Have you ever been «got» by a «can of peanuts?» I sure have. You think you’re about to dive into a delicious mix of salty roasted peanuts, and bam. A snake is in your face. It’s one of the most classic pranks of all time for a reason. When you open something, you’re usually doing it pretty close to your face. You’re a prime mark. It’s also a classic subversion of expectation. You orient your expectations in a certain direction, and you’re quickly befuddled by what comes next. 

It’s also a funny prank as opposed to an upsetting prank. Sure, you jump a little, but you soon realize you’re in no real danger, and that you’ve just been duped by a good pal who probably went to the joke store recently. All to say, we should be doing more snake-in-a-can pranks on each other. And we should be visiting more joke shops. When was the last time you were at one?