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So did you ever
think that the old video of your Aunt Mabel
tripping down the stairs, then falling into
a birthday cake that was sitting on a skateboard
only to wind up in the lake in the backyard
could possibly win you $10,000, let alone
$100,000? Well I never did, which was probably
the biggest mistake I ever made in the 25
years I’ve watched “America’s
Funniest Home Videos.”
The series began back in 1990, setting the
stage for countless knockoffs. The original
host was comedian Bob Saget, and every time
I watched an episode I felt sooooo sorry
for him. Saget was an exceptional standup
comic, who I saw live several times. On
stage he was hysterically funny, on the
show the poor guy had to deliver bad joke
after bad joke, so much so that it became
a staple of the series. He left in 1997
and was replaced by John Fugelsang and Daisy
“can I be any more of a ditz”
Fuentes. Fortunately, their reign was short
and in 2001, Tom Bergeron took over.
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“America’s Funniest Home Videos”
has become somewhat of an institution, and it
only seemed like a matter of time before someone
would have the wherewithal to actually release
these videos on, well… home video. This
month marks the release of the first full DVD
set for the series, though it opts not to go season
by season. This first set is billed as Volume
1, and is comprised of 12 episodes from the 2001
season as well as the 2-part 300th episode that
aired in 2003.
One might ask “Why would anyone want a collection
of “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
on DVD?” Well, the answer is simple. Not
only was the series wildly funny, not so much
for the hosts, but for the incredibly ridiculous
antics of people around the world. Whether the
videos are staged (usually not quite as funny)
or accidents, there was no end to the laughs on
any given episode. Then there’s the voyeuristic
side of the coin, which for me relishes seeing
just how stupid some people really are in their
natural habitat. There’s just nothing quite
like seeing small children cause intense pain
to their parent’s private areas to make
for an evening of smiles.
Of course, that still doesn’t entirely answer
the question as to ownership of the series. I
think the best part about having the set is marking
those particular videos that you deem the funniest
(even if you don’t agree with the judges)
to show your friends and family. Heck I used to
video tape them so I could do that. Now I don’t
have to.
Shout Factory is the little devil behind this
release, and as such I thought there might be
a little more in the way of extra features. After
all, even being new to the DVD market, their releases
of “Freaks & Geeks”, “Home
Movies” and “Miracles” have
been terrific. However, there are no extras on
this set. But in their defense, what kind of extra
features WOULD you have for “America’s
Funniest Home Videos”… scripts of
the monologues? More videos? I feel that what
there is on the set is good enough.
Starring: Tom Bergeron
Extras: 300th Episode
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Shout Factory!
Release Date: 7/26/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
We'll give America's Funniest Home Videos: Volume
1 a B.
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