No one is watching this guy. No one. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, he pulled in 250,000 viewers. So I’m not surprised that people don’t know who he is whether they are politicians or ordinary folks in America.
Brits mocking Americans is nothing new but what seems to be new is that Americans don’t give a hoot. Perhaps next, he can stage his lousy Allen Funt gags in a muslim country or his own. I’m sure he can find some yahoos there.
Allen Funt had good natured fun and if asked would probably tell you that he never intended to publicly expose or humiliate those he pranked with stunts. He seemed more interested in “everyman” cases and different reactions people might have to a situation, warning the audience, laugh now but this could be you!
At the end of each prank he’d have someone drop their guard and reveal the gag and Mr. Funt would come out to gladhand shake hands with the embarassed mark.
I don’t think he sought out to bruise egos.