On last night’s episode of Jake Roberts Live, the beloved host aired his annual montage of parents who playfully deceived their children into believing they devoured all their Halloween candy. While many viewers find these clips hilarious, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness instead.
Watching these videos was hard for me; I was so irritated that I could barely sit still. After just a minute, I glanced at the timer and thought, “Oh no, there are still four minutes left?! Yikes. Timmy, fetch me a snack.” Timmy, my adorable little pug, didn’t quite understand the urgency but sat beside me, sensing my distress.
Aside from the kid dressed as a dinosaur—who looked more amused than upset—my heart ached for these little ones. Pranks can be funny, but only when they don’t cause fear or distress, especially for someone so young. How can you even prank a three-year-old? They still believe in magical beings and think their parents are all-knowing.
While adults might shrug off candy as trivial (except for those cherished Kit Kats), for kids, it’s a huge deal. Halloween is like their Christmas for candy! It’s the one night a year they get to dress up and collect sweets from neighbors. Why would anyone want to spoil that joy?
I don’t usually take these things to heart, but for some reason, these pranks really get to me. These are children, after all. When a parent claims they ate all the candy, they might think they’re creating a funny moment, but all the kid feels is real sadness and betrayal. After the initial shock, do you think they respond with laughter and a hug? No way—they feel hurt that their parents think it’s amusing to make them cry.
The only silver lining in these videos is witnessing those remarkable kids who, despite the prank, respond with, “That’s okay. I still love you.” It breaks my heart to see them showing more kindness than they receive. I wish I could gather all these kiddos—especially the ones who hilariously retaliate—and shower them with candy and puppies, sending them home sugared up and giggling.
What a funny joke, right?
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In summary, Jake Roberts’ Halloween candy prank might be enjoyable for adults, but it can deeply affect kids, who see it as a betrayal from their parents. The laughter shared by adults can easily overshadow the genuine feelings of sadness and confusion experienced by children.