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Whenever I watch you on America's funniest videos, I feel like I'm seeing a form of stand-up comedy. Like you got the set up, you got the timing, you got the punchline, you're working a live audience. Do you kind of look at yourself as a comedian on the show? I don't really think of myself as a comedian specifically, because I mean it's all written, it's all, I mean not that stand-up comedy isn't written, but it's more just hosting entertainment than telling jokes, right? Because I'm really just setting up the different raps between the videos. So, stand-up comedy is more just kind of with the mic in the hand and telling stories or telling jokes. I feel like it's a little different than that, but still a compliment. Yeah, there's definitely a few more dynamics that you have to deal with, but I was just watching an episode last night and I noticed this guy's like a comedian. He's got the audience, he's timing the clips, you're delivering the lines, so impressive stuff. If you want to watch the new season of AFV, it's on Sunday nights, 7th, 6th central ABC also available on demand. And if you got a funny video on your phone, make sure you submit it. And I hear that you guys are doubling the prize money, is that true? The prize money has been doubled, this is the second season, so it's no longer 10,000 for the first place winner, it's 20,000 and then 6,000, 4,000 for second and third. So, yeah, we've doubled it up. We want people to enjoy some more money. I mean, it's expensive out there, so let's give the people what they want, a little bit extra cash. Yeah, I remember when I first saw the show, of course, the great Bob Saget was hosting, and those were the old camcorder over the shoulder days where you'd mail in the tape. Did you as a youngster, did you ever play around with the old over the shoulder cameras, VHS recorder, or you were in show business, so you didn't really have any interest in playing with the camera? Yeah, I didn't really do a lot of the over the shoulder camera work. I was a director also, so I did it in that way, more of on the professional level than just having the camcorder at the house. We weren't really a family that videotaped a lot of things. We didn't really have that in my life growing up. So, it wasn't something that I did naturally, but I love the fact that everyone else had it. Back then, when you actually sent in your VHS tape to the show, now it's the digital world has made it a lot easier. We even have an app now that you can literally send all your videos to AFB via the app. So, it's a great way of doing it now. I think it's got to be overwhelming. I mean, so many people are always recording. You got the security cameras now picking up funny moments. You got people's phones always open recording. It's got to be overwhelming. Do you have a figure of how many videos they get on a daily basis there at AFB? It's got to be a lot. I've never actually asked the question. It's actually a legal question. I should be asking that question. But, yeah, we get a lot. I know that it's in the thousands per month. And so, it's pretty special that we get so many videos. I think in this day and age now where everyone does have a camera available to them, 24-7, people are sending in their videos. I think AFB is a name synonymous with videos. If you think, oh, I got a funny video, you're more than likely at some point, as either watched or continue to watch America's funny videos. So, you know that name and you immediately think of us. So, we still get a ton of videos. We always want more. We'll always take them. When somebody submits a video now, what is the process? What goes on behind the scenes? How does it go from somebody's phone to being on national television? Do you know that process? I don't know it specifically. I know the basics, obviously. People will send in the video. We've got a team of producers that will look at the videos. They log the videos to see what category they fit in, how good the video might be, whether they think it's funny. And then from there, it goes into our catalog. And then our producers, when they're looking for specific types of videos, they immediately go to that catalog, figure out the videos that they want, and they then decide to put those pieces together and create a segment. It's simple, but it's also a lot. It's a lot of work. And then I'm sure it has to go to the writer's room. Are you writing a lot of these jokes? Are you in the room when the jokes are being written? I know that you're a stickler for wanting to rehearse jokes. You used to say that when you were on Fresh Prince, that you wanted to make sure you gave a strong presence at the rehearsal because you want to know if the joke is going to land or not. Is that similar with the way that you deliver these jokes on this show? Well, no. Obviously, I always like to say, stay in your lane. I'm not a writer on the show. I let the writers write. I let them produce the videos. I get a chance to obviously see all my words ahead of time and come in prepared for the shows. But it's not like acting work where you're rehearsing it. And you come in and do it live. So it's really about me preparing at home, being ready for it. I'm actually shooting three episodes on Saturday. I got voiceover tomorrow. So it's really just about doing the work at home. But I stay out of that process. I don't really look at the videos and see them and decide. And nope, I let the great people who have been doing it forever do their deal. I've realized something watching the show. A lot of the clips that make us all laugh. I don't know why it is, but something about human nature. We love watching people experience pain. When somebody slips, when somebody falls, somebody gets smacked in the head, it's like they are feeling pain. But we somehow find that funny. Why do you think that human beings think it's so freaking funny when somebody gets hurt? I don't know why. I think and I love those videos. So I understand it well. I think a lot of that is based on the fact that you're familiar with it. It's not about watching other people get hurt. It's anytime you see something, it brings you back to a moment that you remember. And we've all been hit before. We've all fallen down. We've all and we know that experience. And if you're able to laugh at yourself, it brings comedy to you because you're like, that happened to me that one time. It's the same way that music will bring you back to a time in your life that you have a memory of that song. And so it's all memories. I think it's all memory based. And so for me, I think it's that. I think it's not like we love seeing people hurt themselves. We just have a memory of it happening to ourselves and we view it in a positive light. And maybe that's why we also relate to the dogs and cats and the birds. Because most people in this country have some type of pet at home or they did at some point in their life with you having the kids at home. I got asked, is your house full of pets? How many pets in the Roberto house? Any? Well, this is a brand new thing because we never really did the pet thing. But we are now. So we've got two dogs now. We just got our second dog literally two days ago. So we're now a dog household, I guess. Did you have dogs growing up as a kid or is that something you never had? I never had pets growing up. So this is not a 90 thing. It was a white being kid thing. I was never really a pet guy, but I got two of them now. I got no going back. It teaches those kids responsibility. You know, make them feed them, make them take them out. And I know that wife of yours is really taking good care of those kids. I see you guys traveling a lot and she posts online and it looks like you got a nice family unit there. We're talking with Alfonso Ribeiro, of course, the host of AFV new episodes airing on Sunday at 7th, 6th central. I do want to quickly ask you about the Fresh Prince. And when people talk about great TV fathers, they always mention Uncle Phil. He's always in that Mount Rushmore list. James Avery, I felt like he gave that character so much authority, so much heart, very authentic. Did he become a bit of a father figure for you during those years on that show? You know, I'll say that he wasn't necessarily a father figure for me because ultimately I have a great dad and, you know, but he was a great friend. And he was an incredible actor, an incredible person. You know, I think that it's important in life to have mentors, to have people that you look up to that help guide you in many ways in life. You know, I had a, I went to college for a year and had a dean who said, you know, do you have a male figure in your life that you can look up to and talk to that's not your parents? And James Avery was one of those people. And so was, you know, Joe Marcel, who played, you know, the Butler Jeffrey. And so he was just an incredible man. And the writers wrote an incredible character. And he obviously did a lot for a lot of people with showing them, you know, what a real dad's supposed to look like. And on another note, I want to tell you how deeply sorry we are. I saw your heartfelt tribute to James Vander Beek. So, so a lot of people are very heartbroken over this. And when you're carrying these type of real life issues on your chest, but you still got to walk out there, you still got to deliver those lines. Do you buy into that old idea that the show must go on? Or do you think it's more like, hey, a show like AFV can help us all to heal? Well, I definitely believe a show like AFV can help us heal. I also believe the show must go on. I had to, you know, shoot a few days after his passing. And it was very difficult, but the show must go on. Life must go on. You know, we are born to die. And I know that sounds cruel at times, but that is the truth. We were born and then we're going to pass. Dealing with death is very difficult. And this one was very difficult for me and it still is. But the show must go on. And all we can do is in our lives, is take care of the people that we love. And, you know, my wife and I plan to do everything we can to continue to support those little kiddos that are near and near to us. Gwendolyn, one of his daughters, calls me Goddy Daddy because she already had a godfather when I came into their lives. And she was like, I want him to be my godfather too. So I get to be Goddy Daddy, her second godfather in some ways. And that's a role that I plan on, you know, making sure that I live up to. And so they're an incredible family and death is difficult, but the show must go on. And well, man, God bless you and enjoy the day. Because again, we guess we never, never know when our time is going to be up. And finally, I leave you with this. What's one thing you've learned about America from these 30 plus years of home videos? I think you've been hosting for 10, 11 years. What have you learned about America here in these last 10 years? I know one thing is for certain that a lot of Americans do not think before acting. Yeah, well, I see that. Hey, but it could win you 20 grand. So, hey, go out there and live. Which is worth it. Yes. It's worth it. Alfonso Ribeiro, thank you so much for taking the time to be with us. Congratulations on the continued success. And thanks for all the laughs. We'll be watching the show on Sunday nights, AFV. Thanks, my brother. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you so much.
