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Whether you love it or hate it, Punk'd redefined the hidden camera prank show by combining celebrities, elaborate setups, and Ashton Kutcher's hyperkinetic hosting style into a postmodern Candid Camera. Although several celebrities angrily refused to sign release papers (David Spade, Shannon Elizabeth, Alex Rodriguez), most took the prank in good stride, realizing there's no such thing as bad publicity, even when you're being mercilessly ridiculed on national TV.
Now that MTV is reportedly resurrecting Punk'd with Justin Bieber as its new host, we thought it was time to review the five best Punk'd pranks of all time. Our only remaining question: where did the apostrophe in Punk'd come from? We can only assume Kutcher is just a big fan of Shakespeare.
1) Hugh Jackman's Burns His Friend's House Down (Season 7 Episode 8)
When you prank a celebrity by causing them to "ruin" someone's car, the stakes aren't that high. If you're a movie star, you can afford to buy some stranger a new car. But how could you compensate your best friend for the loss of his home, filled with irreplaceable artwork and momentos?
In this prank, Ashton Kucher conned down-under actor Hugh Jackman into believing he acccidently burned down friend and director Brett Ratner's house, due to his un-Australian incompetence with a barbeque grill. The Punk'd crew brought in pyrotechnics experts, fake firefighters, and fake neighbors in this extremely elaborate (and elaborate) prank.
Check out the horror on his face at 11:11, and the profound look of relief at not burning down an entire neighborhood at 14:41.
(If you get the error "Sorry, this video is no longer available," it's an MTV prank. Click the video again.)
2) Pop Singer Ashley Parker Angel's Fiancee is Attacked by a Gorilla (Season 7, Episode 1)
Who hasn't faced the anguish of seeing a loved one in the grasp of a rampaging gorilla? Apparently boy-band refugee Ashley Parker has not. Kutcher and the gang brought in an actor in an ape suit, a park ranger, and another actor with a gun to create this emotional nail-biter.
Watch at 11:48 as the fiancee cowers before the mighty beast. Angel is brave enough to get out of the car and warn her to get out of there, but not dumb enough to take on a 600-pound gorilla.
(If you get the error "Sorry, this video is no longer available," it's an MTV prank. Click the video again.)
3) Jojo Almost Kills the Bubble Girl (Season 8, Episode 6)
If you're talking about high stakes, it's hard to think of anything worse than endangering the life of a child during a "meet and greet" hospital visit. Fast forward to 4:21 into the episode, when singer Jojo engages a little girl with an immune deficiency in a game of "thumb war" and accidentally pops her hermetically sealed world.
(If you get the error "Sorry, this video is no longer available," it's an MTV prank. Click the video again.)
4) Beyonce Ruins Christmas (Season 2, Episode 8)
In this prank, disadvantaged kids have been waiting for hours at Universal Studios for Beyonce Knowles to place the "Star of Hope" on top of the Christmas tree.
Watch at 12:55, as Ashton's crew pulls the tree down at just the right moment, crushing all the presents (and nearly killing Mother Mary), causing a child to cry out "you ruined Christmas!"
(If you get the error "Sorry, this video is no longer available," it's an MTV prank. Click the video again.)
5) The Government Makes Justin Timberlake Cry (Season 1, Episode 1)
You don't need to be someone wearing a tin hat and raving about the "New World Order" to be afraid of the government taking away what you have.
In this pilot prank, Punk'd made up a fake government body, the U.S. Tax Enforcement Agency, and told Timberlake he owed $904,000 in back taxes. To recoup the money, several agents arrive to take his cars, his dogs, and his prized instruments.
Watch at 13:12, as the tax agents smash his guitar until he "Cries Us a River." "It'll fit now." Punk'd!
(If you get the error "Sorry, this video is no longer available," it's not a prank. The video is really unavailable.)
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Like This? Rate It!
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Funny
2 votes
3.0
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Also Recommended on ZUG:
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Amusing
3 votes
1.7
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Thud 68,525  19 drumming fingers on hooker's back
02/10/2011 12:36 AM
Punk'd.
Really.
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Chuckleworthy
2 votes
2.0
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WhyMi? 3,549 12
02/10/2011 07:15 AM
When's John's show "Prank'd" starting up?
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Funny
5 votes
3.8
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Whistler 186,138 44
02/10/2011 01:14 PM
If Justin Beiber takes over Punked, my favorite one will be the one where he plays a prank on some pre-teen Hollywood starlet and she retaliates by punching him in the nads. That's going to be hilarious!
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Funny
4 votes
3.3
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WhyMi? 3,549 12
02/10/2011 05:14 PM
she retaliates by punching him in the nads.
Beiber? Nads? I didn't know she was a hermaphrodite.
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Amusing
2 votes
1.5
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Snarkolepsy 363 6
02/13/2011 01:48 PM
I've always suspected Hugh Jackman was somehow related to the illustrious Hugh Jass. Anybody? No?
Now this Shakespeare is getting confusing:
We can only assume Kutcher is just a big fan of Shakespeare.
To swearbot or not to swearbot...that is the question.
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Funny
3 votes
3.3
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Whistler 186,138 44
02/13/2011 08:29 PM
Speaking of Punked - this just tweeted by Benjy Bronk:
"It would have been great if they had punked Gaga and when she popped out of the egg she found herself in a barn in Nebraska."
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Amusing
1 votes
1.0
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Dogs Akimbo 211,626 32
02/14/2011 08:58 AM
I thought we had decided that Kutcher was a pompous ass and simple spending money to Frost with other people was nothing more than bullying.
Or did I miss the memo?
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Hilarious
2 votes
4.0
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Fratberry 283,052 53 reads thread title and responds
02/14/2011 09:16 AM
NO.
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Store
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