Community Corner

Don't Get Fooled: April 1 Brings Out the Pranksters

Patch takes a look at some of the top April Fools' Day hoaxes of all time.

According to some sources, it’s a time-honored tradition that has its roots in 1580s France. Here in modern-day America, it’s an excuse to goof off, play practical jokes and celebrate the silly.

Today is April Fools’ Day, the day when even major companies and media outlets get in on the act. Here’s a rundown on some of my personal favorite April 1 hoaxes and pranks:

  • Last year, Google had some fun with its users by  announcing a “vowel outage” on its home page.
  • In 2008, Web surfers who clicked on any of the featured videos on YouTube were redirected to the famous “Rick Roll.”
  • In an oldie but a goodie, fast-food giant Taco Bell took out a full-page ad in the New York Times, claiming it had purchased the Liberty Bell. The U.S. monument’s new name? The “Taco Liberty Bell,” of course.

Hungry for more Fools’ fun? There are plenty of places on the Web to get your fix.

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Museumofhoaxes.com is the self-described home of the “Top 100 April Fools’ Day Hoaxes of All Time.” Aprilfoolsdayontheweb.com is an online storehouse of pretty much every Internet-related prank and hoax since 2004. Finally, The Huffington Post has a photo and video roundup of what it calls the biggest and best April Fools’ Day pranks ever.

And if you’re looking for inspiration, check out www.aprilfools.com, which offers up suggestions for safe and good-natured pranks, plus a list of phony April Fools’ Day headlines.

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