TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes
1980s-90s Reality Show featuring hosts Dick Clark and Ed McMahon (in the 1980s) presenting Bloopers, noteworthy commercials, old movie serials, and Candid Camera-style jokes played on celebrities. Was occasionally brought back in the early 2000s, but pretty much retired when Dick Clark had his stroke. Inspired by the British ITV outtakes program It'll Be Alright on the Night, which beginning in 1977 popularized the idea of showing film and television bloopers to the general public.
The show was the result of merging three different series of specials that had been earlier shown on NBC:
- Johnny Carson's Favorite Practical Jokes, in which the Tonight Show host played practical jokes on famous people (including one where he made it look like Ed McMahon had been stealing office supplies); produced by Carson Productions.
- TV's Censored Bloopers, in which Dick Clark presented an hour of bloopers from TV and films; produced by Clark's production company.
- TV's Greatest Commercials, in which Ed McMahon presented an hour of historic commercials; also produced by Clark's production company.
The resulting series was a Dick Clark/Carson Production, lasted four years, and inspired a number of similiar blooper shows (including ones hosted by Don Rickles and Steve Allen).
- The Challengers: At least one blooper turned up — a question in which the contestant had to identify a license plate's state from its design (shown on the video wall). The only problem was that the license plate had the state's name left on.
- Notable Commercial Campaigns: A regular feature presented five or six foreign or American commercials.
- Once an Episode: A celebrity would come on to talk about a specific funny or embarassing set of bloopers, and be awarded The Golden Blooper Award, handed to him by a beautiful model.
Dick Clark/Ed McMahon: And now let's introduce the girl with the golden bloopers ... Award!
- Sergio Aragones: Created the memorable Animated Credits Opening sequence which involved backstage workers, an elephant, and a marching band. He also created the bumpers and transition scenes.