Unfortunately, Merry and Pippin stole
the spare fireworks.

Fortunately(?), they managed to blow themselves up with them almost immediately, saving Gandalf the effort of doing it himself.

Unfortunately, this meant that their stunt doubles had to fill in for the rest of the movies.

Fortunately, their stunt doubles became famous

Unfortunately, the paparazzi stalked them to Middle Earth.

Fortunately, the paparazzi saw Noldorin Elves, and decided they were so much more interesting than stalking Merry and Pippin.

Unfortunately, the Noldor decided that the paparazzi must be fiends of Morgoth.

Fortunately, due to the rapid succession of many, many camera flashes from the paparazzi, the Noldor couldn't see to destroy them

Unfortunately, the paparazzi couldn't get back to the Real World to sell the pictures.

Fortunately, they liked Middle-Earth.

Unfortunately some of the Noldor hunted them.

Fortunately, they actually turned out to be Orcs in disguise

Unfortunately, the Noldor got mad at the Orcs for the disguise.

Fortunately, the orcs made nice with the Noldor by getting rid of the paparazzi
by sending them to Saruman to document his triumphant conquest of Rohan.

Unfortunately, the paparazzi blinded Saruman with all the camera flashes.

fortunately Saruman had his trust Shades of Many Colours tucked into the glove compartment on his staff.

Unfortunately, they fell out when he tried to get them and one of the paparazzi stole them.

fortunately it was really a secret White Hand agent in disguise so instead of snapping them in half or selling them on the Dol-Internet he handed them back with a wink.

Unfortunately, Saruman was offended by the impertanace and vaporized the agent.

Fortunately, there were many more where he came from

Unfortunately, Saruman was not strong enough to vaporize them all.

fortunately Gandalf was nearby to set them all on fire.

Unfortunately Gandalf's white robes were also set on fire

Fortunately, he had some spare grey ones.

Unfortunately, the paparazzi had taken the spare robes to
Elrond's studio for a photo spread for
Middle-earth Uncovered magazine.

Fortunately, Elrond didn't know about the magazine operating out of the Last Lonely House.

unfortunately he was notified when he topped their "worst-dressed in eggplant" list.

Fortunately, Galadriel sent him new robes.

Unfortunately, they were puke green colored.

Fortunately, he liked them.

Unfortunately, it was Galadriel's duty as a mother in law to continue sending Elrond thins until he did receive something both terribly unflattering and that he did not like.

fortunately Elrond had no fashion sense

Unfortunately, this was what caused Celebrian to leave Middle Earth, not the goblins like Elrond told people.

fortunately she was starting to get on Elrond's nerves anyway, constantly spending all of his money at the Gap of Rohan

Unfortunately, she'd spent even more of Elrond's
money at Galadriel's Secret. (Now you know how
she kept Celeborn's interest for so long). ;)

Fortunately, it was all tax-deductable.

Unfortunately it was Annatar who taxed them, so it was still too large a sum

Fortunately, his IRS agents, being blind, are really easy to fool.

unfortunately, tax men (as is common knowledge among the many folk of Middle Earth) have exceptionally good senses of smell; so good, in fact, that they can -read- only by using their noses. It is a trait that they have adopted over the centuries from close dealings with the Nazgul, because everyone knows that the only things worse than the Nazgul are tax men.

Fortunately, Denethor, in one of his shrewder moves,
had set up Tolfalas as an offshore tax haven.