Quote:
Comedian Chris Rock victim of practical joke in SAfrica
Jun 7 01:35 PM US/Eastern
Celebrity funnyman Chris Rock was the victim of a practical joke while on tour in South Africa, after being pranked with accusations he had sex with a British minor, a prosecutor said Saturday.
"It was a hoax, it was for one of the US (United States) reality television programmes," said National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tlali Tlali.
The US comedian, who is on his "No apologies" tour in the country, was duped by rumours he was about to be arrested for sexually assaulting a minor in Britain.
"They pulled one on him, information got to him that the South African Police Service was going to arrest him. Acting on that information he quickly approached lawyers who brought an urgent application at the Johannebsurg High Court where judgement was in his favour," Tlali told AFP.
Tlali said Rock had sought clarification on the charges to be brought against him.
A fake prosecutor, one of the cast members for the television show, appeared in court Monday urging that Rock be taken into custody, however the judge ruled he could not be arrested or detained without a proper warrant.
"This one went far, it must have been organised quite carefully," said Tlali, who said when prosecutors discovered the following day it was a prank there were mixed reactions with some slamming it as a waste of time, while others saw the funny side.
It was not known which television show was behind the prank.
Comedian Chris Rock victim of practical joke in SAfrica |
Despite what some might think, celebrities do not live the easiest lives. Don't get me wrong, they do enjoy some privileges because of their money and fame. However, the price they pay for being well known for (ideally some good and well paying talent they have or thing they do) is loss of anonymity and the need to spend time and money ameliorating their vulnerability to those who would prey on them in any number of ways.
So for this reality show to arrange a long distance legal threat prank such as this is, in a way, par for the course. Celebrities get sued for reasons that are sometimes real, sometimes imagined and sometimes invented.
But when the prank crosses the ocean and involves the law enforcement officials and justice system of other countries the pranksters have also crossed the line marked, '
too far.'
And to allege that the celebrity has been involved in the most vile and detestable offenses is just damn bad judgment on the part of the pranksters.
Rock makes his living by making audiences laugh but if the possibility exists in the minds of his audiences that he
might be a sex offender, they might not pay to see him perform live or on the screen and advertisers will be less likely to choose him to represent their company or products/services.
This is just one more example of how this society has become led around by those with no sense of propriety or responsibility. All they care about is assaulting our senses and sensibilities more outrageously than has been done before by others, no matter what the consequences.
I would sue the ****** ******* for every cent they have.
The morals of many young people today leaves a great deal to be desired.
There are too many who go too far and whose judgment, to use the popular vernacular, suckz azz.