The VHS Guys

Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher began collecting old VHS tapes in 1991 after stumbling across a hilariously hokey McDonald’s training video entitled, “Inside and Outside Custodial Duties.” Since 2004 they’ve hosted Found Footage Festival events all over North America, showcasing the impressive collection of strange and outrageous videos they’ve accumulated.

[@ezekielmartin4323]

The way the McDonald's guy says "Finesse that wall... that's the way! Make it shine, guy! _Make it shine!"_ sounds like he's trying to get the blood out of the tiles in his shower after an unusually messy kill. It is, without exaggeration, one of the scarier things I've heard in the past couple of months.

[@googiegress7459]

Mop mop mop, all day long. Mop mop mop while I sing that song. Gonna wax that floor, gonna make it shine. Gonna take off the spray paint with turpentine.

[@equestrianrosie]

This is what collecting is all about. Look these guys!

[@briangonigal3974]

Someone put these guys in touch with Red Letter Media, Wheel Of The Worst will become a weekly series!

[@maskedowl501]

Heck yes. I want a crossover.

[@JenniferAnnifer]

As kids my brother and I would beg to rewatch the VHS that came with our pasta maker. I hope they have it in their collection.

[@neeleyfolk]

Please be kind, rewind.

[@atlasobscura]

We have so many questions: - Exactly how many videos does it take to learn how to tie a scarf? - How many people are looking for ways to identify counterfeit Beanie Babies? - How DO you talk to an elk? Leave us your burning questions about the collection below!

[@louistournas120]

Learn Klingon in 30 days

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

[@ around 1:40] When they talked about the end of VHS manufacturing, and he said “the last plant...” I began thinking about an actual plant 🌱 🪴 growing and covered in fresh and tasty VHS fruit - some bigger than others obviously 😂 My brain, I love it ❤ It takes me on some absolutely brilliant, beautiful and fantastically colour filled journeys. Thanks brain, you’re freaking AMAZING. ❤I love you❤ 🙂🐿❤️🌈🌱

[@kennylauderdale_en]

But do they collect vintage popcorn & blockbuster candybars too?

[@FrenchToastMashedPotatoes]

I love old VHS tapes. I copy old tapes n put them on my channel. I'd love to find that thrift store. It's getting harder to find thrift shops that carry obscure tapes.

[@atlasobscura]

Oh wow, that's great! Bet it's really fun for people to go through and watch throwbacks from the past.

[@dorcaspowellpowell5971]

I'm obsessed..I've always valued VHS tapes. A piece of retro history.

[@frusology8502]

I love this quick peeks into this absolutely unique lives

[@WSNO]

The obscure stuff is the best- you wouldn't believe how wild Feng Shui could be till you've seen late 90s tapes about it

[@atlasobscura]

Did someone say OBSCURE STUFF? We're all ABOUT obscure stuff. Where can we find one of these tapes?!?!

[@WSNO]

Atlas Obscura its called "Instinctive Feng Shui for Creating Sacred Space" by Denise Linn, theres a copy on eBay rn for $25...or, I also have insider info that it may be ripped and uploaded to youtube soon

[@MilkDestroyer]

I've been to their live shows and these guys are hilarious!!

[@Serriniverse]

Everything is Terrible.... this is fantastic.

[@zacharysiple783]

$2 for a VHS? At my thrift stores, that is a DVD! We sell VHS tapes for 25 or 50 cents!

[@voltronxxx]

$2.00 each! WTF! That is a crime

[@DKGifford19608]

@@voltronxxx It's Brooklyn, a lollipop is $2.

[@RafaelFyen]

These guys are one big solar flare away from having all of their tapes degraded or destroyed. Yes I'm grumpy and envious of their collection.

[@williamlaubach3285]

That's why they digitize as many as they can. That way they're only a slightly bigger solar flare away from erasure

[@GreigStott]

Great stuff, my kind of collection - I would still have many thousands of my father hadn't thrown so many of mine out ☹ But I still have a wee collection of some of my favourites, rare and special interest too 😎👍❤

[@atlasobscura]

Oh no! Sorry to hear that they were thrown out. What's your favourite thing in the collection?

[@ryjbecker]

Absolutely LOVE THIS!!!!! I NEEEEEEED to meet these guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also..... Go Brewers!!!!!

[@DKGifford19608]

Hope you watch VCR Party now.

[@zeroworldcraft]

Cool! I am so glad that you found the "Table full of Animals Guy". What was that? I have been looking for it for years. Sooo random.

[@group4x121]

True passion burns bright... even for VHS!

[@atlasobscura]

They say you don't choose your passion, your passion chooses you. (To be clear: No one says that.) ;)

[@group4x121]

Atlas Obscura so we’re aware, you (and by extension the person writing these replies) are my passion. Love the work, keep the obscure coming!

[@atlasobscura]

Means a lot Richard, thank you for the very kind words!

[@hakuchanyuuki9240]

Nice, I would love to see that collection in person and just sit a watch some old vhs

[@Art_kore]

Great video guys!

[@googiegress7459]

For a while there it was pretty popular to sell board games and "murder mystery party" games with VHS tapes that were part of the experience.

[@bnferguson9827]

You guy's are freaking awesome i love this shit!

[@Art_kore]

Very interesting collection guys! I'm also into tapes, got about 2000+ Korean VHS :)

[@kalanix51]

I collect vhs and in my area $2 is not a good price per piece. Usually $1 but I have a secrete spot that sells for .25 each.

[@VhsVcr]

oh i love finding old training videos LOL. HEY I collect VHS tapes too

[@tan7593]

They probably have the most classic skateboard videos.

[@barbaramatthews4273]

Vhs tapes are absolutely wonderful.

[@vidvicar]

If they digitized the entire collection how many months (or years) at 24 hours a day would it take?

[@vintagecameras9623]

great room you have my frend

[@blainedarrah5767]

they do a weekly live show check out their youtube or facebook page Found Footage Festival

[@atlasobscura]

Oh! Thanks for the tip!

[@j.m.w.1356]

You guys are great! I want to join you in your search for odd videos!

[@atlasobscura]

We're always on the search for video ideas! You can reach out to us by emailing [e-mail]. Happy hunting!

[@atlasobscura]

You can also visit Nick and Joe's website to learn more about the project and contact them that way: www.foundfootagefest.com/about-fff/

[@jackwalker8424]

within the next 10 years people will be collecting DVDs

[@lucasmolteni]

Love this guys from Argentina. Son unos Genios!!!!

[@mmakreesekingjr2074]

Vhs y'all you make me feel old

[@DKGifford19608]

Their KZbin show is my favorite thing in the world.

[@LukeDodge916]

I wish these guys had a KZbin channel...

[@DKGifford19608]

They do! Found Footage Fest and VCR Party. It's an amazing community and hilarious.

[@Florentina-ox9xq]

I am 21 and I got my first VCR in 2005 when I was 8. Although my mom did teach me how to use a VCR and can do almost anything relating to a tape, I never managed to learn how to record using a VCR. Last summer I sacrificed a few pre-recorded tapes to learn how to record using the Internet. All I got is pure black. Seeing that I can't seem to learn I gave up trying last year, even through I wanted to make a copy of Cinderella, the first tape I got. The video store where I bought these tapes is still open, it also sells VCRs but it has fewer tapes. Is there any chance I might get the help needed in this video store? DON'T ANSWER if you don't want to help me and don't want to be nice!

[@tariqmahmood5282]

Good job i love this i

[@henrickleonardotherlonge3097]

I love VHS so much ♥️♥️♥️♥️📼📼📼📼

[@DavidMatine]

I want to see all those tapes so bad!

[@thaddeusmcgrath]

I just recently started back collecting 80's VHS horror movies for the nostalgia growing up then. Watching them today on 1080P television takes the magic out and looks too normal unlike watching on a CRT. It is weird but I enjoy finding the first run VHS and watching them more than streaming on my LED television.

[@pinfarmer]

Lots of films are not available on anything but VHS. Not DVD not streaming anywhere.

[@RetroManMike]

I totally understand these guys.

[@twentythree4815]

good thanks

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Bellissima collezione,c'è lo anch'io.anch'io vado matto per il VHS.complimenti

[@rodneycool8997]

I love you guys ! You Fucking rock !

[@Negentropy.]

These guys have the first KZbin...AnalogRoom

[@ivanvillanueva2898]

Que loco🤘

[@grahamchandler8028]

Please just do more

[@nutCaseBUTTERFLY]

1:05 DVD on the shelf

[@patriciahoggard6390]

I'm looking for a total abs video of three very thin women from the early 90's and I can't find it anywere because I don't remember the exact name...can you help

[@robertosimionato5087]

They should upload it all on YT 😸 I'd watch it

[@DKGifford19608]

Their KZbin channel is amazing.

[@johnh3614]

Make it shine 😂

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

Does anyone know if these guys have a website or a KZbin channel please? I’m going to look, but I thought that I’d ask the “comment community” Have a great day/weekend everyone. 🙂🐿❤️🌈

[@annagosciejew4208]

FoundFootageFest on KZbin ❤

[@preshisify]

wow

[@louistournas120]

2:15 White cassette? Once I saw a red cassette. I don't remember what it was about.

[@amygeyer1166]

$2 for an old VHS tape!

[@narrowpath2474]

The real life version of kevin smith cult classic clerks i guess😋😄

[@muranium7311]

you guys can get alot of the VHS tapes in Africa if your still collecting

[@TheHunTwo]

Are you the VHS Guy who copyright my documentary?

[@michaelc7110]

Amazing.. Look up Weird Paul videos...

[@Steger13]

Ok but are they worth anything great today thought?

[@thesilencer1969]

I still have over a hundred VHS tapes in my house . Most belonged to my Father ; who died in 2015 . I need the room , so I ask if you would like them ?? I do not have any instructional videos , but I have VHS tapes of different genres .

[@Parker_World_Tv]

I've got a pile of vhs tapes for ya!

[@atlasobscura]

Yay! You should send them to the Found Footage Festival :)

[@Parker_World_Tv]

@@atlasobscura Cool but I don't know how.

[@charlierogers5703]

I have a thing but I could not find a way to DM you.

[@christsrevenge8030]

All old vhs are deteriorated sorry and will be soon all gone.

[@Rachel-96]

Be kind, rewind

[@WeAreMovieMakers]

But how many copies of Jerry Maguire do they have?

[@cldcollector]

Yeah, I immediately thought of Everything is Terrible, who have really turned this sort of thing into a kind of art form.

[@DKGifford19608]

@@cldcollector FFF & EIT are kind of different beasts. FFF are like my friends from high school. EIT are like my friends from art school. Do similar things but laughs come different ways.

[@mulletbubbles9909]

We have a category called porn

[@alexjohnson9798]

$3 each for fucking VHS tapes? I hate Brooklyn