Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Lights, Camera, Oh Oh! by Kat Magendie

Sometimes I watch “America’s Funniest Videos” because I want a simple belly laugh. How can one not feel gratitude for all things great and good when one is laughing at their fellow humans, or their pets? One example is where the camera pans inside a small airplane with two men at the controls; and suddenly, from behind them floats this dog—he does a slow turn in the non-gravity of the cockpit, ears a-flopping, this funny doggy look—and every time I see it, I laugh until I cry.

Last night I was watching AFV and really noticed all the stupid (sometimes dangerous) things people do. The ones that make me crazy are when parents film their children and in the background you hear, “No, no little Johnny, don’t do that. Mommy says no. No. Mommy says No. Don’t. Stop that…don’t do it…” and all the while she’s filming and all the while little Johnny has a smirky grin on because he knows his mommy is filming him and he can just keep on doing whatever he’s doing—even if it’s eating a nasty ole bug! Ugh! Or, on his bicycle headed towards a tree—“Oh dear, Johnny has a concussion! Haw haw! Did you get that, Murline?”

I cringe a little at the ones where the kids act up when the parents aren’t around and in the background you hear their friends call out, “That was awesome!” or, "Wow, that must have hurt!” or “Hahahahahahahaha….oh my god, hahahahahahaha!” But, I thought about my days as a kid, along with my four brothers: The “daredevil” stunts we pulled. The days we explored the huge concrete drainage pipes from one side of town to the other—while barefooted, through grime, glass, nastiness, snakes and other vermin. The time my first boyfriend borrowed his mom's car and we went joyriding (fast of course) down a gravel road just so we could slide around in both joy and terror, while shouting, “Auuuuggghhhhh, hahahahahahahaha!” (Sorry Mom!)

Parents everywhere: We can be grateful in some instances that we do not to know everything our kids are doing. Once they are old enough to leave the house without us, they are old enough to test boundaries, feel invincible, do really dumb things (those things we did, gulp, oh geez). Then again, if someone, even an adult, has a camera handy and ten thousand dollars on the brain, all bet’s seem to be off. "We won! We won on AFV! We'll be using the ten thousand for hospital bills for little Johnny's busted up haid...hahahhahahha!"

10 comments:

Barbara Quinn said...

Yes, it's a wonder that so many of us do make it to adulthood. Ah, the fragile invincibility of youth.
Brought back memories of all those dares I did take!

Kathryn Magendie said...

I used to eat dirt when I was a little girl -- lots of it...eyewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Angie Ledbetter said...

But I was such an angel. LOL! Have you seen the similar hot videos on the Web featuring dare devil stunts? Unbelieveable that these kids/people (about 99% male!) would attempt these stoopid things, even if they are high on something. :) Most begin with the words, "Hey, watch this!..."

Kathryn Magendie said...

Good lord - I can only imagine with Utube has wrought - or is that rought or rot?*laugh*

patresa hartman said...

hey! i used to eat dirt, too! i'd pick it right out of the sidewalk cracks!

anyhoo...

yay for videos! yay for stupidity caught on tape! yay for limited knowledge of the extent of stupidity! yay to invincibility that does not result in irreparable damage!

Kathryn Magendie said...

OMG..another dirt eater! haw! I wonder if we got worms ..eyewwww

Angie Ledbetter said...

I ate playdough. LOL

Anonymous said...

I guess dirt is good for you. No here had any problems. Angie stole my line, "Hey ya'll, watch this." Always ends bad.
The most outright dangerous thing I did was riding my bike with a rope tied to by brothers bike across the road.
Oren (FOA)

Kathryn Magendie said...

I don't want to say the most dangerous thing(ssssssssss) I,we, did, my momma may be reading this....LAUGHING...

The Paper Whisperer said...

Hey Kat...my little one and I watch that show nightly. YOu are right, sometimes it makes me ashamed that I can laugh at others misfortunes. Like the only time I saw it "snow" in New Orleans and went out for shopping. I was driving through the parking lot at K-Mart (you remember those?) and stopped to let this lady pass in front of my car. She slipped on the ice and her feet came right out from under her.BAM!! I laughed. It was funny! Well guess what? My karma bit me in the ass at the end of last winter. *BAM!!* Anyhoo, since I can't leave comments on Howling from your mountain" I want to tell you...I AM ADDICTED TO GREEK YOGURT! It is my flippin' crack!!! I give up other things so I can afford a container a week. Boy could I give you some good eatin' ideas for that stuff!!! It fo sho ain't Greek to me!!!

Listen to our Podcasts