Monday, 21 March 2011

Communication is a Virus: Punk'd- TV prank shows.


Punk'd was an American hidden camera practical joke television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 was produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher- with a similar format to the classic show 'Candid Camera' and to 'TV Bloopers & Practical Jokes', which also featured pranks played upon celebrities. Being "punk'd" referred to being the victim of such a prank. 

The series finale aired on MTV on May 29, 2007. The series culminated in early June with the Punk'd Awards. 

Kutcher would often use real-life current events as aides and elements within his pranks, for example, when he pranked tennis player Andy Roddick, who was scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show, by convincing him that his automobile was trapped by the Los Angeles mudslides. Kutcher sometimes set his pranks where his targets work, such as on the sets of films, TV shows, and music videos. For one example, Kutcher pranked wrestler and actor, The Rock, who was filming Be Cool, by convincing him that his trailer was destroyed. Kutcher also pranked Kanye West by convincing him that he could not shoot his music video for "Jesus Walks" on Sundays without a permit.
Kutcher has also performed holiday-themed pranks, as when he punked Beyonce Knowles into thinking she knocked over a 50 foot Christmas Tree, or when he pranked Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz into thinking he derailed a train at a Christmas festival. After the joke progressed to a point, usually with the celebrity becoming angry or frustrated at the outrageousness of the situation, Kutcher, or one of the actors would announce to the surprised victim that "you just got punk'd!", or by reveaing a large sign or banner to that effect.

Failed "punks"

-In December 2003, Kutcher attemped to "punk" then WWE wrestler Bill Goldberf by having a truck run over an exact replica of his prized motorcycle, but the stunt went wrong when the truck clearly missed the bike. When the bike spontaneously exploded without any visible reason, Goldberg realised what was going on, and asked, "Who do I get to kill first?" as Kutcher revealed himself, knowing the joke had failed. 

Contreversy

-American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth filed for divorce from her husband, Joe Reitman, a year after her appearance on the show. She was reportedly furious over his involvement in the prank, which involved leading Elizabeth to believe that they had been filmed on a celebrity porn tape.

-Pamela Anderson also denies ever being fooled by the attempted prank on her, which involved convincing her that a porn movie was being shot in her back garden, explaining that she realised it was a prank when she confronted a nude model on the premises.

-Scrubs star Zach Braff was involved in a prank with teenagers vandalising his car. Braff was so furious that he almost proceeded to, in his own words, "pummel" a twelve-year old.


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