Spring time will be here soon, and it will be time for fun in the sun and vacations. For those who have more humorous tendencies one of the true signs that spring is has arrived is April Fools day. Most of the credit for April fool’s day pranking is attributed to English pranksters playing practical jokes on each other back in 1700. The tradition soon took hold across the country and today it takes many forms. Some just like to play jokes on close friends or family while others trick entire countries. Here are some April fool’s pranks that entire countries fell for.
On April 1st in 1998 the Burger King company claimed it had developed a “left handed whopper”. A full-page ad was taken out in USA today making the claim that all the ingredients for the left-handed whopper were the same but had been turned 180 degrees for left handers. Thousands showed up to try the new burger.
On April 1st in 1976 an astronomer named Patrick Moore announced that a once in a lifetime astronomical anomaly having to do with planetary alignments would have consequences on Earth. According to the claim which was announced on the BBC, everyone on Earth would experience weightlessness at exactly 9:47AM. Thousands of people called in claiming to have experienced the event and reported having been floating around in their houses.
On April 1st in 1996 Taco Bell played an elaborate prank on the entire country by claiming that it had purchased the Liberty Bell to help pay off the U.S. national debt and would soon be moving the historical artifact to its headquarters in California. The claim was published as a full-page ad in the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and three other major newspapers. Taco bell and the National Park Service received thousands of calls from irate citizens. Taco Bell soon after revealed that the entire thing had been an April fools prank.
