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10 times Bugs Bunny was the ultimate prankster
Classic pranks...with a side of dynamite.
Bugs Bunny is the master prankster of the Looney Tunes universe. Sure, Wile E. Coyote and Daffy attempt to pull off a scheme, but they never succeed. Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam try to prank Bugs back, but it always blows up in their faces.
Tweety may pull a fast one on Sylvester every so often, but he's just a little bird; he can't pull off a big, crazy prank. No, the true jokster of the group is Bugs Bunny, and he doesn't just pull one or two pranks; rather, he barrages his victims with a series of little pranks that drive them to defeat or insanity.
Please do not attempt any of these pranks at home, these are the work of a professional cartoon character!
Let's take a look at 10 of Bugs' most memorable pranks!
Long-Haired Hare, 1949
These pranks were a form of revenge after opera singer Giovanni Jones destroyed Bugs' banjo, harp, and tuba. Was Bugs being obnoxious and interrupting Jones' practice? Yes. But still, Bugs said, "Of course you know, this means war!" thus, a prank war was born, and the battlefield was Jones' big show at the concert hall. The pranks began with Bugs tapping and hammering the amphitheater arch, causing Jones to vibrate right off the stage and into a tuba. Then, Bugs poured alum into Jones's vocal spray and sprayed it in his mouth, causing Jones's head to shrink on stage.
Long-Haired Hare, 1949
After the first two pranks, Bugs still did not relent. He dressed up as an adoring fangirl, pestering Jones to sign his autograph with a stick of dynamite. After the explosion, Bugs disguised himself as the conductor and took over the concert. His ruthless conducting led Jones's voice to vibrate so much that the amphitheater collapsed.
Bowery Bugs, 1949
When Steve Brody tries to cut off Bugs' rabbit-foot to keep as a good luck charm, Bugs makes it his mission to drive this man crazy. Bugs wears a series of disguises: a lady, a policeman, a baker, and the great "Swami Rabbitima". Brody starts saying "Everybody's a rabbit!" and "What's up, doc?!" before jumping into the river.
Hare Tonic, 1945
This cartoon contains many of Bugs' survival pranks. Elmer Fudd brings Bugs home from the butcher shop to cook into rabbit stew. While Elmer isn't looking, Bugs jumps behind the radio and makes a fake broadcast saying every rabbit sold in the last few days is tainted with a disease: rabbititus. Elmer falls for this and tells Bugs he can leave, but there's a sign on the door that says "Quarantined for Rabbititus".
Hare Tonic, 1945
Bugs pulls lots of little pranks on Elmer during this cartoon, like making him climb into a basket, pretending to be Elmer's shower, and pretending to be Elmer's reflection in the mirror. But the biggest prank of this cartoon is Bugs disguising himself as a doctor, who, upon examining Elmer, confirms that Elmer has the worst case of rabbititus and is now turning into a rabbit. Bugs even breaks the fourth wall with Elmer and points at the audience who are all rapidly turning into rabbits too! After Elmer flees the scene, Bugs turns back to the audience and reassures them that it was "all just a gag".
Operation: Rabbit, 1952
In a stunning turn of events, Wile E. Coyote hunts Bugs Bunny instead of Roadrunner. Both characters try to outwit each other, but Bugs' ultimate prank arrives in the form of a sexy lady coyote robot. While Wile E. Coyote builds a sexy bunny robot filled with dynamite to trick Bugs, Bugs does the same thing to him, and Wile E. Coyote falls for it. Both robots explode in his coyote den.
Rabbit Kin, 1952
A bunny named Shorty is on the run from Pete Puma and ask for Bugs' help. Ever the prankster, Bugs is happy to oblige and unleashes a series of pranks on Pete Puma. One of the pranks is a pretend rabbit made of Bugs' weapon of choice, dynamite.
Robot Rabbit, 1953
Elmer Fudd is a rabbit farmer, and pesky Bugs keeps eating all his carrots. Elmer's efforts keep failing, so he builds a robot to kill Bugs. Bugs thoroughly enjoys sabotaging the robot and even dresses up as a beautiful lady robot to disarm and break the robot.
Wacky Wabbit, 1942
Bugs hides under a longhorn skull to spook Elmer Fudd while he's prospecting for gold.
Wabbit Twouble, 1941
Elmer Fudd sets up camp over Bugs' rabbithole and that's enough of a reason for Bugs to prank him until he packs up and goes home. Bugs unleashes the ultimate prank on Elmer: putting glasses on him while he's napping, painting the glasses black, and changing the clock so the alarm goes off. Elmer wakes up thinking he overslept until nightfall. Making Elmer so disoriented allows Bugs to continue pulling pranks on him until he finally leaves the park.
