12 replies to this topic

[curemode]

This is a new hidden-camera show on Fridays on NBC, starring Howie Mandel.


The first episode was decent. They showed 6 hidden camera bits and it was fairly well divided between hits and misses. I loved the Brutal Makeover Show bit best because the actors delivered so many subtly funny lines to ratchet up the tension on the "mark", such as "if she could stand..." and "she'll look dazzling in 3-6 months," and "We have over a 70% success rate with this type of surgery." Another one I enjoyed was the Funny Bunny one, but that was probably mostly due to the sweet and fun personality of the mark.

Didn't care for the Weather Channel one at all and the Mouthwash commercial had some funny parts but felt just a tad too mean. But maybe that's just me.

[Suzy Trashmouth]

I watched this last night while I cooked dinner and thought it was god-awful. Didn't we escape from these shows when Punk'd finally died? I never find them funny, I only feel sorry and sad for the people who get tricked.

The weatherman bit was painfully inane, the "Pickup Artist" type vignette was uncomfortable, funeral in poor taste, and the restaurant bit downright lame. It should go the same way as Rosie's variety show.

[Canaduck]

I love Howie Mandel but still thought it was lame. The reaction shots when the hoaxes were revealed was the only thing I really enjoyed. The younger "marks" seemed like genuinely nice, intelligent kids and I felt awful for them, especially the funeral bunny. I bet things were a bit tense in the makeover and mouthwash commercial households afterwards. File those under Practical Jokes Not to Play on Your Significant Other.

[Cali805]

Howie Mandel did these bits on Jay Leno way before PUNK'D ever started doing them. I only saw one part with the weatherman bit. It wasn't that hilarious. His bits on Jay Leno were far superior than this. Of course I only saw the one bit so I can't comment on the rest of the show.

[Suz at Large]

I just don't feel the love about Howie, and it's totally fine with me if I never see his face on any screen again in my life. His new show got soundly panned by Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe with snarkdom worth of TwoP. The review is here: http://www.boston.co...pulling_pranks/

I can't resist a few quotes from the review:

When you're on your deathbed, and the TV angel comes to soothe your fevered brow, and she tenderly asks if you have any regrets, and your first thought is, "I should have watched more Howie Mandel," then have I got a show for you.

. . . this "Candid Camera" rip-off series is a boring bummer.

. . . "Howie Do It" is about as ingenious as Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Standing before an adoring audience, Mandel introduces clips of old-fashioned hidden-camera pranks that make Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd" sketches look like FBI sting operations.

Edited to cut down on the amount of quoted material.

Edited by Suz at Large, Jan 12, 2009 @ 8:38 AM.

[tabloidlover]

Howie used to do these pranks on Live with Regis and Kelly a few years ago. But the difference was, they didn't go on and on and on. I think the prank goes on for just too long on this show. Maybe if it were just a 30 minute show instead? And the weatherman prank was just not funny at all. Nor was the mouthwash commercial, I have a feeling the man's wife was on the couch for more than just the one night. There is such a thing as going too far.

Maybe Howie and staff can surf back through the old tapes of Live and re-enact some of those pranks. Much funnier stuff.

[Rusty4455]

What a horrible show! It is probably the worst show of its' kind ever. The skits were basically unfunny and went on and on and on.

I predict an early cancellation.

[NoWillToResist]

I loved the Brutal Makeover Show bit best

And see, this was where I checked in, and immediately checked out afterwards.

That whole bit relied on someone believing that there's really a taped makeover show that would show such a horrible "after" picture. Paralysis, swelling, and bruising? That's what a TAPED show like that would air? Yeah, right. Pull the other one.

They should have played it off as a live feed, and then immediately call for a commercial to try and hide the mess that she'd become. But to keep running the tape and actually have the fakes pretend that this is a good result? Pfft. Whatever.

How the guy didn't immediately call bullshit on the whole thing was beyond me.

[Gitano]

I hadn't heard anything about this show (thank unnamed deity!) until I saw an ad promoting it last week. Because of the font and spacing used by NBC in the promo I kept reading the title as "Howie Dolt." I kept thinking, "Howie Dolt! What dumb name for a show!"

Having now read the recap and reviews I'm thinking my misreading was probably an accurate description of this mess.

Edited by Gitano, Jan 12, 2009 @ 2:17 PM.

[King Cat Sam]

Howie Mandel has been rushed to the hospital.

Seems he has collapsed. He was in his native home of Toronto, Canada filming for his new show and was hospitalized.

[Emerald Eyes]

Knowing how he is, it was probably a panic attack.

[Cali805]

What I don't get about these pranks/bits is that I can see it is Howie Mandel. I am sure many people have no clue who he is, but the people being pranked appear to know who he is once he reveals himself.

I don't care for his game show. I watched one show and that was it. I don't get the big deal.

[brabbit008]

Reality Check Radio aired their new interview with DJ RaviDrums from NBC's Howie Do It and can be found at:

http://www.blogtalkr...ity-Check-Radio







..

Edited by brabbit008, Jan 23, 2009 @ 8:51 AM.