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.

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 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...

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.

I think this show was really cool when Bob Saget was the host. Bob Saget did a good job. Daisy and John, don't get me started there. THEY SUCK. Their jokes are SOOO Corny, "good news, bad news" HAHAHA-- not. The Tom guy though.. never heard of him except on here. I think this show should be cancelled, or at least get Saget back!!!