Every audience member who has lived through the beginning days of the internet knows what the “Nigerian Prince email scam” is. The setup goes something like this: a Nigerian Prince, one whose assets are currently frozen, needs you to wire him some money. If you do, you’ll see your investment grow. Millions of dollars are promised for a small fee. Of course, this is a scam — but as of 2019, the Nigerian Prince scam brings in $700,000 annually.
While adults will crack a smile at “Wendell & Wild’s” reference to Nigerian Princes, young audience members will wonder why their parents keeled over in laughter. As Wendell and Wild look to procure funds for their new fair, Wild remembers an old soul, a Nigerian Prince, who promised them a landfall of cash if they helped him to escape. Wendell quickly shuts the idea down, remarking it’s a scam, and the joke ends. Still, it’s funny enough — especially given the implication that those responsible for swindling thousands of dollars from unsuspecting individuals face damnation in the film’s version of Hell.
