In school, pranks were the saving grace of almost every boring day and I like to think that no school education is truly complete without dabbling in some form casual japery.
The portfolio of stock capers readily available to budding scamps nowadays is probably so extensive that striving for originality in your mischief is probably quite some toil. Some of the go-to stunts such as the classic cling film over the toilet rim or the old £10 note attached to a fishing line will of course always tickle, but there’s no denying they are beginning to become a little old.
The planning and successful execution of a prank is no less than an art form and so should be considered as such. A successful prank takes time and dedication to really come out as a rib tickler. This often involves fairly high level sleuthing, scheming and sometimes scamming and if a prank shows the potential to be a real knee-slapper then the prankster should be just about willing to lose a friendship over it. Pranking is ruthless game, an art form and a labour, however on TV it’s never quite as magical as getting your own hands dirty.
There are all sorts prank orientated shows. In the U.S they have obnoxious goofs such as Bam Margera (VIVA LA BAM) and Ashton Kutcher (PUNK’D) bugging their A-list pals with high budget capers and here in the UK we have the likes of fun loving Dom Joly (TRIGGER HAPPY TV) and the whacky Sacha Baron Cohen (DA ALI G SHOW) really proving that they can be just as bigger nuisances. Even if you can’t take the antics of these shows in jest and find them to be just silly and a waste of time there’s still some respect to be shown to the planning and the amount of money spent, in simply getting on peoples nerves.
Pranks are great and it seems football players agree. During this years upcoming Euro football tournament, which will be hosted in Poland and Ukraine, a new prank show is set to air along side the coverage entitled EURO WIND-UPS. The shows producers are allegedly ‘pulling out all of the stops’ according to The Sunday Mirror, to ensure an A list ensemble of the biggest names in football. With any luck there will be towel whips and locker room wedgies a plenty and because it’s an ITV production the budget could well be utterly ridiculous.
A source told the paper that ‘A good prank is part of the ¬dressing-room culture in the British game, so ¬footballers are more than qualified to star in the show.’
No doubt that the show, when it comes to air, will be a nice interval between matches and lads all across the land will be clinking pint glasses in agreement that the gags were indeed good. Maybe we’ll get to see a few pies to the face or if the show has any real class, a good old fashioned long con. I guess I’ll just be happy if someone takes a joke too far and it comes to fisty-cuffs.
