Check out 8 of our favorite pranks from film and television
April 1, 2021 Andrew Buss Features, Lists, News
Happy April Fool’s Day! In honor of the holiday that celebrates all things funny and pranking, we wanted to compile a list of 8 of our favorite pranks from various television shows and movies. From Andy Kaufman to Eric Andre to Borat and beyond, check out what made the list.
Note: We are talking about real pranks that occurred, not just in the storyline.
Andy Kaufman Transforms Into Elvis
In the early days of the comedy boom, it was not unusual for Andy Kaufman to wander onstage and completely mess with your expectations. In easily one of his best bits, Kaufman tricks the entire audience into believing that he is fresh off the boat from Caspiar (a made up island), before performing a drop dead Elvis imitation.
Eric Andre At The RNC
It is definitely difficult to highlight just one prank from The Eric Andre Show. However, gun to our heads, we’d have to say it’s the time he crashed the stage at the RNC. (And his subsequent interviews outside the DNC after his press pass got revoked is just as amazing).
Murr Meets His Childhood Crush
How would you react to meeting with your childhood crush? And what if you were interviewing her, while all oiled up and in a Speedo, and had to stay collected and cool the entire time? We imagine it would look something like this clip from Impractical Jokers.
Richard Lewis on Candid Camera
Even in high school, the Prince of Pain was going at it. In a clip from the original television prank show Candid Camera, you can see how a young Richard Lewis reacts to the news that he would be best suited for a job in manual labor. 30 years later, he then flips the script and tricks other kids.
Paul Rudd And Mac And Me
This is a prank that never gets old, no matter how many times you see it and even when you know it’s coming. As far back as 2004, every single time Paul Rudd appears on a show hosted by Conan O’Brien, he shows the same damn Mac and Me clip, under the guise that it’s a clip from his newest film. And it still holds up!
Bad Grandpa Origins
Before Johnny Knoxville’s Bad Grandpa character ever got his own film, he first took to terrorizing the streets as Irving in the second Jackass film. In this scene, he lets his grandson drink and smoke, as well as taunts people passing by.
Borat Sings A Song
Again, it is not easy to narrow down one singular best Sacha Baron Cohen prank. But this is one that never fails to make us laugh and cringe. Borat wanders into a bar down South, and manages to get everyone to chant “Throw the jew down the well.”
Drake on Punk’d
There’s something about watching celebrities drop their guard and freak the f*ck out that is never not fun. In this clip from Punk’d, Drake thinks he’s in the middle of an earthquake and starts freaking out when he doesn’t have the keys to the car he’s in.
