People Make Show Candid Camera People's Joking Making

Many Americans like to watch TV shows that make them laugh. One very well known TV show with "practical jokes" (something that one does to surprise another person or make him or her look silly) is called Candid Camera.

The word "candid" means truthful and honest, even when it is about something unpleasant or uncomfortable. Candid Camera "captures" (records) people's candid behavior in unusual situations. The show uses "hidden cameras" (a camera that cannot be seen, so people don't know they're being filmed) to see what "ordinary" (normal) people do when unexpected things happen.

For example, in one episode, the show used a "security guard" (a person whose job is to make sure other people are safe) at an airport. He asked the passengers to go through the "x-ray machine" (a machine that can see through bags and skin), even though normally only bags go through those machines. It was funny to see people's "reactions" (how people responded).

In another episode, people sat behind a desk that has been "modified" (changed) so that the drawers opened automatically as soon as they were closed. The camera captured people's reactions, which "ranged" (varied) from laughter about the situation to frustration with the desk.

Many other practical joke shows have copied the show's "format" (the style of the show). Girls Behaving Badly is a similar show, but only women are "playing tricks" (doing funny things). One show, Punk'd, plays practical jokes on "celebrities" (famous people, especially musicians and actors), and now the phrase "to punk (someone)" is used informally to mean to play a trick on someone.