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TV's Funniest Moments on Fox

By Josh Shirlen

On August 20^th the Fox network reran its special, TV’s Funniest Moments, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.  The show, which originally aired on June 1^st, was a peculiar list of the top 30 funniest moments on TV in the past 60 years. The winners were determined by a mystery panel of Americans.  What was troubling about the program was the presence of late-night and cable programming featured in clips, and Fox’s blatant attempt to promote one of the most offensive half-hours in the history of broadcasting as “funny.” 

The two-hour special featured actors, comedians, and other celebrities commenting on the 30 funniest moments on television.  While some of the clips selected were classic, family-friendly and hilarious moments from shows like The Carol Burnett Show,The Cosby Show, and I Love Lucy, a staggering number were from cable shows like Sex and the City and The Chapelle Show.  Notable clips included a scene from Sex and the City in which a middle-aged woman complains because her pubic hair is turning grey; she later flashes “Bozo the Bush” to her friend after she accidentally dyes her pubic hair red.  For another clip, an episode of Seinfeld in which the cast wager money on which one of them can go longest without masturbating was chosen.

The most appalling aspect of the show came when the second-funniest moment in all of television history was announced: the “PTV” episode of Fox’s own Family Guy.  There is no doubt that some viewers found the episode funny; but to say that the content of that episode (which was selected as the PTC’s Worst of the Week when it originally ran) represents our nation’s sense of humor is absurd.  This was a ridiculous media stunt, part of Fox’s constant effort to push the limits of decency in prime time television.   

When looking back at a list of the top 30 shows profiled, we found that nearly a third (9 of 30 shows, including the #1 and #3 choices) were late-night and cable shows -- programs that families expect to avoid while watching network television during prime time.  Many of these shows featured heavy sexual innuendo and sexual content, making Fox’s TV’s Funniest Moments special our pick for Worst of the Week.