Smile, you’re on ‘Candid Camera’

Stage version of legendary television show coming to Eagles Theatre

By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

For more than 70 years, the Funt family has been making people laugh with hidden camera antics on “Candid Camera.”

Alan Funt, who began the program “Candid Microphone” on radio in 1947, launched the aforementioned television program in 1949. It has been on television, or today’s streaming services, in one form or another since then.

Some things have changed. Alan Funt passed away in 1999. His son, Peter Funt, joined the series in 1987. His grandson, Peter’s son, Danny Funt, is now a member of the series.

Together, Peter and Danny will bring a stage version of the program, “Candid Camera: Unmasked Tour,” to the Eagles Theatre on Thursday, Jan. 26. The program begins at 7:30 p.m.

“It was back in about 2015 that we expanded things to include a live stage presentation,” Peter Funt told The Paper of Wabash County during a recent telephone interview from his office in California. “We started going around the country doing our show. We were interrupted a couple of years for the pandemic. Unfortunately, a lot of live, stage stuff was messed up by that.”

The 2015 version of the stage show was, in his words, like a trip down memory lane. It included clips from the old television show, along with stories about the series founder.

“But it gradually evolved,” Peter continued. “We realized what we preferred doing and what audiences enjoyed seeing was sort of a blend of some of our best clips, which are shown on a big screen, but also live comedy on stage, audience participation. It just morphed into the show we do now a days. We refer to it as ‘Clips and Quips.’

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s an opportunity to meet the folks who I only know through television. But also, to riff on some current topics and do comedy and involves the audience. I love it and happy to be coming your way.”

He was a bit tight-lipped on the audience participation portion of the program.

“I could tell you some of it, then I would have to kill you, as they say,” Peter joked. “Some of it is a surprise. We’re in the business of tricking people, so I don’t want to say too much about that.

“There is a chance for audience members to be involved. There are some prizes to be won and some fun to be had, and I think I’ll leave it at that.”

Just as with all things, comedy has changed since the late 1940s when “Candid Microphone” and “Candid Camera” first aired. But, Peter believes deep down, things are still the same.

“I get a lot of emails and, on our YouTube channel, I get a lot of feedback from folks who say, ‘Well, you couldn’t do that today because there are a lot of people who are either too angry, or too suspicious, or easily annoyed,” he said. “However, they choose to phrase it, it all boils down to people have changed. I have to say, honestly, I don’t find that to be the case and I don’t believe that to be true.

“There’s no doubt about it, these are some hard times in the country. The country is more politically divided perhaps than ever before, or certainly in recent memory. Yes, there are a lot of bad things in the news and a lot of it comes through social tension and stress, I get it. I’m not trying to be naïve about that. But my own experience in dealing with average Americans is that people are good sports, to this day. People do appreciate a joke and are able to take a joke. It’s still a thrill to hear the words, “Smile, you’re on Candid Camera” and to be pleasantly surprised.”

There are, however, exceptions to that.

“I’m often asked how many people refuse to sign a release to give us permission to use it on TV because, if they don’t, we won’t use it,” Peter continued. “We wouldn’t want to. The percentage hasn’t changed much from my dad’s lifetime to my lifetime. It’s less than one percent.

“Those people (who won’t grant permission) are folks we accidentally caught who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong other person. If you get someone whose out with somebody else’s wife, they’re not going to sign a release.

“My dad used to say the worst place for him to get releases was at a local movie theater on a weekday afternoon because it seemed like everyone in there was not supposed to be there, whether it be a salesman goofing off on the job, or someone playing hooky from school, or someone else on the lam. I think people are great. It’s confirmed to me every time we go out. There are exceptions. There always will be. I’m not among those who sell Americans short. I think people are good.”

Just as Alan Funt was pleased Peter joined him, Peter is thrilled that his son, Danny, is now a part of the operation.

“He will be with me in Wabash,” Peter said. “He’s a smart guy and has a good sense of humor.”

A multi-generational family business is not unusual.

“There’s a rich tradition in America, I suppose around the world, of things that continue in family history,” Peter said. “It’s not at all unusual for the guy who owns the candy store in town to be the son or daughter of the people who used to own the candy store.

“I think it gets a little more attention in television only because it’s in the public eye. I am very proud of my son, Danny. I’m glad he’s following in not just my path, but his grandfather’s path. We like to keep ‘Candid Camera’ as fresh and as current as the new generation of people.”

As noted, the Funt family has been making people laugh for generations. That begs the question, what makes Peter Funt laugh?

“I get my biggest laugh out of real life,” he said. “I enjoy a good stand-up comedian. I enjoy a good sitcom or comedy movie. But what I really like is the stuff folks do in their everyday behavior. The things they say, the things they sometime get wrong. I try to see the humorous side to the world around us.

“Not everybody is lucky enough to be able to do that. That’s why I call myself ‘self-amused.’ If you think about that and work at it a little bit, you manage not to sweat the small stuff. You manage to be a little happier as you go about your day. … Getting a good laugh out of the world around us, I think, is a lot more productive than getting a good cry.”

Tickets for the show are $15 and $25 and can be purchased at the Honeywell Center box office or at honeywellarts.org.