Since the days of “Candid Camera”, many producers have tried to pull off the hidden camera show. There’s about seeing practical jokes played on people that makes for great TV. Very few do as good a job as Allen Funt did with his original series, but there are two have come to my attention that are really funny. One, “The Jamie Kennedy Experiment”, recently released its second season on DVD, and thanks to Kennedy’s talent and comedic timing it is as funny as I expected. The other comes from a less likely source, Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher, whose main claim to fame is playing the dim-witted Michael Kelso on the ultra-popular “That 70’s Show”, has become Hollywood’s darling in recent years. The flavor of the week, if you will. Admittedly this doesn’t come from any noticeable acting talent, but more his pretty boy good looks. This is why I was surprised that his MTV series, “Punk’d” was as funny as it was.

Kutcher acts as host to this series, in which pranks are played on some of the biggest stars of today’s pop culture world. And I gotta tell you these are some really elaborate, expensively produced and potentially explosive jokes. Throughout the series there are a few jokes played on some ‘average Joes’, but the main targets are the rich and famous.

Now, let me tell you why I like this show as much as I do. As fun as it is to see jokes played on everyday people, it somehow seems especially satisfying to see some of these stars, many of whom are pampered little rich kids, put into situations that are frightening, silly, or extremely uncomfortable. For example, in the first season, Kutcher and the gang pull one over on Justin Timberlake. Timberlake comes home to find that his house, car and possessions are being seized by a (fake) department of the IRS. His house is boarded up and boxes line his driveway as ‘agents’ continue to pack up his stuff. He is told that he owes over $900,000 in back taxes. The look on his face is priceless.

In another, Eliza Dushku was set up to look like she shoplifted from a store where she is picking out some clothes. She’s caught going out the door with items in her backpack and is made to wait while the ‘management’ calls the cops. The whole time she tries to talk her way out of it, claiming (rightly so) that her friends must have set her up. Then there was a running gag that took place at several red carpet events where 8-year old Ryan Pinkston stops the stars and interviews them with some really funny, and occasionally, insulting questions. Ever want to see Pauly Shore get ticked off? Here’s your chance.

One person who shouldn’t be overlooked and adds much to the success of the show is Dax Sheperd. He is Kutcher’s main actor in almost all of the pranks, and though his characters don’t share the range of Kennedy’s, he plays serious very well and is obviously willing to do just about anything. This is most evident while ‘punking’ Jessica Alba. Sheperd plays a nude shopper in a store that Alba is shopping in. He does the entire thing nude, with all the naughty bits blurred out.

Paramount Home Video released the first season DVD set back in January and are finally following it up with the second. Eight more episodes of the series are available on this new set, and the pranks are much more elaborate (if that’s possible), and the famous ‘marks’ get even madder. The first episode shows us a very nasty side of Missy Elliot when she is made to believe that her jewelry, which was brought into a store for cleaning, has been accidentally picked up by a delivery guy. And if you like Hilary Duff, you’ll love what happens to her when she goes for a driving lesson that starts out bad, and gets even worse.

I have to give Kutcher credit for his nerve. This season he sets up the likes of Tommy Lee, Outkast, Lindsey Lohan and Lara Flynn Boyle. Some of the jokes go just far enough, but there are a few that really hacked some people off (at least until they knew they were being Punk’d). I’m not familiar with Blink 182, but when they get one of the guys from the group, I swear a fight was getting ready to break out.

The DVD set from the first season had quite a few extra features, and this time around they added just as much. There are a couple of bits that didn’t make it to the final show as well as some deleted scenes from some of the ones that did. You’ll find some commentary of select episodes by Kutcher, along with some of his cohorts, but admittedly there isn’t much offered up here. There’s also a look behind the set up of the gag that was played on Outkast.

When the series ran on MTV, I imagine the censors had to do quite a bit of bleeping. These episodes aren’t verbally censored, so you get to hear some of your favorite stars using language that you may not quite be used to. I wouldn’t recommend letting your kids watch the one in the first season where Frankie Muniz gets his very expensive car stolen. Who knew he talked like that? It’s really funny, but boy his Mom needs to stop by with a bar of soap, if you ask me….

Initially, this second season was supposed to be the last, but Kutcher Punk’d everyone, MTV included. Turns out a third season was gearing up to be filmed. By the way, for a limited time a 2 pound gold ingot comes with each DVD set you buy. (If you actually believe that one, YOU just got Punk’d!)

Extras: Never-before-seen Punk'd segments: "EMA Green Carpet" and "Shearer Embarrassment", Commentary featuring Ashton Kutcher, Ahmed Ahmed, Steve Rannazzisi and co-creator Jason Goldberg , Follow the Helicopter to Deleted Scenes, Punk Your Friend option , The Making of Punk'd: Outkast , Interactive Menus Hosted by Ashton Kutcher
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 10/12/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR (Some Content May Not Be Suitable For Audiences Under the Age of 17)
Website

We'll give Punk'd: Season 2 an A.