Don’t Smile! You’re Not on Candid Camera
Oh, the passengers were in for a ride, all right. They just didn’t expect the ride to take them to Cuba instead. The flight to Miami was hijacked by armed men and heading for Cuba. The hijacking was very real, but the passengers weren’t really taking it seriously.
Allen Funt. Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images
Why? Because Allen Funt, the former host of Candid Camera (which aired on TV from 1960 to 1967), was on board. And so, everyone thought it was all just some joke that they would later see on TV. Interestingly enough, the laughter and immense feeling of relief felt on that flight may have actually saved the day.