April Fools - The Art of the Prank

March 25, 2014December 15, 2023

36th Annual St. Stupid’s Day Parade, SF

From Bishop Joey:

The 36th Annual St. Stupid’s Day Parade will strut its stuff yet again to honor Saint Stupid, the patron Saint of Civilizations and Parking meters.

blake a dance at stupid parade-425

Tuesday, April First, noon
Embarcadero Plaza, foot of Market st.

This years parade will be of the sidewalk variety, thru the financial district, (the weekend version is thru North Beach).

This DIY parade will stop at the traditional Stations of Stupid; the Federal Reserve HQ for the dead lottery ticket toss, the old Stock Exchange building for the ‘Sock Exchange’, the plaza of the bare-butt mechanics for the ‘Leap of Faith’, the Bankers Heart sculpture for the penny offering and the traditional Free Lunch. This FREE event is open to the public to participate. Odd costumes, absurd signage,noise makers and a willfully irreverent attitude to the business of religion and the religion of business are encouraged.

Sponsored by the First Church of the Last Laugh, the world’s largest church. This yearly San Francisco Rite of Spring event updates the ancient European Feast of Fools and provides photographic fodder for those who think they know what a weird city we are. Fun for the whole family. RAIN or SHINE”¦and if it snows, wear a snow tire

Contact:
Ed Holmes (Bishop Joey)
510-841-1898
bishopj @ saintstupid.com

April 1, 2013December 15, 2023

10 Bizarre April Fools’ Pranks

From Huffington Post:

http://pshared.5min.com/Scripts/PlayerSeed.js?sid=281&width=425&height=262&playList=517727233

March 13, 2012December 15, 2023

Prankster Stages a Volcanic Eruption

Submitted by Emerson Dameron:

Dormant and Tired

In 1974, after 3 years of planning, a man named Oliver Bickar pulled off one of the world’s biggest (in size) April Fools’ Day pranks. He and his co-conspirators flew dozens of tires over to an extinct volcanic crater called Mount Edgecumbe on uninhabited Kruzof Island in Alaska. When he lit the tires on fire, people in Sitka, a town on the closest island, took serious note, wondering if the volcano, extinct for 4,000 years, had suddenly erupted. You can read the whole story on NowIKnow and at The Museum of Hoaxes.

April 9, 2011December 15, 2023

Classic Car Club Quickly Reverses Over Prank

Submitted by Erin:

A Fake Tax Rattles Classic Car Buffs
by Michael Barbaro
The New York Times
April 7, 2011

Click to see the mock New York Times article.

As April Fool”s gags go, the Shelby American Automobile Club”s 2011 spoof did not seem especially convincing. Until, that is, hundreds of classic car lovers across the country were duped, became enraged and started to organize against a nonexistent threat.

A few days ago, the Connecticut club printed a fake front page of The New York Times that included what purported to be a major scoop: to close the federal deficit, Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York was proposing a federal tax on specialty automobiles. Continue reading “Classic Car Club Quickly Reverses Over Prank”

April 3, 2011December 15, 2023

The Artiness of Naughtiness Radio Show

The Artiness of Naughtiness
BBC Radio
April 1, 2011

Toby Amies discovers how tricksters have turned the poking of fun into an art form.

Produced by Rob Alexander and hosted by Toby Amies, this 30:00 radio show is now available here for listening.

There are pranksters who have been determined to show us our folly all year round and most have philosophical, political and artistic reason to do so… Toby investigates this reasoning behind pranking – discovering why people will risk consequences as serious as prison to make a point or get a laugh. Sometime the motivation behind a prank is not always only a good laugh at someone else”s expense. It can be a very serious business.