.
While this might not seem political to some people, in today’s political atmosphere it is highly relevant.
Allen Funt first created the ABC radio network’s program "Candid Microphone", which premiered in 1947. When the program moved to ABC television in 1948 the title was changed to "Candid Camera."
“Candid Camera” was at its most popular from 1960 to 1967 while broadcast on CBS television. Most of us over the age of 60-65 remember Candid Camera as a part of the “Garry Moore Show”, and Funt’s closing words were always, “Don't be surprised if someone steps up to you and says, 'Smile, you're on Candid Camera,' “ followed by “People caught in the act of being themselves.”
Of course, “Candid Camera” was designed for a more sensitive and naive audience than Americans are today. The innocent practical jokes played on unsuspecting victims in the 1960s elicited comical reactions, and in some instances, reactions that were heartwarming.
In the twenty-first century, the same show wouldn’t get past the initial proposal let alone selling a pilot. However, Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Who Is America?” on the “Showtime” has taken the “Candid Camera” format and updated it to provide the victims’ humiliation and drama today’s American audience requires in its “reality “ shows.
But Cohen doesn’t limit his targets the “person in the street” as did Allen Funt, Cohen also victimizes the influential and individuals with “name recognition”.
In addition to segments featuring average Americans, videos of more famous “subjects” have included former “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel, former vice president Dick Cheney, former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Roy S. Moore, the former Alabama chief justice and Senate candidate, and other current and former legislators like Republican Jason Spencer, a representative in Georgia’s state legislature.
Some examples of “Who Is America?” involve a man in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank hanging off one of the handles (Cohen) arriving at the home of Ted Koppel, who took pity on the man until he began arguing with Koppel about the size of the idiot trump’s inauguration crowd. Koppel responded by asking the crew to leave and telling them, “This is a waste of time.”
Cheney’s reaction to Cohen’s character’s “interview” was to autograph a “waterboard kit” (a water jug, later put up for sale on eBay).
Bernie Sanders was confronted by Cohen disguised as a man who had a “plan” to move every American into the 1 percent. Sanders was less embarrassed for listening to the man’s ridiculous “plan” than he was bewildered by the strange situation.
Then there is Jason Spencer, and as Allen Funt would say, he was “caught in the act of being himself.” Cohen, this time posing as an Israeli security expert, asked for Spencer’s participation in an “anti-terrorism” video being filmed by an Israeli agency.
With some gentle urging by the “security expert" (Cohen), suggesting Spencer drop his drawers to scare off homophobic terrorists and scream “one forbidden word” starting with the letter “n” in order to add to their fear, and with Nazism now acceptable to display with the permission, no, with the encouragement by the idiot trump, Spencer quickly went full-on racist.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Spencer began strutting back and forth hanging his bare a$$ out for all to see while shouting the n-word. This continued until he was informed by the “security agent" (Cohen) that, actually, the forbidden word is “nooni.”
If Spencer was truly convinced Cohen was, indeed, an Israeli security expert, he should have at least asked what the forbidden “n” word was that was certain to scare the sh!t out of Islamic terrorists, homophobic or not. He should NOT have automatically and repeatedly screamed, “ni...", well, you know.
Spencer’s reaction shows how eager the idiot trump’s mindless minions are to show their ignorance and intolerance.
Sadly, Showtime and Cohen’s “Who Is America?” are helping expose to the world how a large number of United States’ white citizens no longer deserve respect. And making citizens in other countries wonder if such Americans ever did.
Naturally, the vast majority of the idiot trump’s voting base will blame Cohen. But he is just the messenger, it’s the idiot trump and his fans creating the message. And Cohen easily can be stopped, just quit allowing yourselves to be “caught in the act of being yourselves”, instead, act like responsible, caring adults.
'Candid Camera' Creator Allen Funt Dies
Georgia Leaders Condemn Jason Spencer, Lawmaker Who Used Slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen Show
.
While this might not seem political to some people, in today’s political atmosphere it is highly relevant.
Allen Funt first created the ABC radio network’s program "Candid Microphone", which premiered in 1947. When the program moved to ABC television in 1948 the title was changed to "Candid Camera."
“Candid Camera” was at its most popular from 1960 to 1967 while broadcast on CBS television. Most of us over the age of 60-65 remember Candid Camera as a part of the “Garry Moore Show”, and Funt’s closing words were always, “Don't be surprised if someone steps up to you and says, 'Smile, you're on Candid Camera,' “ followed by “People caught in the act of being themselves.”
Of course, “Candid Camera” was designed for a more sensitive and naive audience than Americans are today. The innocent practical jokes played on unsuspecting victims in the 1960s elicited comical reactions, and in some instances, reactions that were heartwarming.
In the twenty-first century, the same show wouldn’t get past the initial proposal let alone selling a pilot. However, Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Who Is America?” on the “Showtime” has taken the “Candid Camera” format and updated it to provide the victims’ humiliation and drama today’s American audience requires in its “reality “ shows.
But Cohen doesn’t limit his targets the “person in the street” as did Allen Funt, Cohen also victimizes the influential and individuals with “name recognition”.
In addition to segments featuring average Americans, videos of more famous “subjects” have included former “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel, former vice president Dick Cheney, former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Roy S. Moore, the former Alabama chief justice and Senate candidate, and other current and former legislators like Republican Jason Spencer, a representative in Georgia’s state legislature.
Some examples of “Who Is America?” involve a man in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank hanging off one of the handles (Cohen) arriving at the home of Ted Koppel, who took pity on the man until he began arguing with Koppel about the size of the idiot trump’s inauguration crowd. Koppel responded by asking the crew to leave and telling them, “This is a waste of time.”
Cheney’s reaction to Cohen’s character’s “interview” was to autograph a “waterboard kit” (a water jug, later put up for sale on eBay).
Bernie Sanders was confronted by Cohen disguised as a man who had a “plan” to move every American into the 1 percent. Sanders was less embarrassed for listening to the man’s ridiculous “plan” than he was bewildered by the strange situation.
Then there is Jason Spencer, and as Allen Funt would say, he was “caught in the act of being himself.” Cohen, this time posing as an Israeli security expert, asked for Spencer’s participation in an “anti-terrorism” video being filmed by an Israeli agency.
With some gentle urging by the “security expert" (Cohen), suggesting Spencer drop his drawers to scare off homophobic terrorists and scream “one forbidden word” starting with the letter “n” in order to add to their fear, and with Nazism now acceptable to display with the permission, no, with the encouragement by the idiot trump, Spencer quickly went full-on racist.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Spencer began strutting back and forth hanging his bare a$$ out for all to see while shouting the n-word. This continued until he was informed by the “security agent" (Cohen) that, actually, the forbidden word is “nooni.”
If Spencer was truly convinced Cohen was, indeed, an Israeli security expert, he should have at least asked what the forbidden “n” word was that was certain to scare the sh!t out of Islamic terrorists, homophobic or not. He should NOT have automatically and repeatedly screamed, “ni...", well, you know.
Spencer’s reaction shows how eager the idiot trump’s mindless minions are to show their ignorance and intolerance.
Sadly, Showtime and Cohen’s “Who Is America?” are helping expose to the world how a large number of United States’ white citizens no longer deserve respect. And making citizens in other countries wonder if such Americans ever did.
Naturally, the vast majority of the idiot trump’s voting base will blame Cohen. But he is just the messenger, it’s the idiot trump and his fans creating the message. And Cohen easily can be stopped, just quit allowing yourselves to be “caught in the act of being yourselves”, instead, act like responsible, caring adults.
'Candid Camera' Creator Allen Funt Dies
Georgia Leaders Condemn Jason Spencer, Lawmaker Who Used Slurs on Sacha Baron Cohen Show
.
