How I Pranked John Hargrave (491 hits)
Category: NewsRating: -1.73 on 16 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by NewKing (View user info) at 2008-07-01 16:06:34 EDT
Yes. I pranked John Hargrave, the 'King of Comedy'. He was pranked by a sixteen year old!
It all started when John Hargrave asked for famous people to endorse his book 'Prank the Monkey'. There was a list of people who he considered famous, and he figured that by six degrees of separation, someone who looks at his website must be able to get hold of one of these famous people. How could I resist pranking the King of Pranksters, the Jester of Jesters?
The answer to that question is...I couldn't resist. I thought it was about time someone got him, and why shouldn't it be me? After all, he did 'punk' Ashton Kutcher; He also pulled off an exquisite prank, where John and some others pretended to be Michael Jackson and entourage...they even got into a Gladys Knight concert! After careful consideration, I came to the conclusion that it would be justified for me to prank John...besides, he has pranked many others!
I scanned the list for someone who, within reason could be related to me, I spotted Eric Idle's name. I thought of a way that I could be related to him. I didn't want to make it obvious that it was a fake, so I decided on 'my Dad's cousin'.
Here is the first piece of correspondence with John:
----- Original Message ----- From: <Gazareth Ellington >
To: <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 12:31 PM
Subject: Feedback for John Hargrave
Eric Idle is my Dad's cousin.
-------------------------------------------------------------
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 22:19:10 -0400
Really? Could you get contact information for Mr. Idle so that I could send him a manuscript directly?
Thanks for the (possible) lead,
John Hargrave
-------------------------------
I had guessed that he received many false claims and that I was going the right way to making him believe me.
From: "Gazareth Ellington" <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
To: <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 4:49 AM
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
Yes, I can ring him later today, although he is filming something right now I think, although he usually loves that kind of thing. I shall see what I can do for you, because I love your website.
Thanks,
Gaz.
----------------------------------
This is the reply I got from John:
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
Gaz:
This would be awesome, the biggest (real) lead I've gotten so far. I would be happy to give Mr. Idle the 30-second pitch for the book, and then follow up with a manuscript so he can read it.
What I would tell him is that I'm an Internet author who's built an audience of 5 million monthly page views just on the strength of my comedy writing. This is my first book, and here's the basic description:
-----------------------------
HOW CAN YOU FIGHT THE SYSTEM, WITHOUT THE TIME-CONSUMING REVOLUTION AND MESSY BLOODSHED?
Action-packed and stocked with laughs, PRANK THE MONKEY follows the quest of one crusader of justice as he dishes out revenge on the world's biggest-and most deserving-targets. Super-prankster John Hargrave goes after Wal-Mart, junk mailers, pompous celebrities, and the entire U.S. Senate in this outrageously funny book-and shows you how to do the same.
What happens when you track down notorious e-mail spammers, and then wake them up with annoying phone calls at 4:00 am? What are the consequences of sending in your tax return, filled out entirely in roman numerals? How does Bill Gates respond when you try to kiss him on the nipple? The answers to these burning questions of our time, and many more, lie within these hilarious pages.
-----------------------------
I would also tell him there's a lot of British humour in the book (I try to get myself knighted by the Queen of England).
Let me know if I can be of further help. If you can just get me his contact info, I can sell the book into him the rest of the way.
Thanks,
John
---------------------------------
I knew that by now I was gaining John's trust, and that he was beginning to believe that this was real.
I replied with an email saying that Eric was in the UK filming a movie at the moment, as Eric Idle does not have a personal website this made it easy to embellish on his whereabouts. In the same email I provided 'Eric's UK cell phone number' (I had got an old phone and a spare sim card for this), if John had phoned the number I would have either pretended to be Eric's personal assistant and say that he was shooting a scene, or I would have pretended to be Eric himself (I am quite good at impersonating people).
After I had sent the email containing the telephone number, I sent this:
from: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
To: <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
Sent: Friday, June 09, 2006 4:16 PM
Subject: Feedback for John Hargrave
Hello John,
Please could you disregard the email I sent you earlier. Eric has told me since I sent you that email that he has set up a hotmail email account for his communications with you, although he does not usually use the internet. You can still call him on his cell phone if you wish.
The email account is idleswine9.at.hotmail.com.
Thanks,
Gareth.
--------------------------------
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
Gareth:
You're the best. Thanks a million, and stay tuned.
John
--------------------------------
The correspondence was discontinued for a week or two then, and I eventually received this:
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
You sent me a lead on Eric Idle, along with his e-mail address, a few weeks ago (thanks). Then my computer crashed and I lost all my e-mail. Do you happen to have his e-mail address that you can resend?
Thanks,
John
--------------------------------
From: Gazareth Ellington [some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 05, 2006 5:17 AM
To: jhargrave.at.zug.com
Subject: RE: Feedback for John Hargrave
Hi John,
Yeah sure, his email is idleswine9.at.hotmail.com, and his UK cell phone is 07762302464.
Gaz
-----------------------------------
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Feedback for John Hargrave
Awesome. Thanks. I'll let you know if anything comes of it.
John
--------------------------------
Four words...hook line and sinker. I knew that if I could keep up the act, I would pull off pranking John Hargrave.
At this time I was not sure how far to take it...'should I go all the way and give the endorsement?' 'Should I tell John that it was all a prank?' This moral question was tearing me apart inside. I wanted to take the prank all the way, and get my quote on the book cover, but I like John...
I decided that it was best to take the prank as far as it could go without anyone getting hurt.
'Eric Idle' received this email from John:
From: "John Hargrave" <jhargrave.at.zug.com>
To: <idleswine9.at.hotmail.com>
Subject: Prank the Monkey
Date: Wed, 5 Jul 2006 23:07:53 -0400
Mr. Idle:
I've been doing a comedy web site for the last 10 years called ZUG (
<http://www.zug.com/> www.zug.com). I've attracted a sizeable following, and my site now gets 5 million page views a month from half a million users.
This Internet success recently led me to my first book deal: a humour book called PRANK THE MONKEY, which will be released in February 2007 by Kensington Publishing. I don't want to hype the book too much, but I believe it's the funniest thing ever written in the English language.
I'm hoping you'd be willing to read an advance copy of the manuscript and give me a one-sentence quote that I could use on the book cover. I've been a fan for a long time, and your endorsement would really mean a lot to me.
I have nothing else to offer you, except the simple joy of helping out a first-time author, and the fact that I recently took eight friends to see SPAMALOT in Boston at a price of $95 per ticket. Mezzanine seating was too expensive.
If you can provide me a mailing address, I will be happy to get the
manuscript out to you this week. Although I realize that you probably get this kind of request all the time, I really do think you'd enjoy the book.
Please let me know, and thanks for your time.
John Hargrave
jhargrave.at.zug.com
--------------------------------
This is the reply John got from 'Eric':
From: Eric Idle [idleswine9.at.hotmail.com]
To: jhargrave.at.zug.com
Subject: RE: Prank the Monkey
Hello John,
My nephew, (or whatever the son of your cousin is) told me about you, and that you are looking for endorsements. He told me about your website and what you do, and I must say that it seems like the kind of thing I would enjoy. I am currently on set in the UK, and will be for the next few months. I am just trying to think of how you could get the manuscript to me in a short space of time, you see, because if you sent it to my business address it would take weeks for me to get it and it would just be put in the pile with everything else, and the same with the fan mail address. I don't really like giving my personal details out via email, but Gareth has said to me that you could send it to him if you wanted, and then he could forward it to me without any hassle. That seems to be the quickest option, if you want to do that we can arrange it, or if you have another suggestion.
My UK phone number is [phone number here], it's a cell phone.
Bye for now,
Eric.
P.S. Did you enjoy 'Spamalot'?
----------------------------------
'Eric' promptly received a reply from John...
Eric:
I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I will send a copy of the manuscript to Gareth, and he can forward it along to you.
My friends and I enjoyed Spamalot very much. Holy Grail is one of my top ten favorite movies, but I thought Spamalot effectively kept all the funniest bits from Grail, while actually improving on some of its shortcomings (better ending, adding a strong female character, love story, etc.)
It was actually a double dose of Idle, since before the show we all gathered at a friend's house and watched "The Aristocrats." (We're comedy nerds.)
Thanks again for your generosity in reviewing the book. I hope you enjoy it.
John Hargrave
jhargrave.at.zug.com
---------------------------------
I, myself then found an email from John in my inbox:
Gaz:
How great is this? Eric has agreed to review the book!
Would you mind if I mailed you a copy of the manuscript to pass along to him? In return, I'll be happy to mail you a copy for yourself to read in advance of anyone else. And of course, if this pans out I'd love to give you a thank you in the book.
If this sounds good, let me know your mailing address and I'll get it off ASAP.
Thanks again,
John
-----------------------------------
By this time, I was excited about the prospect of a 'thank you' in the book, but I decided to stick to my original line: "take it as far as I can without anyone getting hurt."
I told myself that the line will be drawn when I received a copy of the book, or rather when 'Eric' had received a copy of the book.
---------------------------------------
From: Gazareth Ellington [mailto:some_clever_address.at.hotmail.com]
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 5:39 AM
Subject: RE: FW: Prank the Monkey
John,
I am delighted that Eric has agreed to review your book! Yes, he did ask me if I was OK with forwarding him the book, and I am fine with that.
Geez, I am so happy for you! I love your site and all of your pranks...sometimes you get away with the most outrageous stuff, like the Michael Jackson prank! Although, my favorite prank on your site has to be P-P-P-Powerbook, it made me piss myself! (Not literally)
Where was I...oh yes, my address:
I supplied the address of a friend of mine without telling him...he was surprised when a package with my name on it arrived! He would have never consented otherwise.
I will get the manuscript to him as soon as I receive it! ...I am really
Excited about this now!
Gaz.
-----------------------------------------------
I got this reply:
Gaz:
It sounds great. Manuscript will be mailed out on Monday. Thanks again for your help.
John.
---------------------------------
All I had to do now was to wait for the book to arrive.
The book arrived on the following Friday, John was kind enough to include two copies, one for myself and one for 'Eric'. Cover letters were included, unfortunately I don't have a scanner.
Hey John,
I received the manuscripts today; I have forwarded one of them to Eric. Don't worry about postage cost, because you sent them across the pond. I will not divulge any of the content of your book, as I can see that you worked very hard on it, and I hope it goes well for you!
Gaz.
----------------------------------
A few weeks later I the phone I had set up for the prank got a call, I was unable to answer it at the time, so I called back and John answered the phone. The conversation went something like this:
John: Hello, is that Eric Idle?
Me: No, his personal assistant.
John: Ahh of course! I sent a manuscript out a couple of weeks ago which Eric agreed to read, and possibly write a short blurb for? Is he available?
Me: I'm sorry, he is filming right now, but I will remind him when I see him.
John: Alright then, thanks. What is your name?
Me:...Rick (looks around and sees stone on the ground) Stoneley!
John: Great. Thanks Rick.
Eric ultimately sent John an email saying he had been too busy and had not had the time to read the manuscript or write the blurb.
This is how John Hargrave got duped by a sixteen year old kid, but John...you can rest safe in the knowledge that I did not disclose your book before it was on public release!
I have to say the book is very good. The pranks made me laugh out loud, the writing was good, the illustrations were quirky! Go buy it! Thanks John!
User Reviews
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2008-07-02 11:33:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
You should have given him a blurb.
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2008-07-02 11:08:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-07-01 21:26:40 BST (#)
Ranking: -2
UGH. i just realised this is one giant fucking ADVERTISEMENT for a book i've never heard of by a guy i've never heard of.
the "Go buy it!" tipped me off.
Next time buy space on uberboard! It's only a dollar!!!!!
Submitted by badglobe (user info) at 2008-07-01 17:01:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
www.zug.com
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:44:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
EVERY LITTLE THAANG
EVERY LITTLE THAAAANG
EVERY LITTLE THANG SHE DOES IS
MAGIC, MAGIC, MAAAAGIC
MAGIC, MAGIC, MAAAAAAAGIIIIC
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:33:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
maybe you're "pranking" all of us right now! probably on a shitty blog!!! about how ubersite people are so stupid and so easy to "prank"!!! and the two people who read it will think you are so clever!
for pranking ubersite!!!!
Submitted by skrapmetal (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:29:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Who is john Hargrave and, if he's on TV, what would make you think that tricking him would be in any way difficult as such work requires a moron-level IQ as a maximum?
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:28:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
who the fuck is john hargrave btw?
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:27:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Thanks for sharing!
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:26:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
UGH. i just realised this is one giant fucking ADVERTISEMENT for a book i've never heard of by a guy i've never heard of.
the "Go buy it!" tipped me off.
Next time buy space on uberboard! It's only a dollar!!!!!
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:24:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
wtf was the point of this? where's the prank if you never told him he'd been duped?
why do you address him directly at the end? is he on uber reading about this right now?
and if i wanted a book review, i'd go on amazon.
Submitted by badglobe (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:24:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
You got me wrong 'apollo', you burning hunk o'man love, you!
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:23:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
YOU ARE NOT TOP DOG, DO NOT CLAlM TO BE.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:22:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
i can just see him, quivering with excitement ready to post this.
'yuk yuk yuk, these guys are going to loooove this!'
fail.
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:19:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
riveting
Submitted by The_Armed_Samurai (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:08:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Somehow you got the email wrong.
It should have read bretd9.at.gmail.com
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2008-07-01 16:08:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
wow.
cool 'prank'.
die