Posted on 04/01/2024 9:59:00 AM PDT by Leaning Right
In 1957, the BBC stunned the nation with a prank that redefined April Fools’ mischief. Picture this: a picturesque family in the Swiss countryside delicately plucking strands of spaghetti from a tree.
Absurd, right? Yet, this whimsical scene aired on the BBC’s Panorama as a seemingly authentic report.
(Excerpt) Read more at rarehistoricalphotos.com ...
On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese
I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed
It rolled off the table, it rolled on the floor
And then my poor meatball rolled out of the door
It rolled in the garden and under a bush
And then my poor meatball was nothing but mush.
The mush was as tasty as tasty could be,
And early next summer it grew to a tree.
The tree was all covered with beautiful moss
It grew great big meatballs and tomato sauce.
So if you eat spaghetti all covered with cheese,
Hold on to your meatball and don’t ever sneeze.
My favorite was, years ago, NPR did a hoax of Starbucks starting construction of a coffee pipeline from Seattle to NYC. As the radio host was interviewing the project manager, you could hear the heavy equipment moving earth in the background. Well done! A real hoot!
On April 1, 1972 (a Saturday), the weekend news crew at WJXT in Jacksonville did a half hour of April Fools jokes presented as a newscast. (apparently without management approval).
Leading off, a reporter, wearing a suit with his pants legs rolled up, stood in the surf at Jax Beach and said wreckage from one of Christopher Columbus’ ships had washed up on the shore.
Another story said a big company had plans to relocate to Jax. They were so large it would require tearing down the entire downtown to make room for their new facility.
I don’t remember any fake sports stories, but the biggest viewer response was to the weatherman predicting a foot of snow (most recent snow had been 1” in 1958). Management later apologized.
All very believable, presented seriously, no ‘gotcha’ at end of broadcast, just a ‘good evening.’ Wish it was preserved on video.
It’s on Youtube.
It was an exceptionally well crafted piece and still one of my favorite all time April Fool's Day efforts.
Plimpton was great. I remember seeing him wearing a sweater vest drinking Miller High life out of a can. 😂
He's a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd's deciding about yoga—and his future in baseball.
(note the first letters spell it out)
Very Monty Python-ish. I could see them pulling this stunt.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2014/10/15/curious-case-sidd-finch
I just re-read it. It still works. Plimpton on a roll.
Thank You! Do kids still teach each other this kinda stuff? (I know the answer...)
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