Monday, December 10, 2012

Pranks

I don't like practical jokes and am not sure why they are called that.  I've never thought it was funny to intentionally embarrass people or make them look like fools.  I put up with them from people who pulled them on me and laughed or shrugged or whatever it took to move on because when pranksters know they can get to you, they are encouraged to do more.  The few times I tried to reciprocate and pull a prank, it sort of fell flat since I don't have the attention span to orchestrate anything strategic or complex.  Besides, that's not how I want to spend my time.  Pranks and put-down "humor" both seem mean-spirited to me.  What motivates them?  Do you think it's funny?

The nurse committed suicide who was the object of that prank played by the Australian radio show DJ's.  The head of the station approved airing the piece.  Something should be done to punish them.  I don't know what, but something.  Maybe they should all be fired.  I don't know.  What do you think?


 And, no, I never watched it.  

5 comments:

the dogs' mother said...

I think they canceled their program and some advertisers are pulling their ads. Money always speaks.

Eldest had a funny prank pulled on him. It is illegal to turn your car on and let it warm up while you are in the house waiting. (All sorts of things can go wrong doing that.) Two of his friends were walking by and discovered Eldest had done just that. They could not resist. They jumped in the car and drove it down to the cul-de-sac. Eldest went out - NO car! Came in to call the police and then friends showed up with the car and all were laughing. That Christmas I got him a keychain that said 'THIS TIME I DIDN'T LOSE MY KEYS, I LOST THE WHOLE DAMN CAR'
:-)

David Dust said...

I too hate practical jokes (April Fools Day is horrible) and I never watched Punk'd either.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Bob said...

That story about the nurse just breaks my heart.
Imagine an entire country laughing at you for falling for that prank, and then berating you for believing the person on the phone was HRH.

www.DiatribesAndOvations.com said...

I'm with you. There's nothing "practical" about them. I'm generally a good sport but when someone lies to me and then belittles me for believing them, I don't think they're funny I think they're a liar.

As for the DJs, I think they were simply doing their job. Trying to be entertaining and shocking. The nurse who put the call through, however, was NOT doing her job.

I don't think the nurse's suicide was any more the direct result of the DJs on-air "prank" than Tyler Clementi's suicide was the result of his roommate's "prank". http://wp.me/p1se8R-lh

It's my understanding that the DJs have voluntarily taken themselves off the air and I think this was the best course of action.

Miss Ginger Grant said...

I dislike them intensely, and I really dislike Ashton Kutcher, even more since he became associated with that show.

Humor at the expense of another's comfort and security (even perceived) is just not funny- it's mean. Most of the "practical jokesters" I have know in my life were really just bullies.