April Fools Day On The Internet
Sources/References
Deliveroo
Deliveroo April Fools' joke backfires in France after thousands of customers were sent fake £400 bills for pizzas they never ordered (Daily Mail - 2021)Angry Tweets (2021)Deliveroo France Apology Tweet (Twitter - 2021)Deliveroo's April Fool's Joke Backfires After Customers Sent £400 Bill Email (LadBible - 2021)Includes quote: “And although April Fool's Day pranks are dead and do not belong in this century, people managed to let themselves fall for Ant and Dec's joke.”
Washing The Lions
A Ticket for the Annual Ceremony of Washing the Lions, April the 1st, 1856 (Royal Armouries Collection)Who was invited to the annual washing of the lions at the Tower of London? (The Guardian - 2011)Felines in the Moat? The Great Washing of the Lions Hoax (Historic Mysteries - 2021)April 1, 1698 Washing the Lions (Today In History - 2017)Washing the Lions (The Museum Of Hoaxes)Quote from Gustave Louis Maurice Strauss in his Reminiscences of an Old Bohemian
“We went to Tower Hill in the morning of the 1st of April -- to watch the result. I must confess I, for one, was not prepared for the extraordinary credulity of the British Public. They flocked up in shoals to see the lions washed. The "warders" were almost at their wits' end. They had the bits of pasteboard flourished in their faces, with angry gestures and angrier imprecations, by the indignant crowd of sight-seers and seekers. I verily believe there was a notion at one time of the day to send for reinforcements of the garrison, so threatening was the aspect of the B.P. raging at the gates of the old City fortress. In the midst of the turmoil some one spotted me to whom I had given an order of admission, and he would have set the whole mob upon me, but I most luckily succeeded in securing the friendly shelter of a cab, which I made drive off instanter from the field of action, knowing of old that discretion is, as a rule, the better part of valour. The final result to me was, that I had to skedaddle, and keep dark for a time, until the affair had blown over a little.”
Against April Fools
Ron Gilberthttps://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/583262662995275776?lang=en-GBhttps://grumpygamer.com/april_fools_2018https://grumpygamer.com/april_fools_2022https://twitter.com/grumpygamer/status/380819751208902656“If I ever get to make another Monkey Island, I'm going to announce it on April 1st.”
https://grumpygamer.com/april_fools_2022“For 18 years the Grumpy Gamer blog has been April Fools' day free because it's a stupid tradition. So to mix things up a little I'm taking this opportunity to announce I've decided to make another Monkey Island.”
Why April Fools' day is utter crap (The Guardian - 2016)Everyone hates April Fools’ Day — so why does it endure? (The Verge - 2017)T-Mobile Give Thanks Not PranksT-Mobile Twitter (2020)“Today we're giving thanks, not pranks! Let's recognize the people that have given us smiles, comfort, & strength during this tough time. Tell us who you're thanking & tag @TMobile + #GiveThanksNotPranks. We will donate $1 to @BGCA_Clubs for every tweet w/ #GiveThanksNotPranks”
Thank a Helper, Be a Helper with #GiveThanksNotPranks (T-Mobile - 2020)No Foolin’: T‑Mobile Leads a Movement to Transform This April 1 from a Day of High Jinx to a Day of High Fives (T-Mobile - 2021)
MentalPlex (Google - 2000)Google Romance (Google - 2011)Google Gulp (Google - 2011)Google Search for your socks (Google Australia - 2016)com.Google (Google - 2015)Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge (YouTube - 2014)Become a Pokémon Master with Google Maps (Google Blog - 2014)Pokémon Go: The April Fools’ joke that became a global obsession (Washington Post - 2016)YouTube 'Rickrolls' Everyone (Wired - 2008)YouTube's ready to select a winner (YouTube - 2013)YouTube Contest Submissions Closing Tomorrow at Midnight (YouTube Official Blog - 2013)Google’s Greatest April Fools’ Hoax Ever (Hint: It Wasn’t a Hoax) (Technologizer/archive.org - 2013)Introducing Gmail Mic Drop (Google Blog - 2016)Google reverses Gmail April 1 prank after users mistakenly put GIFs into important emails (TechCrunch - 2016)
The Spaghetti Tree
1957: The SPAGHETTI HARVEST | Panorama (BBC Archive/YouTube - 2022)1957: BBC fools the nation (BBC On This Day)Greatest April fool stories - from spaghetti trees to Alabama changing Pi (The Telegraph - 2011)War Of The WorldsThe Infamous “War of the Worlds” Radio Broadcast Was a Magnificent Fluke (Smithsonian Magazine - 2015)The true scale of the “panic” has been exaggerated over the years as the original broadcast would have only had had a relatively small audience.
Ghostwatch
NPR
Why Doesn't America Read Anymore? (NPR Facebook - 2014)The original Facebook post.
Why Doesn't America Read Anymore? (NPR - 2014)The April Fools article.
NPR’s Brilliant April Fools’ Day Prank Was Sadly Lost On Much Of The Internet (Junkee - 2014)
China’s April Fools “Ban”
No April Fooling Please, We’re Chinese (NY Times - 2016)China threatens tough punishment for online rumor spreading (Reuters - 2013)Kim Jong-Un Named The Onion's Sexiest Man Alive For 2012 (The Onion - 2012)Kim Jun Un as ‘sexiest man alive’? Chinese news site falls for an Onion story on the supreme leader (Washington Post - 2012)Virgin launches glass-bottomed plane (Virgin - 2013)China reports Virgin's April Fool's joke as fact (The Telegraph - 2013)
Volkswagen
Voltswagen: A new name for a new era of e-Mobility (VW/archive.org - 2021)The original “Voltswagen” press release, since deleted.
I am aware that the “founding” date of 1955 is specifically referring to Volkswagen of America, not the original Volkswagen founding. I was using hyperbole, but it is revealing that they are still disguising their true origins.
VW accidentally leaks new name for its U.S. operations: Voltswagen (CNBC - 2021)Volkswagen TwitterVolkswagen hoaxes media with fake statement on name change (AP - 2021)“The fake release could land Volkswagen in trouble with U.S. securities regulators because its stock price rose nearly 5% on Tuesday, the day the bogus statement was officially issued. Investors of late have been responding positively to news of companies increasing electric vehicle production, swelling the value of shares of Tesla as well as of some EV startups.
James Cox, who teaches corporate and securities law at Duke University, said the Securities and Exchange Commission should take action to deal with such misinformation, which can distort stock prices.
“The whole market has gone crazy,” Cox said. “We need to throw a pretty clear line in the sand, I believe, about what is permissible and what isn’t permissible.””
Natham Bomey (Journalist) (Twitter - 2021)“Dear Volkswagen: You lied to me. You lied to AP, CNBC, Reuters and various trade pubs. This was not a joke. It was deception. In case you hadn’t noticed, we have a misinformation problem in this country. Now you’re part of it. Why should anyone trust you again?”
The Volkswagen emissions scandal explained (The Guardian - 2015)Volkswagen Probed by States Over Pollution Cheating (Bloomberg - 2015)
Pluto Reclassified As A Planet
Pluto Has Been Officially Reclassified as a Planet (Futurism - 2017)“Say it with me now, "Yay!" ... also, have a happy April Fool's.”
Pluto Has Been Officially Reclassified as a Planet (Untold Universe/archive.is - 2017)“Say it with me now, “Yay!””
Online Forums that were tricked by the Untold Universe article
/r/Games is closed for April Fool’s. Find out why in here! (Reddit - 2019)/r/PlaceReddit Place (/r/place) - FULL 72h (90fps) TIMELAPSE (YouTube - 2017)Timelapse from /r/Place 2017
r/Place 2022 Timelapse (YouTube - 2022)Timelapse from /r/Place 2022
Celebrity Fake Pregnancy Annoucements
Justin Bieber, Lindsay Lohan and More Celebrities Who Pulled Pregnancy Pranks on April Fools’ Day (Life & Style Magazine - 2020)Lindsay Lohan deletes 'pregnant' tweet and confirms it was only a joke (Daily Mail - 2013)Gwen Stefani “It's a girl” (Instagram - 2016)Justin Bieber Apologizes For April Fools' Day Pregnancy Prank Gone Wrong (Huffington Post - 2019)Justin Bieber’s Instagram (the original pregnancy announcement has since been deleted but can be seen here)https://www.instagram.com/p/BvuelVAHrOY/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=bcf9c149-4778-4453-88ab-646e6551b36b “If U thought it was April fools”https://www.instagram.com/p/BvwsX_UnKOQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=0f594e9a-e2ee-480c-b2ea-90cee3143264 Bieber’s Apologyhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BvukF2cnzQf/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=ed724e5f-e384-44f0-ac9f-e4a296e6c4ab Puppy Ultrasound
Webcomics
Other Pranks
300 Drones Formed a QR Code That Rick Rolled Dallas on April Fools' Day (Dallas Observer - 2022)Woman wins $50,000 BMW after April Fool's Day 'double-bluff' (The Week - 2015)Warner Bros. Acquires The Pirate Bay (Torrent Freak - 2009)Futures Agenda Extra (The Guardian - 1981)“AFTER 13 years' work in top security, surrounded by guard dogs and living out of suitcases, British scientists at Pershore have developed a machine to control the weather. Britain will gain the immediate benefit of long summers, with rainfall only at night, and the Continent will have whatever Pershore decides to send.”
Backlash for YouTubers' prank convincing girl, 6, she had to give puppy away (CTV News - 2019)Play as Sonic or Tails [in Smash Bros Melee] (EGM/archive.org - 2002)Tauntaun Sleeping Bag (ThinkGeek/archive.org - 2009)Inturdusing CatBlock (AdBlock - 2012)Press release – Paddy Power Poker has announced plans to hold the biggest ever strip poker tournament this summer to break the world record for a naked card game. (Paddy Power/archive.org - 2006)Harley Davidson Canada Twitter (2016)“#HarleyDavidson is all about bike personalization & customization. Introducing our latest innovation - #Selfmets”
Burger King Twitter (2018)“the NEW chocolate Whopper. coming soon to your local Burger King. maybe.”
McDonalds UK Twitter (2019)Milkshake Sauce Pots
Never step on a LEGO brick again! SmartBricks, coming soon... (Instagram - 2021)April Fool's: Harmonix announces Cowbell Hero (GameSpot - 2006)On these high seas, no one can hear you scream. (Sega Blog/archive.org - 2010)“Today is a big day for us here at SEGA of America – and for aquatic wildlife across the world. Today we announce something that many of us have been waiting patiently for, our eager fins and flippers anxious. Today, we make it official – it’s time to reveal the North American-only exclusive sequel to one of the best-selling SEGA games ever not created: ECCO: WATER WARS 2!”
Walkers Crisps Twitter (2022)“Introducing our new Sandwich Crisps. The best thing since sliced bread #CrispIn”
New! M&M’S and Skittles IN THE SAME BAG? (M&Ms Australia Facebook - 2022)Pornhub Becomes Cornhub, the Internet’s Definitive Source of Hardcore Shucking Videos (Complex - 2016)Pornhub Turns Into Cornhub for April Fools’ Joke, Posts Hot, Steamy Corn Videos (US Magazine - 2016)Fairy fool sparks huge response (BBC News - 2006)
