Punishment and “Graphic Stupidity” in “Impractical Jokers”

I recently saw a meme that hit me right in the feelings. It read:

I used to have a life but then I watched “Impractical Jokers.”

“Impractical Jokers” is a hidden camera prank show on TruTV that I watch every chance I get. I don’t watch a lot of television shows regularly but this one I watch.

It’s different from other hidden camera shows because the prank isn’t only being made on unsuspecting civilians. The hosts are being pranked simultaneously.

Allow me to explain.

The introduction to the show states, “Warning. The following program contains scenes of graphic stupidity among lifelong friends who compete to embarrass each other.”

The point of the show isn’t just to prank an unknown audience. The point of the show is to push, pull and prank each other while doing the same the audience.

The “Impractical Jokers” are a group of four forty-something friends who have known each other since high school and their television crew. Joe, Q, Murr, and Sal come up with “games” to play with the public. Sometimes they set up focus groups, waiting rooms or odd jobs where they have a group of strangers listen to presentations such as safety seminars. Sometimes they take their antics to the streets, parks, restaurants and grocery stores.

During the prank they have termed “If You Refuse, You Lose,” one (sometimes two) of the four go out into the scene (like a grocery store or cafe) to wait for instructions on what to do or say to unsuspecting strangers. No one knows what will happen, not even the hosts. The goal is to embarrass each other, hoping to make the prankster reach his boiling point and refuse the challenge so he loses the challenge.

Another prank involves one or two of the four putting together a presentation for the others. It’s a surprise presentation where the goal is to get the focus group to feel they learned something of value in the presentation or will take another class. However, not only are the slides or object of presentation a surprise to the presenter, often the slides and objects have little to nothing to do with the topic of presentation.

In both prank situations, it is entertaining for the viewers at home to watch Joe, Q, Murr, and/or Sal scramble.

To add to the challenge, the end of each episode features a punishment. Whoever faces the most losses in the series of pranks (meaning an uncompleted task, not following instructions or not getting enough votes) gets punished for losing the most. These punishments often play on the vulnerability of their friends. Sal doesn’t like germs, so often he gets punished involving typically germ-ridden things. Murr is afraid of heights, so his friends aren’t afraid of making him scale walls or sky dive. Q and Joe often get punished in ways that’ll further embarrass or inconvenience them, like using the bathroom with the door open or eating turkey legs that are strapped to clothing while speed dating. Frequent watchers may imagine these guys have faced enough punishments to face down their fears or embarrassing secrets. But also remember: sometimes the punishment is getting tattooed.

Originally called “Mission: Uncomfortable”—because for sure, this show makes us all a little uncomfortable—“Impractical Jokers” is a practical show for viewers who like to laugh.

Seasoned viewers find these four guys funny and lovable, along with their families who often make appearances on the show. Murr and Q’s parents have been involved in punishments and pranks, Sal’s parents, sister and nieces have been involved in punishments and pranks, and Joe’s sister, brother-in-law and dogs have been involved, too. As a seasoned viewer, I love to laugh with them and see their families and friends get involved as well.

It’s a practical watch for viewers who love to laugh. I even catch my mother, who isn’t subtle about how stupid she thinks the show is, laughing at their antics. Besides, they’re all handsome or charming in their own sort of way, so it’ll be worth a watch.

 

Megan Andreuzzi is an animal lover and a traveler from the New Jersey Shore. She earned a degree from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA in Liberal Studies with a dual concentration in writing and a minor in theatre.