The practical joke I played on a friend out in L.A. I teamed up with his mom, cousins and, a couple of friends to do it. He's Muslim but, not strict about it, you need to know that to understand why this was so funny and so effective.
Day one: I introduced my friend Rene to him, she played it off as her being this really shy Muslim girl, which she isn't but, we needed that for the joke.
Next 3 days, he doesn't see Rene at all.
Day 4 I tell him that there is a formal surprise party for Rene that I want him to come to with me. Of course he agrees. This is where his mom and cousins come in. I get him to the party and, his mom informs him that it's his wedding which she and his father arranged years ago, but they knew he'd back out so, they didn't tell him. At this point, he's mortified and, scared as all get out but, he's not going to run now, not with his family watching.
The whole place is set up for a Muslim wedding and Rene is dressed for it. So we all act out the wedding, right up until the part where they are supposed to be pronounced married, then Rene strips out of her Muslim costume and is in a bikini, yelling "Congratulations on the contact."
The whole gathering really was a surprise party for him, to celebrate a major recording contract he had just signed but, for a while he actually believed his mom was going to force him to marry a girl he had barely said hello to and, he was so relived that it was all a joke on him that he fainted. Poor guy, but it was hilarious - one of those sex symbol big shot celbs totally terrified then, fainting in relief.
No worries he was a good sport and, once his manager revived him with smelling salts, he laughed with us. he's one of those people that's really hard to get any major reaction out of and, boy did we get him.