Impractical Jokers

The Tenderloins Comedy Troupe, stars of Impractical Jokers

Impractical Jokers is an American hidden camera-practical joke reality series filmed mainly in New York City and New Jersey that premiered on TruTV on December 15, 2011. It follows Joseph "Joe" Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn and Salvatore "Sal" Vulcano, the four members of the comedy troupe The Tenderloins as they coerce one another into doing public pranks while being filmed by hidden cameras. The show differs from other prank television programs in that the stars of Impractical Jokers do not know the details of the prank until the moment they are performing it on strangers. While one or two cast-member(s) performs the prank, the other comedians in the troupe are behind the scenes feeding lines to their friend(s) via microphone (with an earpiece). The lines fed to the prankster(s) are meant to create a humorous and awkward exchange between the prankster(s) and the stranger being pranked. In some instances, the jokers create PowerPoint presentations for each other, creating the same kind of humorous effect to trip each other up They also sometimes have to present ridiculous books and products invented by the other jokers. The show holds a TV-14 rating due to strong language (although some of the words are bleeped out), suggestive dialogue/content, and crude humor.

The show's second season premiered on December 13, 2012,^[1] its third season premiered on January 2, 2014,^[2] and its fourth season premiered on January 29, 2015, after being renewed for a 26-episode fourth season.^[3] With the fourth season renewal, a 6-episode spinoff series was also announced: Jokers Wild!^[3] The show has been renewed for a 26-episode fifth season, which debuted on February 11, 2016. ^[4] The show has been a major hit, garnering millions of views across different viewing platforms across the world. It is the 3rd longest running series on truTV behind the network's other flagship shows World's Dumbest and Operation Repo.

Development

In 1999, Joseph "Joe" Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Brian "Q" Quinn and Salvatore "Sal" Vulcano, four high school friends from Staten Island, formed the live improv and sketch comedy troupe, The Tenderloins. After a long and successful history, including winning the $100,000 grand prize in NBC's It’s Your Show competition, the group went into television. In 2008, they filmed a pilot episode for a scripted sitcom for Spike TV, but the show did not go to series. TruTV announced the series Impractical Jokers, originally slated to be named "Mission Uncomfortable" on April 12, 2011, 8 months before the show's debut. Murray explained how the hidden camera format made sense based on the jokesters skills. "We needed to find the right format...thing is, we've been doing this for years, but when it's on camera, the embarrassment is amplified."^[5] Q and Sal have said when they gave their pilot episode to tru tv, it was recorded on their iphones.

It was also revealed by Murr on the fourth season finale after party web chat episode that when the series was under development, he originally wanted Patrick Stewart to be the narrator.^[6]

Episodes

Before every challenge, the guys explain where they are, what the challenge is, and what will happen if they fail.There is a mic placed on the cast member performing the prank. There are also hidden cameras near the area to capture the action. The location in which the challenge takes place is usually a public area such as a city park, or store. The criteria of each challenge are the same for each of the jokers competing in the round. If the joker cannot complete their task, they get a Thumbs-Down. At the end of the episode, the joker or jokers with the most thumbs down is punished, and the punishments are usually more embarrassing, humiliating, disgusting, painful or scary than any of the challenges. Punishments cannot be refused, or the joker is off the show.

Opening dialogues

The opening dialogue for season 3 onwards are quips from the previous 2 seasons with laughter in between.

• Sal- Prepare for something amazing!
• Q- Hey mustache, what’s up?
• Murr- I want my mommy!
• Sal- I will NEVER forgive you!
• Joe- Larry!

Statistics

Up to date as of February 12, 2016

Recurring characters

Benjamin

A human-size cat that Q, Joe, and Murr use as a way to taunt Sal due to his fear of cats. It is named after one of the cats Q has at home.

Tony Gunk

A TV cop alter-ego used by Q. It originated in Season 3. When Q is successful as Tony Gunk, the person is said to have gotten "Gunked".

Uncle Clem

A fictional character that was mentioned in the challenge "Text Interpreter". He is said to have found a camera in his shower placed there by Murr.

Santiago

A fictional character mentioned in 2 episodes. He is mentioned as being a crime boss.

Ja'Crispy

A fictional character that originated in an episode where Sal tried to convince a stranger that he was looking for a white guy named Ja'Crispy. While he has been used as an imaginary human in later episodes, it has become more of a nickname for Sal, and is used as his Twitter handle.

Sloppy Joe

An obese shirtless man with a bandana who appears mostly during punishments. While eating and drinking, he makes a mess all over himself and the joker getting punished.

Larry

A fictional man that Joe Gatto screams for during occasional challenges. He's based on an actual member of the crew in season 1 of the series.

Fat Crow

Appeared as a model in Q's fashion show punishment and made a big-time return in the "try not to laugh" challenge.

Captain Fatbelly

Joe dressed as a fictional superhero who appears in 2 episodes.

Dalton

The name usually used when a Joker is describing a male sexual partner for themselves or someone else.

Racecar Bob

A racecar driver who mostly appears during punishment scenes. He debuted in the episode Car Sick during the punishment scene, being told by the jokers to drive Q's brand new jeep across an obstacle course while Q was forced to eat a very messy 3-course meal in the backseat. In his first appearance he only spoke by hand gestures.

Reception

Impractical Jokers has been very well received by some critics, with Linda Stasi of the New York Post calling it "possibly the 'Funniest, most ridiculous show I’ve seen in years."^[8]

While it has been compared to earlier hit prank shows such as Candid Camera and Jackass, critics have offered praise for its unique twist on the genre, wherein the stars' reactions to the pranks are often equally as humorous as those of the innocent bystanders. Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times stated that "the gag pays off twice: once in the reaction of the unsuspecting passer-by, once in the discomfort of the fellow doing the asking." He later wrote that the cast-members' occasional integrity [kept] these four clowns a little bit lovable."^[9] Dean Robbins of The Daily Page echoed this sentiment, stating that "the friends are jovial rather than Jackass-obnoxious, even rejecting some dares as too offensive."^[10]

The series has been generally well received, garnering 1.5 million viewers during its December 15, 2011 premiere.^[11]

The review of the show by Variety's Brian Lowry was less positive, ending with this statement: "Nobody will ever confuse "Impractical Jokers" with high art, certainly, but as low-brow, micro-cost comedy in the context of TruTV's programming resources, it's actually quite practical—and occasionally funny."^[12]

International versions

• A UK version of Impractical Jokers began airing in winter 2012 on BBC Three. It stars comedians Paul McCaffrey, Joel Dommett, Marek Larwood and Roisin Conaty.^[13] The pilot was filmed and placed online as part of "The Comedy Kitchen" in 2012. The first series included six episodes, which aired from November 15 - December 20, 2012. The second series also included six episodes, and aired from February 24 - April 2, 2014. It is produced by Yalli Productions.^[14] It was cancelled after Series 2.
• A Dutch version was broadcast on Veronica in 2013, called "De Fukkers". In 2015 a new version started at RTL 5 with the name "Foute Vrienden", like the Flemish version.^[15]
• A Belgian (Flemish) version broadcast on 2BE in fall 2012, with the title "Foute Vrienden". James Murray was spotted in episode 5 of the first season.^[16] The second season, which started in March 2014, includes 10 episodes.
• A Brazilian version is currently being broadcast on SBT with the title "Amigos da Onça". The series premiere aired January 7, 2013^[17] and ended August 13, 2013.
• A Lebanese version broadcast on Al Jadeed in autumn / fall 2013.
• A Mexican version broadcast on TBS Latin America started in May 20, 2015 with the title "Impractical Jokers"
• A Greek version broadcast on Ant1 in February 2014 with the title "Wanted".
• A French-Canadian version broadcast on V in February 24, 2014 with the title "Les Jokers"
• A Swedish version broadcast on TV6 in April 2014 with the title "Radiostyrd"
• A Spanish version broadcast on Neox in 2014 with the title "Sinvergüenzas"
• An Egyptian version was released on social media on June 18, 2014 with the title "Al Mohayesoon"

International broadcasts

• On April 18, 2014, during the first ever live recording of their "What Say You?" Podcast at the Prince Charles Cinema in London, Q and Sal stated that, when the BBC bought the rights to create a UK version of the show, they also bought the rights to air the US version of the show in the UK. This was meant to be aired after the 1st season of the UK show, but the BBC never aired it. However it finally came to air on August 22, 2014. The US version now airs on Comedy Central UK and Channel 5.
• Currently Comedy Central India airs the show at different timings.
• The series currently airs in Canada on Action.^[18]
• It is currently being shown in Australia on the Nine Network.
• It is currently being shown in New Zealand on Comedy Central New Zealand.
• The series currently airs in Italy on DMAX with the title "Cattivissimi amici".
• The series currently airs in Spain on Neox and Comedy Central Spain with the title "Agárralos como Puedas".
• The series currently airs in Brazil on TBS with the title "Tirando a Maior Onda".
• The series currently airs in Bulgaria on BTV with the title "Шегаджии".^[19]
• The series currently airs in Ireland on RTÉ 2.

References

External links

• Official website of Impractical Jokers
• Impractical Jokers at the Internet Movie Database