A self-proclaimed ‘Peanut Butter Smearer’ is hitting doorknobs across Kentucky and showing off the prank on TikTok

A self-proclaimed “Peanut Butter Smearer” has reportedly been coating doorknobs with peanut butter across Somerset, Kentucky, according to The Nerd Stash. The person behind the prank is documenting the act on a TikTok video account under the handle @somersetpbsmearer, which appears to show clips of the man at work.

Residents in a local Somerset Facebook group reportedly began comparing notes after finding peanut butter smeared on their door handles, but that post has since been deleted.

The prank escalated on Tuesday when it allegedly spread to the Pulaski County Fair. Rebecca Cash, who is married to the fair board president, reportedly spoke about the incident when the fair’s treasurer walked out of the office with her hands covered in what appeared to be peanut butter. “I think it’s peanut butter,” the treasurer said.

Incident at Pulaski County Fair raises allergy concerns

Cash, who is also a teacher, said she thought of students with severe peanut allergies who have had to carry EpiPens. She noted that thousands of people pass through the fairgrounds each night. Pranks involving unsuspecting targets have become a recurring trend on the app, including a prank that turned a friend into a trespasser during a grocery run.

Online reaction to the prank has been mixed. In the video posted by the prankster, one commenter wrote, “Is it safe to move here?” Others expressed frustration over living in the area, with one person writing, “i’ve lived here for a year now why did i live here.” 

Some commenters raised the same concern as Cash, with one writing, “what if they have a peanut allergy?” Not every viral prank draws concern, though; some clips, like a husband’s playful stunt on his wife, have been received as lighthearted fun rather than a safety issue.

The fair is reportedly set to run through Saturday, with a rodeo and a sea lion show still listed on the schedule. Cash said she does not want the incident to keep people away from the fair.

Her message to fairgoers is to tell someone if they notice a sticky substance on a doorknob, latch, or fence post, since it might not seem significant to one person but could pose a serious risk to someone else nearby.

While it may seem like a harmless joke at first glance, it could raise legitimate safety concerns. The core risk is exposure to peanut allergy. Touching a smeared doorknob alone probably wouldn’t cause anaphylaxis, as nationalpeanutboard.org says, “smelling or touching peanuts or peanut butter does not cause anaphylaxis.” But the secondary step, touching your mouth afterward, can be the real danger. 

According to Healthdirect, eating a small amount of peanuts could trigger an allergic reaction. Complications appear to involve difficult or noisy breathing, swollen tongue, swollen, tight throat, difficulty talking or a hoarse voice, wheezing or persistent coughing, dizziness, and even collapse.