- Barbary Apes
- Spoof Documentaries and Exposés in 2011
- Computer Hoaxes for April Fool's Day 2011
- Marketers Use April 1st to Launch Real Products
- Fake Scientific Inventions
- Spurious Invitations
- Sweeping Bad News Under the Table
Celebrity Hoaxes
It's fascinating to see how hoaxes in general, and April Fools jokes in particular get re-cycled. Celebrities are a prime target fro a prank because they are outrageous, lead strange un-conventional lives, and good portion of the population is happy to laugh when a star's ego get pricked. This is the sort of thing to look out for: Kate Winslet Affected by Dutch Elm Disease
Professor Prawo Jazdy says that it's now been proven that Dutch Elm Disease can attack red-headed women and cause their hair to turn yellow. People such as Sarah Ferguson, Amy Adams and Kate Winslet could also be affected.
Dog Fleas Attack Blue-eyed Blonde People
Dr Allergo reports that Ctenocephalides canis (common dog flea) has hopped species and can now attack humans. However, it is only those of Nordic extraction that are affected, those with dark skin and hair are still immune from this dog parasite.
A Hoax from 2010 - It's Bieber's world, we're just living in it
The tween pop singer hijacked Will Ferrell's comedy video site for April Fool's Day renaming it "Bieber or Die." "Justin Bieber has
decided to buy Funny or Die and do with it whatever his tiny little heart desires," a clip at the top of the site states.
According to the 16-year-old pop star himself, "Anything that's not Bieber, dies."
Beware of being asked to phone an organization and ask for a person with a strange name, for example Myra Manes at a funeral parlour. Also any spokeswoman called 'Avril Foujour'.
Barbary Apes
Legend has it that when the Barbary Apes leave Gibraltar, or become extinct, then the British will be forced to leave that outpost on Spain's border. Watch out for a 2011 April Fool's hoax that claims something has happened to all these Barbary Apes.
Despite their name these 'Barbary Apes' are true monkeys and sometimes called macaque, as with other animals, their population varies and we believe that a scare story is brewing regarding a mystery illness that will reduce their numbers drastically and thus cause a diplomatic incident if Britain has to withdraw from Gibraltar.
Re-cycling of Old Urban Myths
Talking of monkeys, beware of new footage purporting to prove an old tall tale, for example that Charles Manson once auditioned for the 1960's pop group 'The Monkeys'. Such releases on the eve of April Fool's Day start with a little known but true fact, for example, Mickey Dolenz starred in 'Circus Boy'. They go to say that Davy Jones starred in the soap Coronation Street (also true). Then they slip in the curve ball, new footage shows Charles Manson auditioning for 'The Monkeys' (false).Military Hoaxes for April Fool's Day 2011
Because of their rigid discipline the army are always a good source of April Fools hoaxes, therefore expect 2011 to be no different.Spoof Documentaries and Exposés in 2011
Will and Guy say watch out on April 1st 2011 for a variation on the Bambi paintball hoax. We feel that Texas is a candidate for resurrecting this spoof, although Atlantic City or Foxwoods, Connecticut are likely alternative venues. The first example of this hoax was back in 2003 when hunters were offered the opportunity to shoot naked women with paintball guns. For $10,000 you could go to Las Vegas, get kitted out with your paint gun, and stalk 'Bambi'.Hunting for Bambi
If you would like to fly out to wonderful fun filled Las Vegas, Nevada for the hunt of a lifetime now is your chance. You can actually hunt one of our Bambi babes and shoot her with paintballs while we film the whole thing and tape it for your own home video. We will send you a complete list of wall hangers to choose from once your reservation is confirmed for your hunt. With over 30 women ready to be chased down and shot like dogs we guarantee a wide variety of Bambi's to choose from. Whether it is the girl next door or a perfect 10 we have an abundance of these beauties. So if you are the ultimate sportsman and are seeking the ultimate adrenaline rush then come out to our ranch and shoot one of these trophies. Then take home the video of her mounted on the wall for all your friends to see. This is the gift for the person who thought he had it all.Computer Hoaxes for April Fool's Day 2011
Watch out for these are sneaky computer jokes that techies with too much time on their hands play on their co-workers.
- Spoof the mouse. Unplug the original mouse. Plug in a fake mouse. When they check their connection it seems to be working. One from Dr Devious.
- An old favourite: tape over the optical sensor of your friend's mouse.
- Alter Word's Autocorrect on your victim's machine.
- Launch Word for Windows. Find the 'Proofing settings'. Make changes to AutoCorrect, e.g. a to ye. I to you.
- On someone else's machine press set High Contrast mode Press: Shift + ALT + Print Screen. Note 1: You need Shift and not Ctrl. Also use the Left Alt and not the right. Note 2: To Undo press the same combination: Shift + ALT + Print Screen. Note 3: Learn from this madness by checking out the Ease of access settings in Control Panel.
- Variation, turn on Narrator and drive the computer user mad. Control Panel --> Ease of access.
- Cuckoo clock - Install this computer joke application.
- See more short computer jokes
Marketers Use April First to Launch Real Products
Will and Guy predict a series of double bluffs. Companies will make announcements that look like April Fool's Day hoaxes, but turn out to be true. For example, Google launched Gmail on the 1st April 2004. People assumed it was an April Fool's Day hoax, however, when it turned out to be true, Gmail and Google got a second round of free publicity - clever marketing stuff. DYK (Did You Know)
Pay special attention to any 'Did You Know' articles on April 1st. Such items may be truths, or at least half-truths dressed up as April the
1st spoofs. These are a new breed of sophisticated double bluffs which marketing gurus cunningly launch on or just before April Fools Day.
Their mission is a maximum amount of free publicity for a real product.
Possible hoaxes include Coca Cola announcing green cans instead of red. Or, new whisky flavoured chewing gum, and they can now breed square apples. One off the stop press. Pencil sharpeners become extinct inAmerica.
Fake Scientific Inventions
Example from 2010 - Prescription Lenses for Touring Cars Windscreens
After successful trials in touring car championships, prescription windscreens are now available for the general public. Here is a press
release from Auto Windscreens.
Constantly having to swap your glasses or remember to bring along a pair for driving? Do away with the hassle, as Auto Windscreens, innovators in automotive glazing, has successfully launched its first prescription windscreen.
Beware of machines to make diamonds from sand, or gismos which turn lead into gold. Perhaps 2011 is the year when that old gadget that turns water into wine resurfaces.
Other Ideas for 2011 April Fool's Hoaxes
Another rich seam of April Fool's Day hoaxes is discoveries of extinct animals. Although the Piltdown Man forgery was not unearthed in April, this is the type of fakery to watch out for on April the first.
Finally, when it comes to scientific hoaxes UFOs are never far away. There are more sightings of Martians, little green men, fairies and
other curious creatures on April the first than any other day of the year.
Inventing New Medical Conditions for April Fool's Day
Chinese doctors have identified the human gene which causes Pedaspheraphobia. Symptoms Dr Chang of the Beijing University of Chinese
Medicine and Pharmacology, reports that symptoms of Pedaspheraphobia include vertigo and nausea when ever watching sport.
See more about Pedaspheraphobia here.
