admit, I am an AFV fan. I sometimes laugh so hard I cry, and I never miss it. If you like slapstick humor, this is very funny. But some of the clips sent in make me think- "What kind of a parent does this?"

For example, one clip was of a kid climbing a high tree and then falling down. In the background you hear the mother laughing. Shouldn't she be running over to see if her kid was okay? I would. Be concerned, don't show it to millions of viewers.

And some things are very unrealistic. For example, one clip was of a kid eating a sandwich in his kitchen, and then the dog jumped up and bit into it. Funny, but who really tapes their kid eating a sandwich? It looks planned to me. But who am I to say.

Another clip was of a 10-12 year old child picking their nose. Good for a laugh, but what kind of a parent embarrasses their child like that? It's all in good fun, but could you imagine millions of people watching you? All for a laugh?

Don't get me wrong- I like the show. It's one of my favorites. I just think that some of the clips aren't funny, or are mean.

7/10.

I used to like watching this show, when I was a mindless little tyke. Now that I am much older, I caught this on a TV rerun and thought to myself, "Is this supposed to be funny?". The videos that were sent in were funny, although much of them look as if they were staged. What made them unfunny and unentertaining was the gratuitous use of Bob Saget's voiceovers and music. I had to mute the TV to find the videos funny. My brothers and sisters never liked the show. Now that I am old enough, it's hard not to see why.

It has definitely declined from host to host. I believe Tom Bergeron and Bob Saget were iconic compared to having Carlton host.

The humor just seems more forced from the host and it's always the same acts that win.

America conflates cute with funny. Submit a cute baby video and you could win big.

The most funny acts hardly ever win or make it to the finals.

Eventually, I lost interest in viewing regularly for this reason....

It's a classic for it's earlier years, but I'd only recommend viewing if you have absolutely nothing else to watch

6/10- Michael I.

I registered just so I could reply with "mmm pointy" in regards to "See, you tune in expecting comedy, and walk away gagging yourself with a pointy stick." and furthermore I agree wholeheartedly. The only other thing I can think of regarding home videos and pictures is the infamous slide shows I remember people having in the 70's. The commentary is horrible, the Hollywood Squares yosh was bad, but nothing like Bob Saget! That dude sucked on, what was it, full house! Will people just laugh at anything or do they need some help with THC? It's also amazing at the good things they kill off and the crap they leave on the air for years on end. At least the Simpson's are still on...