Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Metta World Peace is working on a prank TV show

Against all odds, Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace has turned into one of the more fun-loving players in the NBA, albeit not without his share of controversy. MWP, like many people in LA, also happens to associate fun with being on TV, and in his case that means in acting in roles ranging from "trusted detective in a Lifetime adaptation of a Nancy Grave novel" to "overtly sexual vampire elder." He has no shame, and he will explore any media opportunity that comes his way.

So we should not be terribly surprised when Mr. World Peace settles on a project that sounds terrible. But even that expectation could not prepare us for his latest venture. From Nellie Andreeva for Deadline Hollywood (via SLAM):

LMNO Prods., producers of CBS hidden camera series of specials I Get That A Lot, has partnered withLos Angeles Lakers player, Metta World Peace (born Ronald William Artest) and his Artest Media Group to develop Metta World Pranks, a new prank series featuring professional athletes in hidden camera bits. In addition to Metta and other professional athletes, the show’s practical jokes will also include family members, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and fans. “Pranking and practical jokes are part of the athletic culture, so it comes naturally to Metta,” said Eric Schotz, President and CEO of ICM Partners-repped LMNO Prods. Metta has a great sense of humor and this show will be a natural vehicle for him to showcase a side of his personality we don’t get to see on the court.”

Oh boy, where to start? It has been scientifically proven by experts time and time again that pranks rank among the lowest forms of comedy. Puns are perhaps the only thing worse. (Wait, sorry April Fools Day jokes/pranks are the worst, although those might qualify as a separate category given that they are only possible on one day of the year. I will have to report back.)

In "Metta World Pranks," we have a combination of pranks and puns, which pretty much guarantees that this show cannot be funny. I thought prank-based TV died out years ago with the original "Punk'd" (as Trey Kerby noted at The Basketball Jones, we don't count the new version without Ashton Kutcher) and "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (actually, I bet Jamie Kennedy will appear on this show). I suppose we should feel lucky that MWP isn't still Ron Artest, because then we'd be dealing with the even worse-named "Ron Ar-Pest" or "Candid CameRon."

As I see it, the one positive is that Metta World Peace might try to prank Kobe Bryant, which will result in either a terrible fight/scandal or Kobe trying his hardest to act like he appreciates being made to look like a fool. Either way, we're in for a treat.



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