"Fresh Prince" Prankster Calls C-SPAN

If you thought the fragile current nuclear negotiations with Iran were no laughing matter, then you apparently thought wrong — at least according to one inveterate prankster. That dude, one Jack Strickland, called in to a recent C-SPAN segment on the Iran negotiations, only to recite the theme song of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a classic 90s TV show featuring Will Smith as the main character. The caller was cut off before he could complete his rad and entirely unrelated Bel-Air rant.

“I just want to make it clear first of all I’m calling from Bel-Air, California,” the funny-man said at the start of his call to C-SPAN's generally quite serious Washington Journal program. “But I am originally from Philadelphia, specifically West Philadelphia.” He then went on to chat about how he and his buddy were on a basketball court discussing how much involvement Congress should have in the Iran negotiations (intellectual!). Suddenly, “a couple of guys who were up to no good essentially started causing trouble in my neighborhood.” You feel me?

Please note: The delivery, all ten seconds of it prior to a no-fun cut-off, is totally deadpan, with a well-restrained slow reveal.

As The Washington Post points out, a YouTube account called Jack Strickland has posted a video of the incident, in addition to six videos of other prank calls to the show since January 2013. During one, Strickland calls in as a Republican and shows less restraint than in his most recent appearance. “I just wanted to say that this program can suck my balls,” is all he gets in before being cut off. It begs the question: Do they not have a prankster watch-list at C-SPAN? Perhaps it’s about time they got one, with Strickland as their Public Enemy Number One.

The Fresh Prince segment arguably has attracted more attention than the nuclear negotiations, as social media explodes about the “West Philadelphia, born and raised” dude's world getting flipped turned upside down on cable.

As Vanity Fair notes, the Fresh Prince prank has appeared previously. Once, notably, on a Nigerian Christian TV show, in somewhat revised form. “It’s from a comedy show,” the host is told over headphones after some minutes have elapsed. The presenter's next communiqué is from a disciple of one “Ben Kenobi,” a man well-versed in the force. “I don’t think that is biblical,” the host eventually decrees.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reports that "major gaps remain" at the Iranian nuclear talks currently being held in Lausanne, Switzerland. Trouble in the neighborhood, indeed.

Images: C-SPAN (1)