There’s a fine line between a fun prank and a bridge too far, and it’s not always easy to tell which is which. About a year ago, there was this big TikTok trend where people would tell their friends and family members that their favorite celebrity had passed suddenly. For instance, if you were to prank me this way, you would look at your phone, gasp, and say, «Oh my God, Paul Dano De*d at 40,» and film me to see my devastated reaction.

Whether this prank is above board is open to discussion. A lot of us believe in speaking things into existence, whether we have specific religious or spiritual beliefs to back up that belief or not. I fear it’s bad juju even to type words that speak of an untimely demise for my favorite actor, but unless I’m proven wrong, this kind of prank does no tangible harm.