Most people have probably heard of the American TV series "Punk'd", a hidden camera-practical joke reality television series originally started by comedian/actor Ashton Kutcher.The title takes its name from the pranks that the presenter and participants would perform on guests/celebrities. Being "punk'd" is therefore being the victim of these pranks.
The show has had it's share of controversy, where the victims are not always so pleased with being publicly humiliated. However, the show has never gone too far and the show aims to be solely humorous.
With the show's popularity, numerous international versions have been created as consequence including Norway, Canada, Japan and Iraq. Like any other international version, they all take the same format as the original version yet Iraq's take on it has a slight twist.
In the last ten years, Iraq has been one of the most volatile areas in the world, becoming a war-torn country that it still feeling the effects of post-war. It had also been victim of a number of terrorist attacks, especially bomb/suicide attacks.
It would be fitting then, for the Iraqi version to plant fake bombs in the cars of celebrities and then pass it off as a joke.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO6kzR_GNa8
The victims of the american version have enothing to complain about after seeing this: Victims get accused of being terrorist, told they will be shot and often begin to faint, plead or cry. The show has been hugely criticized in Iraq for joking about a subject that is still sensitive.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129726901
Like all "edgy" material, there is always a certain amount of time before it is possible to joke about controversial events where the question of "too soon?" can be asked. If you consider Frankie Boyle to be controversial, compared to the makers of this show, his humour would be family friendly.
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