Cliché Corner   

"Instead, their current leading man would rather brag about his ability to pull off world-class pranks as detailed in the recent issue of Vanity Fair. Being Punk'd has got nothing on being Clooney'd."
USA Today

"On Tuesday's edition of Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge, the show's 13 participants as well as the studio audience and at least one TV critic 'got punk'd.' "
Slate

"From Emmitt to Vinny, Jake to Kurt, Kordell to Mooch, players and coaches -- even ridiculed officials -- all over the league are ready to prove they still have what it takes, to leave their critics pummeled, pouting and punk'd."
Los Angeles Times

"Tuesday's season finale of 'The Osbournes' finally appeared to confirm the charge that has dogged the MTV show since it debuted--that some scenes and dialogue were scripted.... So have viewers been punk'd?"
Newsday

"Oliver confirmed that around the first of August, the old Phillips Men's Store will officially get punk'd.... Shoni and Sean Estes intend to open Blank Generation, a punk-rock boutique...."
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"France had a right to object to the war on Iraq. You're a free country. But then you got all ... French about it. Started talking your trash and getting uppity.... You wounded our pride. You punk'd us in front of all those other countries."
Omaha World Herald

"We've been punked by North Korea. Whether they were bluffing or not, the United States has backed off of its original stance of no compliance, no concessions."
Chicago Sun-Times

From more than 300 references this year (not including mentions of the actual show that inspired this cliché, Ashton Kutcher's remake of "Candid Camera" on MTV, "Punk'd")