Phone Pranks Played on Famous People

Queen Elizabeth II, Fidel Castro, Tony Blair, and More

Before the advent of shock jocks, prank phone calls were the bailiwick of twelve year old boys like Bart Simpson (Yeah, I know. He's supposed to be eight). In fact, Bart's fictional obscene phone calls to Moe's Bar are based on a series of real-life phone pranks placed by "the Bum Bar Bastards" to a real-life gutbucket Jersey City bar. These were recorded and gained cult status in the eighties.

In recent years, phone pranks have become more sophisticated and more high-tech; their gullible targets being more high-profile, including the Queen of England, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and even Pope John Paul II.

Queen Elizabeth II

In 1995, notorious Canadian prankster deejay Pierre Brassard posed as Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister of Canada, and called Buckingham Palace. To his radio audience's amazement. he managed to get through to the Queen and they had an amiable 15-minute chat regarding subjects including Quebec separatist proposals.

Pope John Paul II

Again posing as Prime Minister Chretien, Pierre Brassard called the Vatican and got through to Pope John Paul II. In the course of their conversation, "Chretien" suggested that the Pope affix a toy propeller to his beanie.

Prime Minister Tony Blair

In 1998, London deejay Steve Penk called Number 10 Downing Street and got through to British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He posed as political opposition leader William Hague. In the course of their on-air conversation, "Hague" offered Blair a copy of a Cher exercise video.

Unlike the more gullible Queen, Blair immediately knew that he was being punk'd because the real Hague would always call him "Prime Minister" in conversations. The deejay addressed him as "Tony."

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez