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Fonejacker

(Rated TV-14, Comedy, Starring Kayvan Novak, Where to watch: Comedy Central)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 12, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Prank call comedy series is juvenile, crass, not so funny.

Themes in this show include:   honesty

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The show endorses (and more than likely encourages) prank phone calls, the more irritating the better. Suggests that it's fine to make fun of/take advantage of others in the name of humor.

  • Role models:

    The Fonejacker’s calls range from annoying to insulting. He sometimes impersonates various ethnic groups and may come across as borderline racist. Young viewers may find this entertaining, but it’s certainly not behavior worth imitating.

  • Violence:

    Not an issue.

  • Sex:

    A few suggestive comments.

  • Language:

    The victims of the Fonejacker's prank phone calls sometimes get pretty angry, though “what the hell” is about as strong as it gets without bleeping.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Some references to drinking.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Fonejacker

Parents need to know that this nean-spirited British series revolves around behavior that most parents wouldn't want their teens imitating. It uses actual recordings of prank calls to unsuspecting victims, with animated footage recreating them. Not surprisingly, the reactions of the people who pick up the phone vary from confused to annoyed to irate, and they sometimes swear, though particularly strong language is bleeped. The mysterious Fonejacker often places calls in character as people from various ethnic groups, and some of the shtick can seem borderline racist.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about practical jokes. Are they just harmless fun? What if the person on the other end of the joke doesn't see the humor? Some practical jokes can be dangerous or have potential to damage property or feelings -- do you think prank calls have less risk?
  • Is it ever OK to play ethnic stereotypes for humor? What do you think about the Fonejacker’s characters, with their heavy accents and frequent cultural references? Are they accurate? Do they cross the line into racism?
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