Howie Do It

Remember the chuckles you got at the expense of the poor souls thrust into the spotlight in the classic TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes? How you laughed at their misfortune with equal parts pity and relief that you weren't the gag's brunt? Add to that feeling the unpredictable factor of Howie Mandel, and you're left with comical reality TV that, by today's standards, actually feels new. (Guess what? There are no eligible bachelors, bickering judges, or larva-eating survivalists anywhere to be found!)

That said, the show's pranks are more involved -- and often more suggestive -- than old standbys like mall shoppers stumped by dual escalators going in identical directions, and the series isn't age-appropriate for kids and young tweens. This is no Punk'd, but many of the gags are designed to cause their subjects real emotional discomfort (forcing a man to watch his girlfriend make out with another guy, or telling a husband that his wife's surgical makeover left her bruised and battered, for instance), and dialogue often has sexual undertones. Most of the marks are good sports when the joke is revealed, but some respond in clear frustration with strong language like "damn," "hell," and bleeped versions of "f--k". So save this one for after your young viewers are in bed -- and even then be sure to remind your teens that any practical joke has the potential to hurt its subject if taken too far.