AFHV

What is the point of living if you cannot laugh at yourself? What's that point of living if you can't laugh at other people. People do funny, laugh-worthy things and who am I not to laugh? I bet God laughs too.
I mean think about it: we are made in God's image, we are God's children and as such He laughs at us just any parent laughs at their child. You can disagree with me all you want, but how do you explain the AFHV phenomenon?
Reel talk.
America's Funniest Home Video: ensuring families laugh at other families since 1989.

We've got laughs from coast to coast, to make you smile
A real life look at each of you, to capture all that style
You're the red, white and blue
The funny things you do
America, America this is you.
Stories from your friends next door, they never told
You might be a star tonight, so let that camera roll
Your the Red, White and Blue
Oh the funny things you do
America, America this is you.

The Funny Things You Do

Jill Colucci

As the father of America most lovable family, Bob Saget (Danny Tanner) knows a thing or two about laughing at children. The videos he introduced made up for what his corny, host jokes lacked in laugh-factor. The reason the show has survived all these years is because they never run out of material. The offering of $100,000 for the funniest video prompts any and everyone to find a video camera, continuously be recording and once that funny moment it caught on tape (whether scripted or not) send that video to:

America’s Funniest Home Videos

P.O. Box 4333

Hollywood, CA 90078

I remember their address because I wanted to win $100,000. It seemed like whenever there was a funny moment, a video camera was no where to be found. The people who won just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
In this digital, cannot-live-without-technology age, video cameras are everywhere. America’s Funniest Home Video has now become America’s Funniest Home YouTube Video. Now that AFHYTV has taken AFHV’s shine, you do not have to wait a week to see a hilarious video. You can get your laughing fix anytime you want, as many times as you want.
The one video that has kept me going to last few weeks is David After Dentist. It really needs no explanation or introduction. If ever submitted to AFHV, it would definitely win the $100,000 easily. I laugh every time I watch it; in fact, I am laughing just thinking about it. Sadly, there are those people who clearly do not have a sense of humor.
David DeVore defended himself on Today then again on the O’Reilly Factor when Bill O’Reilly’s chronic anger spazzed up as he accused DeVore of exploited his son. It is Mary Mitchell, however, who gets the award for Most Overreaction by a Member of the Media when she wrote not one, but two columns about David After Dentist.
On March 24, 2009 she stated:

I understand that we live in an entertainment-obsessed world, but videos of children on drugs cross the line. In fact, officials with child welfare agencies should be concerned. We expect parents to protect their children in situations where they cannot protect themselves -- not exploit them. As for the millions of people who get a chuckle out of these troubling videos, what are you thinking? Unless these children are pretending to be high, then they are being exploited for adult amusement. Not funny…Some of these parents may be hoping that they will get noticed by someone who makes legitimate movies. Or maybe they believe their child will go from the video clip to the big screen. But children shouldn't be forced to be in these homemade films any more than they should be forced to be on reality TV programs…Laughing at these videos doesn't make us cool. It makes us sick.

Drugged kids on video no laughing matter:

What the heck's funny about child exploitation?

Chicago Sun-Times

Five days later, she followed up with a column where she responded to emails saying: “It was completely innocent,” “you missed the point of the video lady,” “you needs to lighten up,” “mind your own business” and “who made you the voice of justice.”
Her response to all of her critics:

...based on your reasoning, a father should be able to share anything about his son on the Internet. How about potty training? Will we soon be seeing those darling photos of bare-bottom babies trying to get the hang of potty training? Will their misses be fodder for the Internet freaks? When fathers get to the point that they are willing to exploit our children so that they might stumble into an opportunity, it makes them no better than those freak-show hustlers. And, by the way, couldn't the father have taken the video and saved it for those warm and fuzzy family reunions, holiday dinners and karaoke nights?

What's next -- potty training on YouTube?

Fans of sedated kids video just aren't getting the point

Chicago Sun-Times

What I want to know is: what does Mrs. Mitchell thinks about AFHV? Does she have the same feelings toward the people who send in their videos to TV networks for people to laugh? More importantly, does she laugh when she witnesses something funny happening to a stranger? If her answer to the last question is “yes,” then her animosity with David DeVore is hypocritical. Search YouTube and you will find videos of laughing babies, falling people and even videos teaching mothers proper nursing techniques (no potty training yet). Where is her anger and complaints directed toward those videos?
People, not just children, are exploited all the time. Just look at how many hits Paul Potts and Susan Boyle continue to accumulate while they were exploited on Britain's Got Talent for not being the picturesque example of singing beauty.
I bet David DeVore was looking to spread a little laughter and put smiles on people’s faces in these tough times. Success, fame and money were probably not his end result, but is it his fault that an amusing family moment turned into a viral video, which sparked a t-shirt marketing trend?
People need to laugh more and YouTube – though not 100% family friendly – provides that source of laughter. Everyone needs to lighten up and spend 10-15 minutes burning calories.