# What was the first TV show that involved fooling people for amusement - Was it "Candid Camera"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-tv-show-that-involved-fooling-people-for-amusement-was-it-candid-camera/529763 "2010-02-20T13:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-tv-show-that-involved-fooling-people-for-amusement-was-it-candid-camera/529763/1 "2010-02-20T13:46:47Z")
Just curious. with respect to shows that involved “punking” people what was the first TV show to do this? Was there anyone before Candid Camera that did this? Other than the occasional dramatic series like Welles “War of the Worlds” did any radio shows do this? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-tv-show-that-involved-fooling-people-for-amusement-was-it-candid-camera/529763/2 "2010-02-20T14:07:27Z")
“Candid Microphone” was on the radio a few years before they added the camera. But I can’t think of any previous prank shows right now. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-tv-show-that-involved-fooling-people-for-amusement-was-it-candid-camera/529763/3 "2010-02-20T17:35:33Z")
A couple of “Burns and Allen” radio shows from the very late 30s spoofed similar things. So it had to be on radio in the 30s if “Burns and Allen” were making light of it. I recall Gracie, “She’s been a good sport now George, give the lady a box of Mars Bars” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-first-tv-show-that-involved-fooling-people-for-amusement-was-it-candid-camera/529763/4 "2010-02-20T20:57:01Z")
The radio version of “Truth or Consequences” came before “Candid Microphone (Camera)” in terms of shows that fooled people for amusement. I’m fairly sure the Gracie Allen line Markxxx mentions is a TOC reference.