What Is Ding Dong Ditch 'Em"?

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Transcript

00:00What is Ding Dong Ditchem?

00:02Although the name of the game may change from region to region,

00:05the prank known as Ding Dong Ditchem has been around ever since the invention of the doorbell.

00:11In its most basic form, the game involves at least one prankster willing to ring an unsuspecting homeowner's doorbell,

00:18and then hide or run away.

00:20Watching the confused or angry expression on the victim's face

00:24as he or she looks for the phantom doorbell ringer is often the best part of playing,

00:28unless, of course, the homeowner is much better at finding guilty people than the guilty people are at hiding.

00:35The basic plot of Ding Dong Ditchem is ripe for variation and escalation,

00:39which means players could make the game even more interesting through the creative use of props.

00:44One of the most common props associated with it is the legendary flaming bag of poo.

00:49In this more sinister version, the prankster will place a paper bag containing animal excrement on the victim's doorway and set it ablaze.

00:58When the victim answers the doorbell, he or she may instinctively step on the flaming bag to extinguish it,

01:04thus spreading the excrement or other foul substance everywhere.

01:09Although actual incidents involving the flaming bag of poo are relatively rare, it is often the thought that matters.

01:16Other versions of the prank may involve setting up props rigged to dump water on the victim's head or other unexpected assaults.

01:24Sometimes the point of the game is to draw out the victim for other special treats,

01:28such as the discovery of a vandalized yard or offensive sign.

01:33During Halloween, a quick game of Ding Dong Ditchem could lead to a costumed prankster leaping out from bushes to scare the victim.

01:41The possibilities are fairly endless with such a simple premise as ringing a doorbell and waiting for a response.

01:48Most games do fall under the category of harmless pranks,

01:51but occasionally some have abused the game to draw out real victims of real violence.

01:57There have been incidences in which homeowners have been assaulted or even shot after opening their doors to investigate a phantom knock.

02:05Whether it is a neighborhood prank or a serious attempt to lure out a victim,

02:09people need to exercise caution when answering their doors, especially when a visitor is not visible in the doorway.

02:16It might also pay to find some other way to extinguish a flaming bag left on your porch following a suspected incident of Ding Dong Ditchem.