Punk'd: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American hidden-camera reality show}}

[[Image:Punk'd logo.jpg|right|thumb|250px|''Punk'd'' logo]]

{{More citations needed|date=May 2012}}

'''''Punk'd''''' is an [[United States|American]] [[television show]] on [[MTV]], first aired in [[2003]]. It centers on the old ''[[Candid Camera]]'' idea of [[hidden camera]]s, but more closely resembles ''[[TV Bloopers & Practical Jokes|TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes]]'' in that the show pulls pranks on [[celebrity|celebrities]], making them look ridiculous in the process. It is hosted by [[Ashton Kutcher]]. Although a couple of segments during the first season depicted unknown random people being punk'd, subsequent seasons have focused entirely on celebrities.

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Punk'd logo.jpg

| caption = 2003 title card

| camera =

| runtime = {{Plain list|

* 22 minutes (2003–2007; 2012; 2015)

* 5–7 minutes (2020–2021)

}}

| creator = {{Plain list|

* [[Ashton Kutcher]]

* [[Jason Goldberg]]

}}

| developer =

| executive_producer = {{Plain list|

* Jason Goldberg

* Ashton Kutcher (2003–2012)

* David R. Franzke

* Billy Rainey

* Lois Clark Curren

* Rod Aissa

}}

| starring = {{Plain list|

* Ashton Kutcher (2003–2007)<br />Celebrity guest hosts (2012)

* [[King Bach]] and [[DeStorm Power]] (2015)

* [[Chance the Rapper]] (2020–2021)

}}

| narrated =

| theme_music_composer = {{Plain list|Elizabeth Miller

* [[Brian Friedman]] (Theme)

* Ricky Friedman (Theme)

}}

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| company = {{Plain list|

* [[Katalyst Media]] (2003–2007 & 2012)

* [[STX Entertainment|STX Television]] (2015, 2020–2021)

* [[MTV Entertainment Studios]] (2020–2021)

*

}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| network = [[MTV]]

| network3 = [[BET]]

| network4 = {{Plain list|

* [[Quibi]] (2020)

* [[The Roku Channel]] (2021)

}}

| first_aired = {{Start date|2003|03|17}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2007|05|29}}

| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2012|03|29}}

| last_aired2 = {{End date|2012|06|07}}

| first_aired3 = {{Start date|2015|08|18}}

| last_aired3 = {{End date|2015|10|06}}<ref name="futon">{{cite web|title=PUNK'D (BET)|url=http://thefutoncritic.com/showatch/punkd/listings/|access-date=October 26, 2016}}</ref>

| first_aired4 = {{Start date|2020|04|06}}

| last_aired4 = {{End date|2021|12|10}}

| num_seasons = 11

| num_episodes = 94

| list_episodes = List of Punk'd episodes

}}

'''''Punk'd''''' is an American [[hidden camera]]–[[practical joke]] [[Reality television#Hidden cameras|reality]] television series that first aired on [[MTV]] in 2003. It was created by [[Ashton Kutcher]] and [[Jason Goldberg]], with Kutcher serving as producer and host. It bears a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show ''[[Candid Camera]]'' and to ''[[TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes]]'', which also featured pranks on celebrities. Being "punk'd" referred to being the victim of such a prank. New episodes hosted by [[King Bach]] and [[DeStorm Power]] aired on [[BET]].

One of the best-known pranks involved convincing [[Justin Timberlake]] that the [[United States|U.S.]] government was seizing his property and boarding up the doors and windows of his home for not paying his taxes.

A reboot of the series hosted by [[Chance the Rapper]] premiered on [[Quibi]] in 2020<ref name="/Film-90">{{cite web |last1=Evangelista |first1=Chris |title=Quibi Offering 90-Day Free Trial For Potential Subscribers |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/quibi-free-trial/ |website=[[/Film]] |date=March 6, 2020}}</ref> and moved to [[The Roku Channel]] until its cancellation in December 2021.

A frequent segment during the first season had the then fifteen-year-old [[Ryan Pinkston]] pretending to interview celebrities for a kids' show, only to mock them instead.

==History and format==

The show has spawned the catchphrase "You just got punk'd".

Originally, Ashton Kutcher and MTV were developing a program called ''Harassment'', a hidden camera show which would feature pranks on regular everyday anonymous people. However, a January 2002 prank involving a fake dead body at the [[Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas)|Hard Rock Hotel]] in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] backfired and the couple who were targets of the prank sued Kutcher, MTV, and the hotel for $10 million.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2042466.stm|title=Couple sue over TV corpse 'prank'|publisher=BBC|date=June 13, 2002|access-date=May 23, 2012}}</ref> The concept was later retooled to involve celebrities instead. Pranks would be set at a variety of locations, public and private. One of the show's first pranks was set at singer [[Justin Timberlake]]'s home, where he was led to believe that government agents were seizing his home and valuables because of unpaid income taxes. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine ranked the prank #3 on its list of 32 Epic Moments in Reality-TV History.<ref>Webley, Kayla. [https://entertainment.time.com/2011/04/08/32-epic-moments-in-reality-tv-history/ "32 Epic Moments in Reality-TV History: 3. Punk'd: Justin Timberlake Cries"], ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, accessed April 8, 2011.</ref> Another (the very first) involved [[Frankie Muniz]]'s special custom-made limited edition Porsche being stolen.

A frequent segment during the first two seasons was a ''Punk'd'' cast member pretending to interview celebrities at red carpet events, only to mock them instead. This segment closely copies what originated on ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'' in the 1980s, when Stern and his writers began sending interns (most notably [[John Melendez|Stuttering John Melendez]]) to ask celebrities embarrassing questions on the red carpet.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/05/style/egos-ids-tough-to-ask-questions-are-getting-easier-to-ask.html EGOS & IDS; Tough-to-Ask Questions Are Getting Easier to Ask], ''The New York Times'', July 5, 1992, accessed May 28, 2009.</ref> During the first season then-fifteen-year-old [[Ryan Pinkston]] posed as a reporter from a children's television program, and would insult the celebrities.<ref>Soriano, Cesar G. [https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2003-07-13-pinkston_x.htm "MTV prankster Pinkston is a wee bit popular"], ''[[USA Today]]'', July 13, 2003</ref> During season two, the producers then chose a foreign interviewer accompanied by her interpreter who would then ask inane questions to the guests. Several actors, like [[Jill Wagner]], [[Masi Oka]], [[B. J. Novak]], [[Caitlyn Taylor Love]], [[Dax Shepard]], and a then-unknown [[Bill Hader]] were accomplices in the pranks. But when the next celebrity targets who saw the show would recognize the members of ''Punk'd'' and realized what was happening to them, the show would get new field agents every season.

In late [[2003]], it was announced by MTV that Kutcher had decided not to continue production on ''Punk'd''. Some commentators speculated that the announcement was a ploy designed to lower the guard of increasingly wary celebrities in an attempt at another season of pranks. This proved to be true when the third season began airing on [[April 25]] [[2004]]. The television audience itself had been "punk'd".

The series finale aired on MTV on May 29, 2007, and culminated in early June with the Punk'd Awards.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kimball |first1=Trevor |title=Punk'd: Is Ashton Kutcher Really Calling It Quits? |url=http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/punkd-is-ashton-kutcher-really-calling-it-quits/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=June 26, 2022 |date=March 27, 2007}}</ref>

In December 2003, Kutcher attempted to "punk" WWE wrestler Goldberg by having him think a truck had run over his prized motorcycle, when really it was a replica, but the stunt went wrong when the truck clearly missed the bike. Goldberg quickly realised what was going on, and asked "Who do I have to kill?". Kutcher then revealed himself and went through what was supposed to happen. Then in June [[2005]], Kutcher failed to "punk" self-proclaimed King of Crunk [[Lil Jon]]. He was boarding a plane headed for [[Las Vegas]], but Kutcher had actors playing customs agents tell him that he was actually headed for [[Ecuador]]. Lil Jon quickly identified members of the "customs agents" from previous episodes of the program, and asked for Kutcher to reveal himself.

===Revival===

In July 2005, ''Punk'd'' set a new record, when [[Indiana Pacers]]' [[Jermaine O'Neal]] was "punk'd" by four people, including Kutcher, [[Allen Iverson]], and [[Todd Bridges]].

In October 2010, ''[[New York Magazine]]'' revealed that ''Punk'd'' was being revived with [[Justin Bieber]] replacing Kutcher as the host; however, it stated that Kutcher would remain as executive producer.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adalian |first1=Josef |title=MTV Bringing Back Punk'd, With Host Justin Bieber |url=https://www.vulture.com/2010/10/justin_bieber_punkd.html |website=Vulture |access-date=June 26, 2022 |date=October 5, 2010}}</ref> After a five-year hiatus, the program was revived with a March 2012 premiere. The first episode of the ninth season, featuring Bieber as a guest host, was filmed in late August 2011. On December 31, 2011, MTV confirmed that the program would be revived in 2012, and that a different celebrity guest host would be featured each episode, the guests included: [[Tyler, the Creator]], [[Justin Bieber]], [[Bam Margera]], [[Hayden Panettiere]], [[Lucy Hale]], [[Nick Cannon]], [[Dax Shepard]], [[Ashley Tisdale]], [[Demi Lovato]], [[Miley Cyrus]], [[Heather Morris]], [[Kellan Lutz]], [[Daniel Tosh]], and [[Mac Miller]]. [[Ashton Kutcher]] made a returning appearance on an episode where he got to punk again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/12/31/mtvs-hit-series-punkd-the-pop-culture-phenomenon-returns-on-monday-march-19-for-an-all-new-season-featuring-bigger-laughs-and-more-shocking-surprises-from-your-favorite-stars-467501/20111231mtv01/|title=Breaking News - MTV's Hit Series "Punk'd," The Pop Culture Phenomenon, Returns on Monday, March 19, for an All-New Season, Featuring Bigger Laughs and More Shocking Surprises from Your Favorite Stars|website=The Futon Critic|access-date=November 29, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://mtvpress.com/press/release/punkd_returns_for_all_new_season |title=MTV's Hit Series "Punk'd," The Pop Culture Phenomenon, Returns On Monday, March 19, For An All-New Season, Featuring Bigger Laughs and More Shocking Surprises From Your Favorite Stars |access-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117131516/http://mtvpress.com/press/release/punkd_returns_for_all_new_season |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The ninth season ended on June 7, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/story/2012-03-25/punkd-ashton-kutcher-justin-bieber/53777190/1|title='Punk'd' returns with Ashton Kutcher behind the scenes|last=Keveney|first=Bill|date=March 26, 2012|website=USA Todday|access-date=March 28, 2012}}</ref>

By the end of the fifth season, a total of seven non-American/non-[[Canada|Canadian]] stars had been ''Punk'd'': [[Ozzy Osbourne]]'s daughter [[Kelly Osbourne|Kelly]], Mexican actress [[Salma Hayek]], [[Dallas Mavericks]]' [[Dirk Nowitzki]], British singer [[Joss Stone]], ''[[American Idol]]'' judge [[Simon Cowell]], [[Sofia Vergara]], and ''[[That '70s Show]]'' star [[Mila Kunis]] have also been "punk'd" by Kutcher's crew members. (For Hayek and Kunis, they were "punk'd" by Kutcher.)

===BET reboot===

At the end of the second season, Kutcher tried to "punk" (then) WWE superstar Bill Goldberg, starting a yearly tradition of "punking" WWE wrestlers. Season 3 he tried to "punk" The Rock, season 4 it was 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin & season 5, he "punk'd" Triple H.

On May 25, 2013, [[Katalyst Media]] stated that a tenth season was in development. At their 2015 upfronts, [[BET]] announced that they would be rebooting the program for their network. Although Katalyst had closed by then Goldberg returned as executive producer with a revival of the Katalyst banner without Kutcher. Ryan Good also executive produced. The reboot is tailored for the network's audience and goes behind the scenes of many pranks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://betpressroom.com/press/release/bet_networks_delivers_more_african_americans_each_week_than_any_other_cable|title=BET Networks Delivers More African Americans Each Week Than Any Other Cable Network|access-date=May 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426183734/http://betpressroom.com/press/release/bet_networks_delivers_more_african_americans_each_week_than_any_other_cable|archive-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref> The reboot premiered on August 18, 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/TWISTD-REAL-HUSBANDS-OF-HOLLYWOOD-and-PUNKD-Return-to-BET-This-August-20150804|title=TWIST'D, REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD" and PUNK'D Return to BET This August|date=August 4, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2015}}</ref>

To promote the program, BET announced the return of ''[[BET: Uncut]]'', a block for uncut music videos, on August 11, 2015. In reality, after a revelation and introduction from new hosts, [[King Bach]] and [[DeStorm Power]], BET aired highlights from past segments of the program as well as previews for their program.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bet.com/article/3l269e/gotcha-bet-uncut-isn-t-coming-back-but-punk-d-is|title=Gotcha! BET Uncut Isn't Coming Back, But Punk'd Is |website=[[BET]] |access-date=August 12, 2015}}</ref>

Some controversies arose in seasons 3 and 4, when [[New York Yankees]]' third-baseman [[Alex Rodriguez]] and actor [[Michael Vartan]] threatened to sue Kutcher if the prank was aired on MTV or [[MTV2]]. Alex Rodriguez was ''Punk'd'' by Kutcher but, according to some people, he told Kutcher to destroy that tape and never to air the prank on MTV (it was destroyed but Alex Rodriguez is about to sue Kutcher for damages).

===Quibi reboot===

[[Dave Chappelle]] parodied ''Punk'd'' in a skit from [[Chappelle's Show|his show]] called ''Zapped!'' a more disturbing version of Punk'd. [[The Daily Show]]'s [[Stephen Colbert]] also parodied the show in his well-known segment ''This Week In God'', introducing a new fake program called ''Baptiz'd''.

In 2020, it was announced that a new ''Punk'd'' reboot would air on the mobile video platform [[Quibi]] hosted by [[Chance the Rapper]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/chance-the-rapper-host-mtv-quibi-punkd-8548908/|title = Chance the Rapper to Host MTV & Quibi's 'Punk'd' Reboot|magazine = [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> After Quibi was shut down in December 2020, on January 8, 2021, Roku bought the rights to Quibi's content library, including ''Punk'd'' for seven years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perez |first1=Sarah |title=Quibi's content is coming to Roku as 'Roku Originals,' will kick off Roku's investment in original content |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/21/quibis-content-is-coming-to-roku-as-roku-originals-will-kick-off-rokus-investment-in-original-content/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=June 26, 2022 |date=April 21, 2021}}</ref> Season 2 premiered on [[The Roku Channel]] on December 10, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=DeVore |first1=Britta |title='Punk'd' and 'Dishmantled' Get Season 2 Release Dates on Roku |url=https://collider.com/punkd-dishmantled-season-2-release-date-roku/ |website=Collider |access-date=June 26, 2022 |date=December 7, 2021}}</ref>

==Syndication==

In [[June]] [[2004]] [[O.J. Simpson]], on the tenth anniversary of his [[Nicole Brown Simpson|ex-wife's]] and [[Ronald Goldman|Ronald Goldman's]] [[murder]], announced in interviews on [[Fox News]] and [[NBC]] that he was producing a straight-to-[[DVD]], ''Punk'd''-styled prank show of his own called ''Juice'd''. [http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/199730p-172443c.html] [http://www.defamer.com/topic/oj-simpson-is-coming-to-juice-you-015697.php]

Punk'd began in off-network syndication in 2008 and in the fall of that year, [[Trifecta Entertainment & Media]] put it into barter syndication and aired on affiliates of [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], [[MyNetworkTV]], [[The CW]], and [[Independent station (North America)|Independent]] stations. However, as of fall 2012, the show has left local syndication along with ''[[The Hills (TV series)|The Hills]]'' and ''[[Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County|Laguna Beach]]'' due to lack of ratings.

==Celebrities who have been "punk'd" (in alphabetical order by last names)==

* [[Akon]] (Jesse McCartney was in for Ashton Kutcher when he got punk'd)

* [[Jessica Alba]]

* [[Tori Amos]]

* [[Pamela Anderson]]

* [[Carmelo Anthony]]

* [[Ashanti Douglas|Ashanti]]

* [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stone Cold" Steve Austin]]

* [[Tyra Banks]]

* [[Travis Barker]]

* [[Jason Bateman]]

* [[Jerome Bettis]]

* [[Halle Berry]]

* [[Beyoncé Knowles|Beyoncé]]

* [[Jessica Biel]]

* [[Rachel Bilson]]

* [[Thora Birch]]

* [[Bizarre (rapper)|Bizarre]]

* [[Lara Flynn Boyle]]

* [[Bow Wow]]

* [[Zach Braff]]

* [[Adam Brody]]

* [[Adrien Brody]]

* [[Ryan Cabrera]]

* [[Trishelle Cannatella]]

* [[Vanessa Carlton]]

* [[Nick Carter (singer)|Nick Carter]]

* [[Chingy]]

* [[Ciara]]

* [[Rachael Leigh Cook]]

* [[Simon Cowell]]

* [[Kaley Cuoco]]

* [[Rosario Dawson]]

* [[Taye Diggs]]

* [[Jamie-Lynn DiScala]]

* [[Hilary Duff]]

* [[Kirsten Dunst]]

* [[Eliza Dushku]]

* [[Carmen Electra]]

* [[Shannon Elizabeth]]

* [[Missy Elliott]]

* [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]]

* [[Vivica A. Fox]]

* [[Seth Green]]

* [[Tony Hawk]]

* [[Salma Hayek]]

* [[Jon Heder]]

* [[Jennifer Love Hewitt]]

* [[Katie Holmes]]

* [[Marques Houston]]

* [[T.I.]]

* [[Allen Iverson]]

* [[Jadakiss]]

* [[Chris Klein (actor)|Chris Klein]]

* [[Mila Kunis]]

* [[Nick Lachey]]

* [[Avril Lavigne]]

* [[Tommy Lee]]

* [[Lisa Leslie]]

* [[Lindsay Lohan]]

* [[Eva Longoria]]

* [[George Lopez]]

* [[Benji Madden]]

* [[Joel Madden]]

* [[Jena Malone]]

* [[Mario Barrett|Mario]]

* [[Jesse McCartney]]

* [[Benjamin McKenzie]]

* [[Jesse Metcalfe]]

* [[Dave Mirra]]

* [[Mandy Moore]]

* [[Tracy Morgan]]

* [[Frankie Muniz]]

* [[Mya (singer)|Mya]]

* [[Dave Navarro]]

* [[Brandy Norwood|Brandy]]

* [[Dirk Nowitzki]]

* [[Jermaine O'Neal]]

* [[Shaquille O'Neal]]

* [[Omarion]]

* [[Jack Osbourne]]

* [[Kelly Osbourne]]

* [[Outkast]]

* [[Matthew Perry (actor)|Matthew Perry]]

* [[Mekhi Phifer]]

* [[Pink (musician)|Pink]]

* [[Laura Prepon]]

* [[Jaime Pressly]]

* [[Raven-Symoné|Raven]]

* [[Tara Reid]]

* [[Denise Richards]]

* [[Kevin Richardson (musician)|Kevin Richardson]]

* [[Nicole Richie]]

* [[Kid Rock]]

* [[Andy Roddick]]

* [[Michelle Rodriguez]]

* [[Zoe Saldaña]]

* [[Warren Sapp]]

* [[Mike Shinoda]]

* [[Ashlee Simpson]]

* [[Jessica Simpson]]

* [[Jeremy Sisto]]

* [[Brittany Snow]]

* [[Joss Stone]]

* [[Julia Stiles]]

* [[Amber Tamblyn]]

* [[The Game (rapper)|The Game]]

* [[The Rock (entertainer)|The Rock]]

* [[Justin Timberlake]]

* [[Paul Levesque|Triple H]]

* [[Tyrese Darnell Gibson|Tyrese]]

* [[Usher Raymond|Usher]]

* [[Wilmer Valderrama]]

* [[Sofia Vergara]]

* [[Kanye West]]

* [[Serena Williams]]

* [[Evan Rachel Wood]]

==See also==

==Celebrities who have been "punk'd" but haven't aired on MTV==

* ''[[BillCandid ClintonCamera]]''

* [[List of practical joke topics]]

* [[JoJo]] (From Season 4 or 5)

* [[Juliette Lewis]] (From either Season 4 or 5)

* [[David Spade]]

* [[Alex Rodriguez]] (denied ''Punk'd'' broadcasting rights; filed suit against Kutcher for damages)

* [[Simple Plan]] (they noticed the cameras)

* [[Tré Cool]]

* [[Michael Vartan]] (according to Kutcher, Vartan's lawyers threatened to sue if it was aired)

==External links References==

{{Reflist|2}}

* {{imdb title|id=0361227|title=Punk'd}}

* {{tvtome show|id=17441|title=Punk'd}}

==External links==

[[Category:Reality television series]]

* [https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/23f67847c6b759839f27451ce877501f/punkd Official Roku website]

[[Category:MTV television series]]

* {{IMDb title|0361227}}

{{Teen Choice Award for Choice TV - Reality Series}}

[[es:Punk'd]]

{{MTV Network programs}}

[[sv:Punk'd]]

{{BET}}

{{Quibi}}

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