All Comments on 'He Who Pranks First Pranks Best'

by MichaelFitzgerald

Sort by:
  • 63 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago

Why would all nine kids need to take a genealogy DNA test?

Unless they suspected or feared they didn’t all have the same father?

No one questioned this?

SpencerfictionSpencerfictionabout 5 years ago
Nice one

Got 'em good!

oldbearswitcholdbearswitchabout 5 years ago
Great story Pranks still suck

So does the wife's family,

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
This simply confirms my dislike of practical jokes and pranks.

What they were planning to do to him - repeat the Agena story joke - was not a prank. It was mental cruelty. And had his wife let them carry out their "joke", a divorce would have been a very real possibility in my mind. Why would you ever consider doing something like that to the man you're supposed to love? To someone whose back you're supposed to have? To your supposed best friend? I don't get it. But in the case of this story, he beat them to the punch. Supposedly. Given what they were about to do to him on April Fool's Day, why would ANY of them believe his presentation for a second? You have people that are PRIMED for a prank/joke and you would have us believe they didn't see right thru his charade? And if his wife did fall for his joke, think about how devastated she must have been. But then we don't know what happened. We heard some howls and we know the parents enjoyed it. But how did the rest of them feel? No revenge? No divorce? Remember. You said it yourself. There's no rule or reason to fight fair in a prank war. There's going to be a video, but no posting of said video? I like "everything is fair in love and war". And I bet they go to great lengths to get revenge on him, especially when they figure out he hacked their accounts. That alone could have gotten him ostracized from the entire family. So, no, I don't think this had a happy ending. Robert didn't get pranked, but everyone else did and we really don't know if there was any serious fallout. Like I said to start - I don't like pranks.

2 stars

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
The story was okay.

Enough with the prank shit. Move on to something else.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
Nice

Great story.

ReedRichardsReedRichardsabout 5 years ago
I wonder how that family would work

The main character reminded me of a man I know, who upon seeing that stupidity in some restaurants where all of the waiters gather around some poor slob’s table and sing “Happy Birthday” to him, told his wife that if she arranged something like that to him, he’d get up and leave.

That someone, of course, is me.

Wouldn’t the wife in this family have gotten the message, years ago, and told her family, no, leave my husband out of this, he will not take it well and would only respond with anger?

Maybe I reacted too strongly to this story, but that was exactly how this story appeared to me.

WordcraftWordcraftabout 5 years ago
I HATE PRANKS

A prank is a form of veiled anger from behind a smile. At best they are insensitive and at worst emotionally hurtful. When objections are raised the prankers complain they can't take a a joke. I witnessed a prank when I was working for a a very large corporation that caused a divorce and a huge HR issue resulting in depositions and a lawsuit. It was very hurtful to the wife and her family.

tazz317tazz317about 5 years ago
I BELIEVE IN HIS CASE, FOR NEXT AFD

some of the rules will be broken, TK U MLJ LV NV

TheKrrakTheKrrakabout 5 years ago
Pranks - meh

There is a saying that a pun is the lowest form of humour, however the prank ranks below puns. There is no humour in pranking someone, there is hurtful anger behind any prank. Feelings of vengence will always follow one, as they are a black cancer upon any relationship.

A better comeback for this, would have been for our protagonist to have his wife "served" for divorce, with the "evidence" of infidelity being the emails that were going around. And to also "serve" the brother-in-law with an alienation of affection suit. The prank he pulled was over the top mental cruelty.

sbrooks103xsbrooks103xabout 5 years ago
I Liked It!

Best of all, they can't use their revenge prank on him!

sbrooks103xsbrooks103xabout 5 years ago
Thoughts

Why are all the April Fools stories posting early?

The butt of the joke can't get revenge? That may be true if the butt of the joke comes from within the joke group, but if they prank someone else, he is fully entitled to revenge.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
yea

fuck that family.

i'd break that rule. you cannot make someone the butt of your joke like that and expect them to play by the rules. he never agreed to be part of their pranks, so he never agreed to be part of their rules.

if it were me, i'd tell the wife and whole family. 'i'm not on board with your weird abusive shit, if you try this shit on me, i' may hit you...i may choke you....who knows what i'll do. but i'm not playing. and if ya'll were being honest...neither are any of you"

HikingThruHikingThruabout 5 years ago
Nice twist...

...although unsure what to think of a family and wife that reads Agena's The Joke and thinks "Hey, great idea to do to my husband."

DogFuzzDogFuzzabout 5 years ago
Oh Yeah!

Loved the story. Well planned and written so it was readily understandable. He who laughs last!

FD45FD45about 5 years ago

This was better.

JusttooldJusttooldabout 5 years ago
fun

The guy had a weird sense of humor and used his training to have some fun. Well thought out story on the just a joke series of stories I have read here.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
Thanks for the effort.

No joke.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
@ReedRichards

Yeah this would have gone very badly for my wife and her family afterwards. I joke around a lot, but I would never participate in a prank this fucked up. I would never accept being the butt of one. Second I have a very dominant personality and I would go nuts if tied up. A gf I had in early college I used to tie up all the time once asked if she can handcuff me and I said why not, let’s try it. As soon as she clicked the handcuffs I went fucking nuts and I kept telling the poor girl over and over again get it off of me where she panicked and couldn’t get the key in for a while.

Yeah there would have been heads rolling if they pulled this prank on me.

JohnAdp

jneric2691jneric2691about 5 years ago
THAT WAS hILARIOUS!

Loved it!

26thNC26thNCabout 5 years ago
Another good one

I can only wish I had the brains and ability to pull off something like this. Pranks for me are fake mice on the pillow, or rubber spider in the soup. Work is a little better, eating melted Baby Ruth from a bedpan, or vegetable soup from a suction liner. Actually, in the ER, we did some pretty far out stuff, but never anything like this. Great story Me Fitzgerald.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
This was NOT funny.. At all.

These folks sound like immature high school kids. You're playing with someone's family/marriage. I didn't find this bullshit funny at all. I thought it was insanely STUPID. Who would joke like this? Why would anyone think this b.s would be ok or funny? I understand jokes, they're meant to bring laughter, his prank just brought tears. How was that funny? The wife's family practical joke was equally braindead. No grown ass woman would do this bullshit. Pretend to be fucking her brother in law, let hubby catches them and everyone jump up and scream April fools😂😂..... what? These were not adults. These were little kids.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
really the best outcome you could hope for.

If he had been less alert and had the "joke" pulled on him. It really wouldn't matter what the family rules were. That marriage would have been over. Just the fact that his wife went along with it would have been enough disrespect to end it. Their whole no retaliation and no divorce rules would have met with a very big "FUCK YOU, TAKE THE WHORE AND FUCK OFF" APRIL FOOLS HA HA HA HA HA IF YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY YOUR REALLY GONNA LOVE THIS NEXT PART. GOOD LUCK BITCH, WE ARE THROUGH.

bruce22bruce22about 5 years ago
I am with Reed Richards on this one

The so-called practical jokes seem only to only have one objective, that is , to destroy your trust in people that you thought had your back.

Impo_64Impo_64about 5 years ago
Very good prank, even if it's a sick one...

Very good prank, even if it's a sick one...But what the brother were combining was much worst...And they deserved it! 4*

MichaelFitzgeraldMichaelFitzgeraldabout 5 years agoAuthor
Thanks for your comments and let me say ...

...

1. Calling bad (maybe cruel) behavior a practical joke is the adult way to excuse unacceptable, childish behavior. The joker does what he want so he can laugh at someone else's expense, and has no concept of what the butt experiences (or doesn't care). No responsibility or empathy - ever talk to a four year old.

2. The Romano's think Ancient Aliens is a science show. They probably think global warming is a fake because it snowed somewhere. Of course, only one sibling had to be tested. Think of the other eight as participation prizes.

3. I want to thank each of you for the passion of your comments, either way. You laid out the debate so well.

Harryin VAHarryin VAabout 5 years ago
Like everything else Michael Fitzgerald writes this is awful

The key promise in the beginning of the story is that the data scientists husband really does not like practical jokes and doesn't want to hurt people he loves.

Which makes his story and actions completely contradictory to the entire premise

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
Brilliant "Turnabout is fair play" story

Nuke 'em til they glow. :)

fifteen16fifteen16about 5 years ago
If

If a so called practical is going to cause serious physical pain , and or emotional distress then it is not funny. 1) if it was done to you, would you find it funny. 2) knowing the personality of the recipient will he or she find it funny. 3) if the answers to 1 and 2 is no then it is obviously a non starter. We are best friends with a couple, some years ago hubby was having to work long hours and some weekends. I made a joke to the wife that hubby was working long hours to escape her nagging, ha ha very funny, we all laughed. In recent times hubby is working abroad which is putting an emotional stress on them both. To make that same joke about him working away would not under those circumstances be funny. Liked the story, about putting the boot in first.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
my takeaway

The only thing I've taken from this story is that ReedRichards doesn't like getting his All American Grand Slam for free. You ran speel chuck, though, so 4 stras.

leviayersleviayersabout 5 years ago

i thought it was global cooling this time. hard to keep up with the lies

MichaelFitzgeraldMichaelFitzgeraldabout 5 years agoAuthor
A village knows its a community when it gets its idiot ...

to @HarryinVA:

Sometimes, I make an exception to my rule to let criticism, good and bad, stand. When a "critic" decides, as @HarryinVA has, that I'm the problem, things change.

After I saw your comment, I read your collected works. Having blinked my eyes, I then turned to your comments. Their spleen and lack of insight made that a short task.

From your comment to "Prank,"it appears the froth at your mouth was triggered by your deduction that because our besieged data scientists husband doesn't like practical jokes and doesn't want to hurt people he loves. his choice of a highly effective self defense against looming assault contradicts the story's premise "completely." The answer is obvious any reasonable person and, perhaps, you.

To the butt of the joke, a practical joke is an assault. That assault may also be physical but it will always be emotional. When someone you love is under assault, you defend them. You may not like what you have to do. You try to do as little damage as you can, but you will do what you must. Has this ultimate moral responsibility escaped you? Is it news?

Harry, if you knew a terrible practical joke was aimed at your wife, one that would devastate her, how worried would you be that your efforts in her defense might be inconsistent with your personal tastes at what you might have to do? Would you defend her, no matter what, or point after-the-fact to the pristine consistency of your decision not to intervene? Any reasonable person, man or woman worth knowing, wages war to defend the ones they love, until they drop.

If you want to start a meaningful debate, your need to raise your game. If you want to criticize, at least believe what you say. I very much doubt you believe what your comment implies about you. Since you don't believe what you say, your comment becomes silly.

Post a story. Take an honest stand. Harry, I can do this all day long so you may want to move on to easier targets.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
never

I've never been one for AFD. I believe like the author, that pranks on those you are "supposed to love" are not in good taste or definitive of fostering trust in any relationship.

The writing was good though, so that's a plus.

Smokepole

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
Geees Commentors...

....lighten up. That was a great turnabout on a good practical joke. My family plays practical jokes...and we do some doozies. No one thinks of them as cruel...getting "got real good" is just a challenge to up the anti. All in good fun. Keeps us on our toes and the creative juices flowing. It also brings us closer together.

ausvirgoausvirgoabout 5 years ago
Well done.

I'm not one for practical jokes, because the opportunity to pull one that is safe and not hurtful is rare, and coming up with and planning such a joke in advance is far more difficult than coming up with and planning a harmful practical joke.

That said, I liked this story, because the joke was well matched to the joke that the victims were planning, thus within the bounds of what they should accept.

There was one flaw in the story though. With these group practical jokes being an institution, the butt of the joke would know in advance unless they were included in a fake planning of a joke against another family member. "Hey, I'm not included in the AFD conspiracy this year, so I must be the target!"

sbrooks103xsbrooks103xabout 5 years ago
Further Thoughts

I don't think it was made clear. Is he part of the April Fools club? If not, then he's not bound buy the No Revenge rule even if he didn't get them first!

How can even semi-intelligent practical jokers think that reenacting "The Joke" is a good thing after reading how that went down?

sbrooks103xsbrooks103xabout 5 years ago
P.S.

Someone made a great comment - Wouldn't the target know that they're the target when they're not included in the planning of the joke? I suppose that could add to the challenge; how do you prank someone who is on high alert!

Schwanze1Schwanze1about 5 years ago
Refute

a critic if you must on the facts but you just sound like a whining two year old for the rest of your post. You can't post in LW with thin skin.

Schwanze1Schwanze1about 5 years ago
To be clear

my comment was directed at the author's answer to Harry.

C_frommnC_frommnabout 5 years ago
Thank You

I laughed at the End. it was great they should have thought their plan out you don't hide and suspect they are too dumb to catch on.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 5 years ago
There'd Be a Day of Reckoning !

First,it was good to see the targeted victim get the drop on the April FOOLS. Fun story even if practical jokes suck! ~ And,maybe it's because I've lived in Brooklyn,NYC all my life but nobody ever disparages someone else's mother in anyway without risking getting his ass kicked! Maybe Joe Sr and Gina thought the whole thing was funny but I'd have to think that the kids were none too happy that it was suggested that their mother was a cheating tramp,even as part of a joke! I hope The Joker is a fast runner 'cause the April FOOLS are gonna be hot on his trail!

jtwheelsjtwheelsover 4 years ago
Well written but not into April Fools Day

Switch the players

DarkerBindingDarkerBindingover 4 years ago
I laugh as much at all the idiots...

...who seem to think fiction is real.

This was fun. He got one over on the people planning to get one over on him.

AnonymousAnonymousover 4 years ago
I Greatly Enjoyed This

Worthy of 5 Stars.

MarkT63MarkT63over 3 years ago

Hilarious!!! Their original joke would have led to divorce...

NitpicNitpicabout 3 years ago
How

How was Debbie related to the clan.When he named the nine kids ,she wasn't one of them.

Schwanze1Schwanze1about 3 years ago
Uh no wifey

Homey don't play that game. If someone pisses me off, they are going to get hurt and if you knew dear wife, you are not going to be happy with the consequences. That's right, I'm a bad sport. Best you remember that.

Schwanze1Schwanze1over 2 years ago

Read again. Fuck that. GTFO of town before he gets tied in any tighter with these assholes.

nixroxnixroxover 2 years ago

1 star - I hate practical jokes.

AnonymousAnonymousover 2 years ago

On your own team or divorced? Wouldn't put up with that behavior for a New York minute.

AnonymousAnonymousover 2 years ago

Of all the stories on LW, why would someone who wanted to remain married decide to act out "The Joke"? That scenario resulted in disaster. Only someone who wanted to destroy a relationship would follow that path.

SwordWielderSwordWielderabout 2 years ago

Of all the jokes, Agena's story went too far and if I remember there are several takes/follow-up on that the end in either divorce or serious injury/death. A joke has to take into account not only the circumstances, but also the personality of the person the joke is played on. In this case if the original plan had succeeded, I can see a very nasty divorce happening. How would the family support Debbie if the MC divorced her or at the very least insisted that they NEVER have anything to do with her family ever again, and possibly move a long distance away? Or what if the MC was ex-military (doesn't even have to been special forces), but they did do tours and have PTSD, and of course they DO have guns in the house. Once they were let out of the cuffs, I can see them go straight to their gun cabinet and start shooting - at least the ceiling and walls, if not trying to kill the jokers. In that case not only would there be a divorce, but probably at least some jail time for MC ( could be a lot if it turned into 2nd degree murder or manslaughter charges) and possibly several people going to either the hospital or morgue.

Schwanze1Schwanze1over 1 year ago

Needed to make it clear homey don't play that game and is not bound by the rules and will fuck somebody up if he feels like it.

Schwanze1Schwanze1over 1 year ago

MF,

No, they think global warming is real because there was a hurricane somewhere.

RimmerdalRimmerdalabout 1 year ago

Right after setting up the video(excluding the last part spelling out it was a joke) walk out to pickup(already loaded) and drive away.

Otherside of country and send divorce paperwork.

Schwanze1Schwanze1about 1 year ago

Why not just go out of town for the day?

AnonymousAnonymous8 months ago

Sounds extreme but, when you have the whole family arrayed against you, extreme measures are called for.

AnonymousAnonymous6 months ago

Hilarious!!! The punks got punked.

Schwanze1Schwanze14 months ago

No revenge? No hitting? Your rules not mine.

AnonymousAnonymous9 days ago

I really like the response by Schwanzer1 about no revenge, no hitting. Especially since both Mike and Robert married into the family. Had Robert gone along with the original premise of being restrained and mentally tortured by the fake infidelity of his wife and then become emotionally devastated the family would have been shocked at the outcome. As Robert was dangling by his wrists and tears streaming down his face as the rest of the family gathered in front of him and laughed and yelled April Fool his brothers in law grinned at his emotional upheaval as they released his wrists. His wife walked towards him with a big 'Gotcha' grin on her face but before she could say a word he pushed past her and stepped into Mike slamming his fist across his face, shattering his nose and sending blood onto those next to him. Everyone froze in shock and before anyone could react, Robert grabbed Mike's shirt, pulling him towards him, and crushingly drove his knee into his balls. Mike dropped onto his knees screaming in pain and began throwing up onto the floor. His blood mixing with his puke. Just as Mike was passing out several of the brothers went to grab Robert. As he shoved his way to the basement steps someone yelled at him 'Hey, it was just a joke and there's no revenge '. Glaring back at the assembled group, he snarled, "Your rules, not mine". Glaring at his wife, he spit out, "You'll be served this week. I could never stay married to someone who would be this cruel and disrespectful as you are. You know my feelings about mean jokes and yet you not only go along with the prank but you were one of the main participants. We're finished". Debbie screamed NO, as tears starts pouring down her cheeks. They heard the front door slam as Robert was gone. They turned their attention to Mike who was now moaning as he lay in his puke. Gina looked across at her family and in an icy tone she spoke up, 'you've all gone way too far this time. I've told you in the past, you better be careful what you plan and who you plan to play your prank on. If Robert goes forward with the divorce I am going to have a real problem with each and every one of you and this family will never be as we were. I don't know how you are going to do it but everyone of you better get with Debbie and make this right. If Debbie loses her husband over your stupidity I don't know that I'll be able to forgive any of you.'

Anonymous
Our Comments Policy is available in the Lit FAQ
Post as:
Anonymous
userMichaelFitzgerald@MichaelFitzgerald
294 Followers
Just trying to tell a story. Hope you like them.

SIMILAR Stories