Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with prank

Posters to finish my coworker's office makeover

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:21:33 -0800

One of my developers just had got an "office makeover" (mostly a much needed paint job), and now has about a half dozen Ikea RIBBA frames on the walls. Unfortunately, he hasn't figured out what to put in them. Fortunately, we're all here to help him out. I'm looking for suggestions on what I can print out and stick in there when he's gone this week. We're an e-commerce company selling flower bulbs and gardening products, so anything that's either over-the-top geeky or over-the-top flowery would be perfect.

Bonus points for images that work well in the square aspect ratio, match the blue walls/b&w frames, and/or give the frames a theme. Additional bonus points for anything wide format that fits into 4 of the frames that are all in a horizontal row.

Help me prank my PI

Blasdelb — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:20:15 -0800

When I first started my current job as a graduate researcher at a nominally Catholic university as an American in Belgium, my boss played a quick prank on me where he came into my office, plopped down a copy of the New Testament in Flemish, and told me I needed to study up to pass some kind of religious test. The way he did it, it was pretty funny and I’m looking for ways to prank him back. To be clear, I’m looking for pranks that are not based on a violation of space or that are especially nasty in some way, this is my boss after all. So far I have already emptied out a mayonnaise jar, filled it with yoghurt, and eaten it in front of him while yakking on about how it must be some kind of strange Belgian egg pudding however, while this got everyone else in the lunchroom, he was totally unfazed claiming that we was difficult to shock. This is of course a challenge that I’d like to meet but I am out of ideas.

The peppers have eyes

bondcliff — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:48:27 -0800

1) Big, round, colorful vegetables are starting to grow in my wife's garden. 2) She'll be gone for the next two weekends. 3) I've got a bag of 1000 googly eyes. Question: How can I make this prank work without ruining her harvest? I need the eyes to stick to the veggies in a way that they'll stay on but that can also be easily removed without damaging the fruit/veggies. It should leave no residue once removed.

What sorts of adhesives are there that would work? Googling for "Food safe adhesive" seems to turn up stuff to be used on cooking tools rather than the food itself.

The eyes in question are peel-and-stick, but I'm worried that the adhesive will be too sticky and also maybe not food safe.

Also, whatever I use can't attracts pests. So something like corn syrup would be a bad thing.

#1 priority is not destroying the fruit. #2 is hilarity.

Unless there's no possible safe way to pull this off please don't tell me it's a bad idea. I know my wife. This is a great idea. Possibly the greatest idea.

Pranks with my friend's car

Locative — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:56:13 -0800

I'm taking care of my friend's car for two weeks while he's on vacation. What are some silly things I can do with his car as a joke that he can follow on Facebook? My friend left the country for two weeks and put me in charge of his car. He'll be able to check Facebook, and I was trying to think of something lighthearted and silly I could do that he could follow online, akin to the traveling gnome prank from Amelie or such. Can anyone think of any creative ideas? Thank you!

I've never met you, this is crazy. What's your number? Don't call me, maybe?

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:05:39 -0800

What's up with 774-8283? This appears to be a spoofed phone number calling to harass people at random. How are they doing this, and what can be done about it? Question about American phone calls, probably won't apply internationally. I just got a call from 774-8283. No area code was displayed, which is unusual. I never answer calls from numbers I don't recognize, but I usually Google the number to see if I'm missing anything important. No voicemail was left.

I found a lot of people online reporting calls from this number (also without area codes displaying). These reports come from all over the country so it doesn't appear to be local to me. Somebody observed that the number 774-8283 maps to the word "PRIVATE" so this would seem to be spoofed somehow. I've seen calls show up as "blocked," "unknown," or "private" on my iPhone but this method of masking call origin is new to me. How are they doing this?

The disturbing thing about these calls, for which I'm relieved I didn't answer but also disappointed I didn't hear it for myself, is that they are consistently creepy and/or threatening. Other people online have described the caller...

...breathing heavily into the phone before hanging up.
...claiming to know them and their friends by name.
...detailing obscene (apparently sexual) acts he would like to do to them.
...making expletive-laden threats of harm or murder.
...calling in the middle of the night.
...abusively calling over and over again for days.

I have no idea if this activity is all coming from a single individual or if a number of people are using the same method to "prank" unsuspecting people. Considering that there are hundreds of reports online, made over several years, I assume it's more widespread than a single bored misanthrope. Can we do anything to root out what's going on and put a stop to it?

MAN VS. SKUNK – April Fool’s Day Edition

numinous — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:26:03 -0800

For the last couple of years, my SO and I have an on-going theme involving skunks that colors our April Fool's Day mischief. Help me find an inflatable skunk to keep the stinkin’ hilarity going! Back-story:
On April Fools Day 2010, as fortune would have it, a skunk found its way into the crawl space underneath our bedroom. The pungency was almost unbearable. It was too perfect an opportunity, so while Mr. Numinous was in the shower, I shrieked loudly, rushed into the bathroom and exclaimed that skunk had somehow made its way into our bedroom and was cowering in the back of our closet. Mr. Numinous first looked at me in disbelief, but convinced by the sheer look of terror on my face, jumped out of the shower soaking wet, ran across our apartment without so much as grabbing a towel, and grabbed a pan and a wooden spoon to somehow "scare it out of the closet" (LOL WHAT). I immediately implored him to reconsider his plan of action, given that DUDE, IT'S A SKUNK. IF YOU SCARE IT, YOU WILL DEFINITELY GET SPRAYED. He agreed, dashed to his computer to look up the number to Animal Control, and dialed faster than I could exclaim "APRIL FOOLS!" Again, he looked at me incredulously, and then burst into laughter. WIN!

In 2011, to keep with the previous year’s theme, I purchased a remote-controlled animatronic skunk toy, set it up in the kitchen the evening before, and startled the bejeezus out of Mr. Numinous. He LOVED it - and we both spent the better part of the week in fits of giggles.

I would really like to continue the "early-morning skunk ambush theme" this year by placing a large vinyl inflatable skunk (~ 4 ft. - 6 ft. tall) in the shower the night of March 31st to greet Mr. Numinous when he showers the following morning. I'm thinking of something like one of these weighted "bop bags," but it needs to be skunk specific. I’ve searched high and low, but my Google-Fu has failed me. :(

It appears that the same company does offer a blank bop bag, and I suppose I could customize ahead of time (or try to stuff it into a costume), but I really would really prefer to purchase an inflatable skunk, if possible – and would rather not resort to purchasing anything featuring Pepe Le Pew. I’m reaching for the stars, folks!

TL;DR:
Can anyone suggest a manufacturer or custom toy maker who might be able to fabricate a 4’ – 6’ tall inflatable skunk?

Bonus: if this endeavor is successful, I’ll follow up with SUPER AWESOME photos on the grey.

Parking meter for lulz

breakfast_yeti — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:34:07 -0800

Are there any legal ramifications to installing a parking meter on my front lawn? Douches park in front of my home every weekend. I'd like to setup a parking meter as sort of a vengeful prank. I know it's unenforceable, but is it legal? This is in Austin Tx.

Make me laugh. Please?

jitterbug perfume — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:06:43 -0800

What are some good places to find a certain kind of humor online? It's the kind that includes fucking back with phone scammers, taking out false ads or answering ads falsely on sales or dating websites (craigslist), the infamous Dimitri the Lover thing (a recording of a guy leaving stalkerish voicemail messages for a woman he didn't know), and things like that? What am I missing? I love shit like this and I'm in a sad spell. Laughter is medicine.

"Fresh" Can of Mountain Dew

47triple2 — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:22:52 -0800

Problem: a good friend wants one of my delicious Mountain Dew Throwbacks. Solution: Empty can of delicious Mountain Dew and refill with disgusting Diet Coke. Problem: I can't reseal a can of Mountain Dew. Solution? To empty the can, I nailed two holes in the bottom of the can, then emptied the soda out one hole. I then filled can through one of the holes while gas escaped from the other.

Things I've tried:

Tape

Tape with sticky tack

Hot Glue

Hot Glue with sticky tack

Tape with Hot Glue

Sticky tack with tape with hot glue

None of these methods work. So, hivemind, how do I reseal a can of soda? I'm willing to spend a small amount of money on this prank.

Coffee Hazard Site!

nj_subgenius — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:29:52 -0800

Kindly advise me on setting up a hazmat site in my neighbor's cubicle! My good friend and next-cube-neigbor went to India for an extended stay. Unfortunately he neglected to empty and rinse his coffee cup, which is now quite a science project. A few people put up small signs around it such as 'Science Project - Do Not Touch', and a biohazard symbol.
I bought a minature fire truck and helicopter and placed them at the scene.
But- well, there's comething missing. You can't buy Hazmat action figures as you could those injection-molded green soldiers, which I would have put about the scene. Or zombies crawling out of the cup, or whatnot.
I'm a bit lazy regarding cubicle dressing of this kind. Any suggestions on how to make this a hilarious biohazard containment site?

Safe to add food coloring to betta's water?

ewiley28 — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:28:24 -0800

I am wondering if there is any risk to a betta fish at all of adding some food coloring to his water? We have been pulling minor pranks on a coworker and many on Fridays have revolved around a fish and I am thinking adding a couple of drops to make a light tinge to the water would be good if it posed no risk to the fish. Everything I've googled looks like it is fine, but really trying to cover my bases in advance.

The C: drive will be erased in 5...4...3...2..... -beep-

nikkorizz — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 13:40:10 -0800

Friends are holding a computer prank contest. Need ideas. Friends and I are holding a computer prank contest. We're all software developers and must code our own pranks.

Only friends that have willingly agreed to participate in the contest will be pranked. I don't intend to put my prank on any unsuspecting person's computer.

That aside, here are the pranks rules:
1) Pranks cannot be malicious in nature (ie, deleting files, preventing OS from loading). However pranks can feign malicious activity (ie, moving files around, fake blue-screen-of-death, pop-up dialogs that say files are being removed, etc.)
2) No keyloggers.
3) No illegal activity.
4) No outside programs. We must code our own prank from scratch.

Everyone participating in the contest runs either Windows XP or Windows 7. I'm not too worried about getting my program on the victim's computer because most friends leave their computers unattended (and logged in) when I visit. Also, I'm not concerned with how to hide the process from the user. I've already got that figured out.

I don't want something so complicated that it will take me more than a month to code in my spare time.

I do want a prank that acts so subtly that it will take the victim a while to figure out that something is not right, but something that will still drive them batty.

For example, a program that takes only *1* file off the user's desktop and puts that file into its own sub-directory (on the desktop). The program will execute so infrequently, say once a week, that the user won't immediately suspect a prank program running in the background, and perhaps think that they are just going crazy.

Any ideas? I looking for something that will make for a good laugh. Maybe something that involves something ridiculous, like unicorns or Chuck Norris? I don't know. Give me your ideas.

I control my friends web domain, what pranks can I play on him?

xanderbeedle — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:40:21 -0800

I have control of a friends web domain. Any good ideas for some (good-natured) pranks we can play on him? Nothing malicious, harmful or mean. Ideas that are fun or interesting.

The domain is pointing to my server. I can't edit the DNS records, but I can do anything else.

Prank call and caller ID

sandyp — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:26:26 -0800

Is it possible to get a recorded prank call and the number on your caller id shows a fake number (business number)? At the end of the recorded message it said something like prank.com but not sure of the exact name. Is there any way to find out where call originated?

How to respond to a Charlie the Unicorn when you can't take his freakin' kidney.

yaymukund — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:05:42 -0800

Every week during Poetry Workshop, we write criticisms on our classmates' poems. This week, my friend handed me this. How can I retaliate next week? A bit of backstory— it all started about a month ago when I added star stickers to the poems. This week, I switched to heart stickers and now he's gone and made a unicorn.

There's a knob for that.

madmethods — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 11:15:15 -0800

I'm looking for an image of a ridiculously over-the-top complicated control panel. The more knobs, switches, dials, buttons, gauges, etc, the better. A friend at work makes a piece of software that has a notoriously unmanageable number of "knobs". That's the term they use; they're command-line options/parameters. I need to poke fun at them for this, so I'm going to make a little joke poster in the "despair.com" vein to send to them. For this noble purpose I need an image of decent resolution (thumbnails just aren't funny) of a control panel/system with a preposterous number of "knobs". Knobs, switches, dials, buttons, gauges, etc.

How do I publish phonecalls legally?

a47danger — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:57:15 -0800

How can I go about legally posting phone calls made to businesses on the internet without getting into "invasion of privacy" issues? I live in Minnesota, which allows for one-party permission for taping phone calls. And while that is legal, the publishing of recorded content on the internet is defined as "broadcasting" and can enter into "invasion of privacy" issues.

These calls are specifically being made to people who post singles ads, we buy houses, and make big money signs by the side of the road. It's basically me asking them what I should do with their signs I found. No harassment. Simply playing dumb.

Anywho, that's about it. Thanks!

Security and authentication on the telephone

selton — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:30:52 -0800

Two prominent, famous or 'important' people talk on the telephone. How does either the caller or recipient know they're actually speaking to the real person ? For instance: Suppose the Prime Minister of Greece needs to speak to the Chancellor of Germany urgently. How would it be ensured that the person finally picking up the phone was really the Chancellor ? How could the Chancellor know it's really the Prime Minister on the other end ?

Would there be code words used between their personal assistants when the call is placed and received ? How would the authentication be done ?

Substitute those two with different people who may have had even less of a connection previously: maybe the CEO of BP taking a call from the Governor of one of the areas threatened by the recent oil spill ? Or Warren Buffett and the director of a company he's been rumoured to be considering buying a stake in ?

Impersonating someone's voice (especially someone in the public eye), rerouting landline phone numbers, stealing someone's mobile phone (or at least the sim) etc. don't seem insurmountable hurdles if someone was determined.

Obviously as a prank it might just be a waste of a few minutes, but in delicate discussions it could be much more than that.

It Really Seems Like I'm Haunted.

davoid — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:55:16 -0800

Weirdness. Am I haunted? Is my house haunted? Strange, unexplainable things are happening. Today a book of matches spontaneously combusted in my hand. The book of matches was closed. A witness was present, she didn't see them ignite but she saw the flames as I dropped the pack. I did NOT ignite the matches. No damage was done, but this was the first potentially dangerous thing that's happened.

A couple of approx. 4" circles appeared on a plain sweatshirt someone had given me. They weren't there a day earlier. It was as if someone had drawn them with a magic marker.

There are two "burned" (yellowed) circles on my lawn, one about 8 inches, one about 2 feet in diameter. They are not lines, it's as if someone put a can, something solid, on my grass and left it there for a month~it's very dry.

When I take my shoes off, I leave them on the floor. I found one on a table 6 feet from where I took it off. I live alone. I have the only key, no one gets in without my knowledge.

A washrag that I was using in my car appeared on the kitchen floor 12 hours later.

I'm not amused, I was curious at first, but since the matches incident, I'm getting freaked out. I don't know where to turn. I asked a priest to intercede, and he told me to go see a shrink. I've prayed. I've had other people go into my house and talk to "them," I'm a bit scared that if the local herbalist comes in and burns sage or some other herb that it will make the problem worse, but I have no idea what to do.

Fake a webcam feed?

lemonfridge — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:38:19 -0800

How can I feed video content to a site/application as if it's a webcam source? I want to prank a few friends - but my googlefu is failing me!

Basic idea is to film a realistic scene of me chatting on cam, but have the guys at work lay on some heavy visual effects (mutation, mutilation....suicide?) and then play it back as if it's real time (and then post youtube of course).

How can I achieve this?

(Must be windows based)

Feasibility of a ridiculous texting prank?

Askiba — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:28:24 -0800

What is the potential risk, and legality, of my idea for a prank: sending the entirety of Romeo and Juliet in text messages to a friend. The Prank Idea: using my iPhone I managed to copy the entirety of Romeo and Juliet into a text message. In total, this encompasses around 920 160char text messages. (it might be removing something at the end- no big deal, though). Send them all to a friend early in the morning.

The Disclaimer: I understand that this is a very stupid prank. I probably won't do it until I can be sure I would come to no nasty trouble, nor anyone else for that matter. I just want to know- if I did, how bad of an idea would this be? Would I get disconnected? Fined? Give me all the details.

The Etc.:
-I'd be sending over 900 messages in sequence over AT&T's network. Sounds terrifying already.
-I have unlimited texting.

DVD Fake-Out!

newfers — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:13:34 -0800

How can I make a phony DVD, that starts off promisingly, but eventually turns into something totally unexpected...with the intention of pranking a DVD thief? A friend of mine at work made a copy of a concert DVD for a friend... please attempt to disregard issues of legality and whatnot... Please?
Anyway, he left the DVD out for the friend, but it was eventually taken by an unknown person. And this is not the first time it has happened, sooooo.... we have a DVD nabber in our midst!

I had the idea of making a fake DVD, with the title of a tasty new release written on it, but at some point within the film, I'd insert either fake footage, something disturbing, or maybe even a personalized message to the DVD nabber...

I alternate between evil thoughts and simpler ideas, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to pull this off, in order to legitimitely waste the viewer's time... I have visions of the guy (gotta be a guy, right?) bringing home the DVD to watch with his girlfriend, and then, 30 minutes into it....SOMETHING FOUL HAPPENS!

Any suggestions or ideas?

What is the REAL name of the Japanese pranks show people are calling "Panic Face King"?

phonepimpster — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:19:57 -0800

There is a video making the rounds that is supposedly from an extreme Japanese pranks show called "Panic Face King." I have been unable to find any additional information on this show, which leads me to believe this is not the real name (or not the correct translation). There is often a picture-in-picture of people in the studio audience laughing while the prank is being shown. I do not know if this is a device used on many Japanese prank shows, or if it's unique to the show I'm asking about (for instance, this article on Japanese Prank Shows seems to all be from this same show -- but they may be different).

At any rate, I'm trying to find the name of the show that aired this clip. Any help you can give would be appreciated!

How does Scare Tactics Work?

mazniak — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:49:35 -0800

How does Scare Tactics work? I find the show Scare Tactics fascinating, but I can't determine if it is legit. It seems to be a huge liability scaring people like that, especially in the States' litigation happy society. Also, if a person does not like how they reacted to the scare, can they refuse to sign over their right to have their likeness broadcast? I would imagine it would be a very risky procedure to set up and execute the scare if there was a possibility that something might go wrong or the target would refuse to sign over their likeness. Anyways, anyone has any other insider knowledge about the show I would love to hear it.

Go home, bunny!

shesbookish — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:35:31 -0800

How do I send this bunny home? Long story short, a friend of mine and I have been passing a small stuffed bunny toy back and forth for a few years now. He often returns the bunny by hiding it somewhere in my apartment when he visits. I just found the bunny a few days ago and I think it might've been here for a few months this time.

Now it's time for me to return the bunny and I need to come up with a funny way of doing so. I've seen this question about the lobster, but there are a few restrictions that rule out most of the ideas listed there. First, I don't have access to my friend's apartment and we rarely go over there. So, my options for returning the bunny are either to come up with an elaborate way to put it on his doorstep or in the bed of his pick-up truck. Second, I don't want to escalate things so much the he retaliates by, say, leaving a bunny on fire on my doorstep.

So, any suggestions for how to best return this bunny?