Hoax Couture Women's Wear Daily Someone in Italy (where they don't even have April Fool's Day) must have been in the mood for a prank. A mysterious firm sent out an e-mail Monday proclaiming that George Clooney was launching a men's and women's fashion brand. Problem is, "this is a hoax," said Clooney.
No Joke Post-Tribune It's no April Fool's gag: Tolls on the interstate are set to jump up by 72 percent for drivers who aren't using the I-Zoom, I-PASS, or other electronic tolling device. Those sporting the toll-paying transponder, however, will see no toll increase.
No Joking Matter Financial Post Seven out of 10 marketing executives polled by the Creative Group consider April Fool's jokes unsuitable for the office. Advertising executives were more open to pranking, with about half believing such jokes are appropriate.
April 01, 2008
April Fool's Day originated in the 18th century. Ironically, it didn't start out in the month of April, but with a woman named April. She was from a small village called Killblarney, Ireland. And when she found out her husband was cheating on her, she spread a virulent dose of pixie dust on…
Had you going for a moment, didn’t I?
After all, April Fool's Day is about foolery.
Who can forget the great spaghetti hoax of 1957 when the BBC claimed that the despised pest the spaghetti weevil had been eradicated and showed the Swiss harvesting spaghetti from trees? It was certainly unforgettable to the people who contacted the station asking how to cultivate their own spaghetti trees.
And what New York Mets fan could forget the great Sidd Finch?
According to an article in Sports Illustrated, he was a fireballer set to join the team, who could throw at 168 miles per hour with pinpoint accuracy. Sidd, short for Siddhartha, got his training, you see, in a Tibetan monastery.
All these famous April Fool hoaxes and many more are dutifully recorded at the Museum of Hoaxes by curator Alex Boese, who sounds like our kind of guy.
If grand schemes are too late to organize, you can always move someone’s car or slip on some form fitting tattoo sleeves to horrify your mother.
So who is actually responsible for all this silliness?
With the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, New Year's Day was moved from an eight-day celebration starting on March 25 to the date we know now.
Stick with me on this.
However, because every day was a slow news day then, many, when they finally
heard about the change, refused to accept the new calendar. And continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" ridiculed and often sent on fool’s errands.
Well, you couldn’t keep a good thing down and it just sort of evolved.
In Scotland this day is devoted to spoofs involving the buttocks and is called Taily Day. In case you’re asked about the origin of the "Kick Me" sign, it started right here.
In Australia, a radio station will do fun things like report an elephant was causing traffic problems on the M4 motorway.
In England, if you make it through the morning you’re safe. It’s considered back luck to play a practical joke on someone after noon.
Romans have the Festival of Hilaria and in France, where it all started, people who are fooled are called Poisson d'Avril and wind up with a cardboard fish hooked on their back.
Perhaps Mark Twain summed it all up best: "This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four."
In other words, this is the day we can all be ourselves.
And don’t forget to let us all know what you’ve perpetrated today…or ever, for that matter…that’s half the fun.
April Fool's Day Origins Snopes.com Claim: April Fool's Day began in the 1500s, when the Georgian calendar took over from the Julian. Status: Undetermined.
Some April Fool's Ideas aprilfools.com Most of the western world knows this is a day set aside for good hearted pranks, hoaxes, gags, and giggles. It is a day that the gullible.
Good for Office Morale onrec.com Encouraging April Fool’s pranks is good for office morale according to TheLadders.co.uk, the UK’s leading, senior executive search and selection site. Playing pranks on colleagues obliterates stress, boosts morale, encourages creativity and improves team dynamics.
How do you celebrate April Fool's Day?
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Poisson d'avril!
;)
When I was a teenager, I liked going to malls and super-gluing quarters to the tile floors. After that it was only a matter of sitting nearby and watching people attempt to pick up said quarter, often resulting in mild amusement for any onlookers. I liked making inferential leaps regarding people's personalities based on their approach to the problem. It was a cheap way to spend a few hours.
"This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four." I love this quote, always have, Mark Twain had a way of expressing truth in everything he spoke and wrote about. A fools' day, wow we were only given one? There are too many fools in this world to fit in one single day. But on the brighter side I do agree that this is a day to be the real you, so bring out that little fool within yourself and brighten someones day. Cause an amusing scene in that important board meeting, tell you wife you won the muilti-million dollar powerball by giving her the numbers to last Thursday's drawing and my personal favorite brake the news to your child that he/she was indeed adopted. Happy April fools' day everyone!
I usually play "April Fool" jokes and pranks on my family. Some have been elaborate hoaxes. I've also fallen for pranks myself. It's all in good fun.
But, thanks to Mock Turtle, I now know why I couldn't pick-up those quarters. Thanks! I feel a whole lot better now.
Do you think I should ask my girl friend to marry me and after she accepts, say: "April fool"? Of course, given her great sense of humor, she will probably say "Yes" and call me a "fool".
MACKDADDY1 said...
I THINK IT IS SIMPLY A DAY FOR SOME LIGHT-HEARTED FUN. ME AND MY KEYBOARD GOT THE BRUNT OF MY FUN LOVING CO-WORKERS. THEY SWITCHED SOME OF THE KEYS AND I THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY MIND. THEY ALL GOT A GOOD LAUGH OUT OF WATCHING ME SUFFER WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY KEYBOARD. WHEN I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT, I WAS QUITE AMUSED MYSELF. I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF THE PRANK FIRST. I AM ALREADY WORKING ON A RETALIATION PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR. GOT ANY IDEAS?
On the other hand, sometimes it backfires. For example, my grandmother one year fooled my grandfather by telling him that the car had a flat tire. Coincidentally, my grandfather had a rather important meeting that day, and on learning that the car was un-driveable, flew off the handle and stormed out of the house, without leaving my grandmother time to explain. He took the train and had to cancel his meeting. My grandmother was left to explain when he got home. Needless to say, it didn't go well.