America's Funniest Home Videos

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.

I was amazed of how many unsatisfied comments there were for AFHV. This is one of the few shows that ever got me and my family together. This is one of those special shows that bring the family together and spend some quality time. There are some very funny things that happen. I have to agree that some of the videos aren't funny. But there were plenty to make up for it. I don't like seeing things get hurt when they could be severely hurt. But what was sent in never bothered me. I still enjoy this show even though I'm grown up. And I am more mature than most other people my age. As for Bob Sagat. I don't think he's a bad host. He isn't the best, but he has a few that are funny. This is a high quality family get together show. It's better than some of the shows of today.

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.

This was TV's first true "reality show," and boy, was it a doozy! It must have been a revolutionary concept at the time; but now, twelve years later, it's become lodged in our cultural consciousness.

But enough content analysis. This show was great! Where else could people win thousands of dollars for sharing their embarrassing moments with the entire country? And host Bob Saget was the icing on the cake. The video clips just wouldn't have been as funny without his zany voiceovers, in which he imitated everybody from Jerry Lewis to Sylvester Stallone. We usually saw him as "straight man" Danny Tanner on "Full House," so it was cool to see him be goofy for a change.

Many people have condemned this show for being mean-spirited and exploitative. That is a very unfair accusation. Obviously the producers at ABC got permission to use the tapes sent in by the people in them, and you could tell from the audience's reaction that it was always in good fun. And if you can't laugh at yourself getting whacked in the crotch by a golf club, how are you supposed to laugh at the antics of the Three Stooges or Itchy and Scratchy?

Kudos to this show, which proved once and for all that real life could be more hilarious than any Hollywood comedy. I just wish that Bob hadn't turned the reins over to Daisy Fuentes and John Fugelsang.

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!