Dad, Put Down the Damn Camera

Mozart and I like to focus our writings on arts and entertainment. I want to look at something today that is definitely not art, and not really entertainment in a professional sense. It is, however, an American family tradition - the home video. The most famous disseminator of these clips is America’s Funniest Home Videos (AFV), now in its 19th season on ABC and is the longest-running primetime show in the channel’s history. People love these shows because it is the ultimate in reality TV - unscripted moments from the lives of average people (except for the few videos that were staged by a stay at home mom with too much time on her hands or an overly-doting father). One small complaint, though: who picks the three final videos? Without fail, those videos are the worst. I’ve never understood this and the dumbass producer who selects them should be relieved of his duties.

Now there is another source of funny home videos, YouTube. YouTube doesn’t filter out any of the thousands of stupid or annoying videos that are posted, so there is a lot to sort through if you are looking for a gem. A few truly funny clips do find notoriety though, gaining the status of "viral videos." The same general themes from the AFV shows are found on YouTube: animals, kids, old people, pranks and crotch shots. (No, not the kind you get from a B-list Hollywood actress, they’re on a different website).

I want to point out a couple videos that have arrived at viral video status, and both fall in the category of funny kids. First is "David After Dentist." A seven year old kid is just leaving the dentist after having oral surgery. The kid is still loopy from the gas and the dad jumps on the opportunity to film his son having a "bad trip." Bottom line, it’s hilarious stuff.



The second video is "Charlie Bit My Finger." Also kids, also funny. I don’t know why, but the accents make it even better. Enjoy.



All in all, home videos are an excellent source of cheap entertainment at the expense of someone else, especially true when it involves someone else taking a shot to the testicles.

-Butch Cassidy