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Candid Camera

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TV Series

The Resume

    TV comedy series where hidden cameras film the responses of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances
    Produced by Allen Funt (1948-92) and his son Peter (1992-2004)
    Broadcast line-up:
    ABC (1948-49)
    NBC (1949-51; 1983)
    Syndication (1951-54; 1974-79; 1991-92)
    'The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar' (1954-59)
    'The Gary Moore Show' (1959-60)
    CBS (1960-67; 1987-88; 1996-2001)
    PAX (2001-04)
    Most successful version of the show was the 1960-67 run co-hosted by Allen Funt and Durward Kirby
    Spawned two movies: ' What Do You Say to a Naked Lady?' (1970) and 'Money Talks' (1972)
    Series catchphrase: 'Smile, you're on Candid Camera!'

Why Candid Camera might be annoying:

    Not everyone liked pranks/practical jokes pulled on them (some victims refused to have their segments broadcast).
    Some segments were heavily 'bleeped' due to victim's wide variety of cuss words.
    In the 'beating a dead horse' department, the series never came close to its 1960s ratings heyday, yet broadcast for four more decades.
    Allen Funt stated in his biography how much he loathed Dom DeLuise as host for the 1991-92 run, saying he didn't understand the 'spirit of the show.'
    Suzanne Somers tried to revive her career as co-host of the late 1990s version of the show with Peter Funt, without much success.
    A 2001 airport prank gone awry injured a man (bruised thigh), who sued and was awarded $300,000 by a jury in punitive damages, half of which Peter Funt had to pay personally.

Why Candid Camera might not be annoying:

    Allen Funt's vision of what amounts to the very first reality TV show started a year earlier (1947) as a radio program titled 'Candid Microphone.'
    One early segment of the show involved former President Harry S. Truman walking down the street, stopping to ask the time from random folks and gaging their response.
    Woody Allen was one of the writers for the show in the 1960s, not only thinking up bits but participating in several of them as well.
    Other famed folks who appeared as themselves in segments from the 1960s include Muhammad Ali and Buster Keaton.
    From 1960-64 the show ranked in the Top 10 of the Nielsen ratings, with the 1962-63 season ranked second, surpassed only by 'The Beverly Hillbillies.'
    The show obviously had staying power and audience appeal, otherwise it wouldn't have lasted 38 seasons on air.
    If you like reality TV in general and hidden camera prank shows such as 'TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes,' 'Punk'd' and 'Scare Tactics' in particular, you have 'Candid Camera' to thank, the granddaddy of them all.

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 17 Votes: 41.18% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 75 Votes: 48.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 13 Votes: 38.46% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying