Drew Carey To Host Candid Camera Knockoff

From “Candid Camera” to “Punk’d” to “Totally Hidden Video” (it’s hidden, totally!) and everything else in between, the hidden camera genre just will not DIE. And here it comes again, courtesy of Drew Carey. From the Hollywood Reporter:

CBS is developing a hidden-camera show starring Drew Carey.

The host of "The Price Is Right" host is teaming with producer Tom Forman for a project with the working title "WTF!" -- which in this case stands for "Wow That's Funny!"

"WTF" shot a pilot presentation Saturday in which Carey and a troop of comedic agents wreck havoc in public places. The project combines a hidden-camera show with flash-mob tactics as the group pulls benevolent pranks on deserving citizens.

For instance, the group transforms a late-night truck stop into a five-star restaurant for long-haulers.

The well-intentioned-stunt format is one that's worked well for the network with its Sunday night hit "Undercover Boss."

So there’s the twist for you. It’s a hidden camera show, but it’s a NICE hidden camera show. I’m actually okay with this, because regular hidden camera shows make me uneasy. The whole, “Tee hee hee! We’re screwing with an unsuspecting nice person and making them terribly uncomfortable!” thing isn’t something I enjoy watching all that much, frankly. Even in movies like “Bruno.” So the idea of doing a hidden camera show that doesn’t make people feel horribly awkward is nice, on the surface.

Then again, is a “benevolent prank” even a prank at all? A prank has to imply some sort of mean-spirited trickery. I don’t know if it’s a prank to walk up to a stranger and be like, “PRANK! I BOUGHT YOU A CAR! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!” The fact that WTF stands for “Wow That’s Funny!” is also not a good sign. But like THR says, “Undercover Boss” is a hit, so perhaps Drew Carey knows more about this kind of thing than we do.

Then again, perhaps this report is ALSO a prank, and you have been caught on camera while reacting to it. DON’T YOU FEEL SILLY NOW?

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