In today’s digital age, social media platforms offer individuals a wide platform to gain recognition, for better or worse. While some use this opportunity positively, others resort to less admirable tactics.
A trending way to gain attention is through pranks, and although some pranks can be lighthearted, some push boundaries too far.
Meet Charles Smith, a man who has taken his TikTok pranks a bit too far. His videos aren’t your typical harmless jokes; instead, they often breach personal space and infringe on others’ rights.
Charles Smith, aged 27, boasts around 300,000 followers on his TikTok channel. However, his recent antics have landed him in trouble, as he’s unlikely to be posting more videos anytime soon. Residing in Arizona, Smith was apprehended following the upload of his latest controversial video.
This particular video portrayed Smith executing a prank that crossed the line – using bug spray to douse fruits and vegetables in Walmart.
Identifying himself as a ‘prankster,’ Smith was caught on camera spraying Hot Shot Ultra Bed Bug and Flea Killer onto various fresh produce items like bananas, potatoes, squash, and tomatoes while recording it all.
The video, initially posted online, gathered attention but not the kind Smith anticipated. Although removed, it quickly spread across other social media sites, including Reddit.
According to product information on the Hot Shot website, this pesticide is harmful if consumed and can also lead to skin reactions upon prolonged contact. Recognizing the trouble he was in, Smith surrendered to the authorities.
With reports suggesting he could earn up to $10,000 every month from such videos, it’s puzzling why Smith would disregard potential repercussions for the sake of a prank.
Should he be convicted, Smith could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years, a staggering possibility considering it was all intended as a joke.
Smith is no stranger to controversial stunts. In previous videos, he was seen using a bungee cord to prevent people from leaving a grocery store and slipping bacon and eggs into someone’s laundry at a laundromat.