It was a video reel from Japan that inspired the creation of ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos, now in its 25th season. By the time current executive producer Todd Thicke got to work on the pilot and previewed his own reel with friends and audience members, he knew it was going to be a hit.
For the latest installment of So What Do You Do, Thicke spoke with Mediabistro about how he transitioned from writer to producer and how a show that came of age before YouTube and the concept of a “viral” video stays relevant:
We are about values and morality, and we have a real positive point of view. That never goes out of style. At the heart, we have heart. We always make it funny — always, always, always. But deep down, we have heart, and that’s the longevity of the show. We’re the most honest show in America. I love reality TV, but we all know it’s manipulated and scripted and contrived. But we’re not. We go for the genuine, real moments. And I think that resonates.
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For more from Todd Thicke, including advice for breaking into TV writing, read, So What Do You Do, Todd Thicke, Host of America’s Funniest Home Videos?