Pranks like the dentist bit were more like cringe comedy. But Funt’s broader-ranging work—morally complex documentary experimentation that delved deeply into human behavior—drew intellectuals toward Funt’s work, among them sociologist David Riesman, who, in his 1950 book, The Lonely Crowd, described Funt as “the second most ingenious sociologist in America.” (His top pick: Paul Lazarsfeld, who invented influencer theory.)
