(PENSACOLA) --- April Fools' Day, the most mischievous 24 hours of the year.
OpGov.News researched the infamous day’s history, uncovering just how the 24 hours of permitted mischief came about.
No better source than the History Channel to do so, noting that it all began with a calendar change in the 1500’s, when France changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar.
“People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called 'April fools,'” History reports.
(Photo: Charles Tasnadi/AP Photo)
On April Fools' Day, it’s often all fun and games until it isn't, with some jokes going too far and becoming famous for the prank. Reader’s Digest recalls a few, beginning with the 1992 Richard Nixon joke.
“Despite the date, thousands believed it was actually Richard Nixon announcing another bid for the presidency,” Reader's Digest reports. “Of course, it wasn’t actually Nixon speaking, but that didn’t stop the outrage, and many began gearing up to protest.”
Calling it the “April Fool’s Cliffhanger,” the media report brings back a 2001 prank that backfired on a London DJ, who broadcast “that a ship that looked suspiciously like the Titanic could be seen from the cliffs at Beachy Head in East Sussex.”
(Photo: Pexels)
“Hundreds of listeners believed him, trekking to the cliffs to catch a glimpse,” Reader’s Digest reports. “Unfortunately, all the foot traffic caused a large crack in the cliff face, and a few days later, it fell into the sea.”
History reports that the day has long been a chance for other major food brands to prank customers, including the 1996 Taco Bell prank, which fooled the public into believing the brand had bought the actual iconic sculpture and renamed it Taco Liberty Bell.
Or the 1998 Burger King joke: a left-handed whooper, that actually had “scores of clueless customers” trying to purchase the non-existent meal.
(Photo: History Channel)
Speaking of food and April Fools' Day, the joke keeps on giving up until today.
(Photo: UK Heinz Instragram)
Heinz Matcha Mayo is just one April Fools' Day foodie prank going around this afternoon, paired with IKEA’s meat lollipop, both shared on the brand’s social media hours ago.
(Photo: IKEA Facebook)
No matter what the joke, today offers a chance to laugh a little, which is surely needed with the present state of affairs.
And hey, the day’s not over, so continue to watch out for fake sandwiches and meat lollipops.
Comments