You Got Punked!

Have you ever had friends or family play a trick on you? If you have, then you may have been “punked.”

If you’re playing a prank or playing a practical joke on someone, it means that you’re deceiving them in some way to have fun or to make other people laugh.  In recent years in the U.S., people have started using the word “punked” to describe being the victim (the person harmed or tricked) of a practical joke or prank.  In fact, the actor Ashton Kutcher had a show on MTV, the music cable television station, called Punk’d in which he played practical jokes on other celebrities.

Recently, I saw a prank on the website “Funny or Die.”  Here’s the setup (arrangement; plan):  The producers (makers) of “Funny or Die” asked popular singer Jewel to disguise herself by wearing a wig (false hair) and a fake nose, and to go to a karaoke bar and to sing her own songs.  A karaoke bar is a bar where any customer can sing a popular song on stage while recorded music plays, usually performing in front of friends or coworkers for fun.  The producers asked her to sing her own hit (very popular) songs as a woman named “Karen” to see how the other bar patrons (customers) would react.  After Jewel got her disguise, she was also given some fake coworkers, “business associates,” who went to the bar with her.  They all wore badges, which she calls “laminants” in the video, which are identification cards worn on a string around the neck or pinned to a shirt/coat, showing that they were in town to attend a frozen foods convention (large meeting).

When they arrived, Jewel said that their group “really stood out,” meaning that they were very noticeable because they were different from the typical customers in the bar.  Her “business associates” were trying to get her to sing, but she pretended to be reluctant (not wanting to do something), until the entire bar was “pulling for her” (wanting her to succeed).

Watch the video below or here at “Funny or Die“.  I’ll explain below a few more things people said in the video in case you have difficulty understanding them.

2:48  “She’s kind of homely (not attractive; plain looking).”

3:02  “That’s the first time there’s ever been an encore here (the first time someone has been asked to sing again because the audience enjoyed the first performance so much).”

3:04  “That was pretty off the charts (amazing; better than anyone had expected) there.”

6:14  “That was all set up (all arranged; not real).”

6:18  “I was duped (successfully tricked).”

What do you think of the prank?  How would you have reacted if you had been one of the other customers?

~ Lucy

This entry was posted in Jokes and Humor, Karaoke English. Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to You Got Punked!

  1. emiliano says:

    I think it is nice Lucy, harmless, innocent and very funny, so it would be great to be in the bar and suddenly have the opportunity of
    listening to one of my favorite singers.
    My problem is that for me understand Jeff and Lucy talking is easy but understanding these people is really very difficult, yes I know that I have
    a big problem with my English when there are several english or american persons talking fast or simultaneously….that´s the point.

    Thank you Lucy, I would like to be duped that way.

  2. Peter says:

    Lucy
    intresting topic
    good job sis
    I guess Ashley koche ( spelling wrong) started that expresiikn with the show he ran on tv back in 2005
    On the show he would punke celebriticies.it was funny As hell
    he panned out the idea but the idea backedfired
    I mean it didn’t catch on
    but the show was on for quite sometime
    Lucy
    the expression “Tomy texter “is really used
    or just sth peculiar to movies

  3. nino says:

    haha, nice joke! i would’ve been fooled too if i was there, she looked so diferent with that nose and the wig on. nice blog lucy!! PS: i’ve always heard the third song she sang on the radio but i never knew who she was

  4. fayssal says:

    Splendid

    gullible people are an easy prey…..

    some people have an outstanding knack to disguise to the extent that they punk other people easily. so we’re all liable to be punked nobody can get away with it unless you are cautious but caution sometimes won’t prevent u from being duped…..lol

    in a nutshell, second to none topic, I’m profusely indebted to you both Lucy and Jeff and you guys for spicing up this lovely blog with your lovely comments

    best regards and cheer up

    Fayssal from Algeria

  5. Link says:

    Dear Lucy

    Thanks so much to introduce us a so interesting problem . i really it.

    Wish one day , i can see you or Dr Jeff in this show.

    Have a nice nice day everyone .

  6. Matteo says:

    I like the word LAMINANT, I did not know the meaning before! 🙂

  7. Boby says:

    Thank you Lucy for this very interesting stuff. It´s the best way for me to learn English. Plug into the real English. I didn´t know Jewel before, and I have to admit that she sings almost as good as Jeff. 🙂
    Boby (39, Czech Rep.)

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