Buzz
Pranks, much like roughhousing, often end in tears. Thanks to the internet and TV shows from the early 2000s, we’ve been led to believe that pranks are always harmless, silly, and hilarious—even when they go wrong.
In reality, pranks can be more like that infamous April Fools’ episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, where Squidward cruelly pranks SpongeBob, pulling him around the Krusty Krab until he ends up in a trash can. Those who enjoy being pranked often do so just to plan their revenge—and they relish it.
But let’s not get too dramatic. Sometimes, pranks have a dark edge for reasons beyond cruelty or revenge. Sometimes, there’s a tragic backstory—a “if only you knew what led to this” kind of situation.
With that in mind, here are ten seemingly wholesome pranks that hide a darker side.
10. The Lame Christmas Present Prank
A viral prank involves giving children disappointing gifts like pickled beets, an avocado, or batteries—items that are far from what kids dream of receiving on Christmas.
You might have seen this on Jimmy Kimmel Live!—kids unwrap their gifts with excitement, only to be left puzzled by what they find. While many children handle it well, saying thank you and pretending to be thrilled, others react with pure disappointment.
While the well-behaved reactions are heartwarming, let’s be honest—it’s the meltdowns that make these videos go viral. It’s ironic that a prank meant to highlight kids’ ability to handle disappointment is often watched to criticize how entitled some children seem.
9. “Boiling Points” Driving School
Boiling Points was a standout show on MTV. The concept was simple: people were subjected to terrible service, rude behavior, or frustrating situations to test how long they could stay calm. If they lasted without losing their temper, they walked away with cash.
In this particular Boiling Points episode, a driving instructor named Mr. Merit puts students in a rundown car (think bungee cords and tape for seatbelts) and acts like the worst instructor imaginable. When one student nervously says, “Wait, I don’t know how to drive this yet,” he replies, “Well, how do you learn to drive a car?” She hesitantly answers, “By driving it?”
While the episode is undeniably funny, looking back, it’s also pretty risky. Beyond the prank, these kids are in a sketchy car, picking up bad driving habits, and likely terrified. The car is a disaster, and Mr. Merit’s comment about the brakes not working well only adds to the discomfort.
8. A Prom Date
On prom night, Sarah decides to take her gym teacher, Christian Gray, as her date—except it’s all a prank. This is part of a recurring segment by radio host Elvis Duran and his team, where they arrange phone taps. A caller sets up a situation (here, Sarah calls her dad), and the hosts prank someone with a scenario designed to annoy them.
This prank revolves around an inappropriate relationship with a minor. The gym teacher calls Sarah’s dad, claiming he’s taking her to prom. Naturally, the father is furious. Christian, the 27-year-old teacher, tries to justify himself by saying he didn’t initiate the invitation—Sarah did.
Eventually, they reveal it’s all a phone tap prank. While the dad laughs it off, I’d still be fuming if I were in his shoes.
7. Post Malone Prank
Taking over from Ashton, Post Malone steps into the prankster role. He disguises himself as a record store employee and does what he does best—selling records, apparently. The prank is somewhat successful, though it’s hard to miss his distinctive tattoos. Still, he manages to fool a few people. He hilariously trashes his own album, recommends wildly mismatched artists, has someone read absurd lyrics, and even claims he wants to be an accountant.
Why did he do this? Probably because he’s one of the most down-to-earth and approachable celebrities around today.
Post Malone organized this prank to raise funds for Folds of Honor, a charity that offers educational scholarships to families of fallen and disabled military personnel. While the prank itself was lighthearted and entertaining, the gravity of the cause adds a deeper, more serious layer to the event.
6. A Prank Not Worth Dying Over
Pranks have been around for centuries, and many of these early jokes ended in tragedy. On April Fool’s Day in 1896, a Tennessee man decided to prank his new wife, thinking she’d appreciate his humor since he was known for being a jokester.
Sadly, his costume was terrifying. Disguised as a homeless man, he knocked on the door and asked her to prepare him a meal. The shock caused her to faint, and she was rushed to the hospital, where she later passed away. His prank literally scared her to death.
5. The Oldest Fart Joke
The oldest documented prank is a fart joke, which is about as wholesome as it gets. (Double-checking the definition of wholesome here.) Roman Emperor Elagabalus, who ruled from 218 to 222, was infamous for his tyranny but also for his love of parties and pranks. At one dinner, he placed leather cushions on chairs that made farting noises when guests sat down, much to their amusement.
However, this is the same man who committed countless murders (including his cousin), splurged on extravagant decorations instead of improving Rome, and reportedly sacrificed his own children to the gods.
4. “The Office” Bully
Fans of The Office (U.S. version) will agree that Jim’s pranks on Dwight are legendary. Despite Dwight’s constant suspicion, Jim succeeded nearly every time. Even though Dwight knew Jim was up to something, he still fell for it. Here are some of Jim’s most memorable pranks:
- “Bears eat beets, Battlestar Galactica.”
- Dwight from the future sends himself a fax warning, “Do not drink the coffee.”
- The Velcro suit that tears apart.
- The loud voice prank call with Bill Budlichter.
The list of pranks goes on and on.
So, how does this humor have a dark side? Jim relentlessly and ruthlessly pranks Dwight, and while the show portrays these as harmless, they border on bullying. Sure, Dwight can be unbearable, but Jim’s actions are excessive. It’s a reminder that such behavior is only acceptable in fictional settings.
3. Racist Senior Prank
Graduating high school doesn’t always mean gaining wisdom. A group of seniors from Glenelg High School planned a typical senior prank, involving graffiti on sidewalks, the parking lot, and school buildings. What could have been harmless fun took a dark turn due to poor judgment.
Instead of drawing cartoons or writing “seniors forever,” they chose to spray-paint racist symbols, swastikas, the N-word, homophobic slurs, and other hateful messages. What started as a prank quickly escalated into a hate crime.
The four students were caught, arrested, and likely won’t be making many friends in college.
2. Pregnancy Payback
Let’s revisit MTV with another prank show, Revenge Prank. Two sisters decide to get back at their mom for posting an exaggerated viral video by pretending one of them is pregnant. As they ride in an ambulance with their mom, one sister lies on a gurney, “screaming” in “pain,” leaving their mom both confused and increasingly frustrated as no one explains the situation. Later, they reveal she’s “pregnant,” but not with her current boyfriend’s baby. The medic adds to the drama by pointing out that her water wouldn’t break at four months.
Cue Momma Bear mode. As the ambulance stops at a red light, the mom fiercely defends her daughter, demanding a police escort and immediate hospital care. Her temper rises as she insists on urgency, showcasing a powerful moment of family loyalty—even though it’s all a prank. You can’t help but root for her, almost forgetting it’s staged.
The prank would be funnier if the mom hadn’t gotten so upset. When the host explains the sisters’ motive, it suddenly feels trivial. Poor mom—she didn’t deserve that stress.
1. Sal Does Not Like Cats
Sal Vulcano from Impractical Jokers has an intense fear of cats—yes, even the adorable, fluffy ones. As part of the show’s rules, losing an episode means facing a harsh punishment. In this case, his friends prank him by covering him with kittens, his ultimate nightmare.
While Q, Murr, and Joe are cracking up behind the scenes, and viewers are in stitches over Sal’s reactions to the harmless kittens, Sal is a nervous wreck. It’s like witnessing comedic torture, which, when you think about it, isn’t all that funny.
