Prank masters Johnny Knoxville, Eric André, and Gabourey Sidibe to lead new ABC prank show
The new series, in which regular people will get prank help from famous pranksters, is coming next year
Impractical Jokers is one of the biggest shows in TV history, but there are unfortunately only so many of the Impractical Jokers in existence. That has made it difficult for other TV networks to rip off the show with their own panels of pranksters who goad each other into wacky stunts for the gleeful enjoyment of viewers at home. Finally, with the combined might of renowned pranksters Johnny Knoxville, Eric André, and Gabourey Sidibe (actually, is she known for pranking?), ABC has managed to make it work.
Deadline says the network has just given the green light to a new comedy show called The Prank Panel in which that trio of “pranxperts” will help people orchestrate elaborate pranks of their own—sometimes with the help of “celebrity guests.” Oooh! Knoxville, André, and Sidibe appeared in a promo video for the show that’s framed as a PSA of some sort about under-pranked individuals in our society, and so it seems like the idea is people will pitch their prank ideas (or prank victim ideas) to the show, and then the panel will pick the best ones and make their prank happen.
The catch is that the show will be on ABC (coming in 2023 at some point), which probably means the pranks will be a little more… tame than what you may have come to expect from Knoxville or André (or Sidibe? Is she known for brutal/edgy/shocking pranks?). We’re picturing a Punk’d-level, like, “Oh no, your beloved car got smashed! JK, we got a perfect replica and smashed that.” That sort of thing. “We’re camping and oh no, an escaped killer is terrorizing us! LOL, no, it’s just Johnny Knoxville with a mask and a chainsaw.”
That being said, we would be very happy to see Gabourey Sidibe making your friends stick their tongues onto a taser or whatever while the two guys cackle in the background.