Take the most consistently funny show on television, gather a bunch of clips from two of the most popular subjects from that show (kids and animals) and you have America’s Funniest Home Videos—Best of Kids and Animals.
I’m an animal clip man myself. I think dogs chasing laser pointers and cats getting sprayed with a water hose are funny. Good or bad, it still makes me laugh.
For what it’s worth, it must make others laugh, too. The show has been on the air for 16 seasons. I wrote a review of the first AFV collection four months ago. I received a good amount of feedback about the article, most of it about the psychology of the show. I heard comments to the effect of “people take pleasure in watching others’ misfortune.” To respond, let me just say that nothing truly terrible has ever been aired on the show. I suppose it depends on your perspective of what’s acceptable behavior. I happen to think it’s relatively harmless.
This three DVD box set includes something that the first AFV DVD set released earlier this year didn’t have (at least not more that a couple of minutes worth). That something is the genius of AFV’s original host Bob Saget! Genius may be pushing it, I know. I just wanted to stress that he’s part of the collection.
Here’s a rundown of what’s included in this three-disc set:
The first disc includes the classic episode “AFV Looks at Kids and Animals” and the 1997 $100,000 season finale, both hosted by Bob Saget.
The second disc contains “All Animal Extravaganza” and the 2004 $100,000 season finale, hosted by the Emmy-winning host Tom Bergeron.
The third disc is a departure from the kids and animals theme carried through the first two discs. The two-hour “Battle of the Best” episode (another Bergeron episode) is a sort of “greatest hits” (no pun intended) of clips from the first 12 years of the show’s history. And to spice it up, various B-list celebrities, including Coolio, Martin Mull, Picabo Street and the always annoying Kathy Griffin pick their favorite clips, with the audience voting on the best clip at the show’s conclusion. Personally, I could have done without the celebrity angle, but maybe there are a lot of “Fernwood 2Nite” fans who disagree with me.
All told, it’s about 222 minutes of family entertainment that most everyone can enjoy. You will enjoy it! The sweater-wearing poodle with masking tape stuck to her feet demands it!
Article comments
1 - alpha
222 minutes of Home Videos. Remember The Manchurian Candidate? This may be the answer to quick and cheap brainwashing of brain dead survivors of 222 minutes of this stuff. Boredom punctuated always by something scatalogical, vomiting, mooning someone, etc. Especially with kids (usually vomiting or urinating) and dogs doing what dogs do.
Here in Mexico it is Ay Caramba! and pleasing the peons doesn't improve it.
Keep your brain intact and just say no.
2 - -E
I just can't see the appeal in watching, let alone owning, a DVD full of strangers' home videos.
3 - sue patterson
We really enjoy unwinding on a friday night with AFV. The animal clips are our favorites!!! I do admit i do not see the humor in watching videos such as cats fight. It is not entertaining to me at all. I would rather see the camera person put the camera down & stop the fight. We are totally amazed at some of the vidoes that are nominated vs. the ones that are not. It appears the winners are chosen to benefit the kids and not because thy are deserving of having the funniest video. The winning video on Friday, March 10th was truly disqusting to me...it was the dog eating the bone atacking his back leg. It was obvious the dog had a problem (we also had a dog that had similiar seizures & was on medication for them). I found it pathetic that not only the audience but the family found this amuseing-(these people are raising children). We were totally shocked this video was given any recognition let alone was the chosen winner. I think the winnings should go to the animal behavioral specialist to help other pets with the similiar disorders. Maybe it would set a good example if the family was fined for animal neglect.