Prank

A PLACE FOR PRANKSTERS

This weekend a fun new bar/restaurant called Prank (as in “escapade”) opened on Hope St in downtown LA and we were delighted to learn that one of the owners was an old friend, Tony Frere. The place is two stories with walls of glass on a corner so the view both in and out is expansive. Drinks are big and we were delighted to see delicious cauliflower on the bar menu. It’s a lively place so the vintage phone booth comes in handy when making that private call. Rumor has it another old friend Joey Arias might be performing there in February, if things work out.

Photo: Richard Tanner

EVEN PARIS HILTON DOESN’T DESERVE THIS KIND OF TREATMENT

We are not huge fans of Paris Hilton but we’re appalled by the prank pulled on her by that Egyptian TV show. While making a personal appearance in Dubai, Paris was convinced to take an airplane tour of the city. She was alone and surrounded by actors in the plane when suddenly an alarm sounded, a strange smell wafted in, and the plane took a plunge. A man who seemed to be the pilot, jumped out of the plane. Paris was screaming and terrified and the actors pretended to panic and weep. The horror of the prospect of death continued far too long. When the plane FINALLY landed, the man seated next to her informed the distraught Paris that he was an Egyptian TV host and she had been pranked. It’s too bad the cowardly Egyptian is getting so much publicity from this evil stunt because he deserves a punch in the nose. NO ONE should suffer through a malevolent “prank” like that. Would this creep have DARED pull this stunt on a MAN? Someone like Sean Penn? It would have had quite a different ending.

BORAT STYLE HOLLYWOOD PRANK FOOLED ACTRESSES

Borat started it all. Recently a casting call in LA was posted on the Actors Access website for young actresses to audition for a role in a feature film called “May The Best Man Win.” Dozens of earnest young women showed up for the audition and were horrified by what they were asked to do. Some of the women were asked to perform in blackface, and others, to impersonate Adolf Hitler and shout Nazi propaganda. It was a moral dilemma. What they didn’t realize is that it was a prank casting session inspired by Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat movie. One of the producers of Borat is involved. According to the LA Times, the girls were being pranked for the $800,000 low budget comedy “May The Best Man Win” about two guys who try to outdo each other with wild stunts. Hoping for a film role, the girls were disappointed, but many opted to sign a release for a $50 cash payment. Producers didn’t apologize – they said other pranks in the movie are MUCH worse.