85 years ago. . . In 1929, Louie Marx introduced the YO-YO. From then on, his friends called him Yo-Yo Marx . . . which made people think he was related to Groucho, Harpo, Chico AND Zeppo! (???)
57 years ago. . . In 1957, the EVERLY BROTHERS’ smash hit “Bye Bye, Love” was first released . . . after being rejected by 30 record labels. It went on to hit #2 on the Pop chart and #1 on the Country chart.
57 years ago. . . In a 1957 April Fool’s Prank, the BBC announced that because of a mild winter in Switzerland, spaghetti trees were producing more spaghetti than normal. And they showed footage of people pulling strands of spaghetti off tree branches.
People immediately started calling in asking how to grow their own spaghetti tree. So the BBC told them, quote, “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”
51 years ago. . . In 1963, “General Hospital” made its debut as a half-hour show. It was expanded to 45 minutes in July of 1976 . . . and finally stretched to a full hour in January of 1978.
44 years ago. . . In 1970, DICK NIXON signed a measure banning cigarette advertising on radio and television, to take effect after January 1st, 1971.
38 years ago. . . In 1976, the spring break classic “Margaritaville”, by JIMMY BUFFETT, was released!
30 years ago. . . In 1984, the great MARVIN GAYE was shot to death by his own father . . . who later pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and got off with probation.
29 years ago. . . In a 1985 April Fool’s Prank, “Sports Illustrated”claimed a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch was planning to play for the Mets. They said he could throw 168 miles an hour, and that he trained at a monastery in Tibet.
(Mets fans went nuts, and the magazine was flooded with requests for more information.)
29 years ago. . . In 1985, DAVID LEE ROTH left VAN HALEN to pursue a mediocre solo career. Meanwhile, Van Halen continued to have major success with mediocre music.
22 years ago. . . In 1992, BILLY IDOL pleaded no contest to punching a woman in the face. He was fined and told to make public service announcements against rampant alcohol and drug use.
20 years ago. . . In 1994, on a ski trip in Telluride, Colorado, CHRISTIE BRINKLEY escaped death as herhelicopter crashed into a mountainside, injuring five, and killing Christie’s marriage with beautiful BILLY JOEL.
She dumped Billy later that month, married one of her fellow survivors from the crash . . . then divorced HIM a year later.
18 years ago. . . In a 1996 April Fool’s Prank, TACO BELL said they were buying the LIBERTY BELL and renaming it the “Taco Liberty Bell.” Outrage ensued.
16 years ago. . . In 1998, a U.S. District Judge dismissedPAULA JONES’ lawsuit againstthen-PresidentBILLY CLINTON, saying her claims of sexual harassment fell “FAR short” of being worthy of trial.
SADDAM HUSSEIN’S SERIES OF EVIL PRANKS. Between 1998 and 2001, Saddam Hussein and his son pulled some of history’s more mean-spirited April Fools’ Day pranks, no surprise there.
First, the country’s government-run newspaper published a fake report that President Clinton was lifting sanctions on Iraq. If it had been true, it would have been huge for the country’s economy . . . but it wasn’t true.
Then, for April Fools’ Day in 1999 Saddam’s son Uday announced that the monthly food rations would also include bananas, Pepsi, and chocolate. People got excited, then he said he was just joking.
After that, Saddam and his fellow pranksters ran out of ideas. They did the sanctions prank again in 2000, and the food rations prank again in 2001. And now they’re all dead.
14 years ago. . . In an April Fool’s Prank in 2000, a Romanian newspaper announced that dozens of prisoners would be released from prison. So their families showed up to take them home, only to find out it was all a joke. The newspaper later published an apology.
Nine years ago. . . In a 2005 April Fool’s Prank, MAYNARD from TOOL played a HI-larious prank by pretending to have found Jesus, just like Brian “Head” Welch from Korn did.
Five years ago. . . In a 2009 April Fool’s Prank, FunnyOrDie.com devoted their ENTIRE website to REBA MCENTIRE . . . right down to renaming the front page Reba Or Die. (See that here.)
Four years ago. . . In a 2010 April Fool’s Prank, BEN AND JERRY’S announced the world’s first virtual ice cream. They claimed you could test the flavor of the ice cream just by licking your computer screen. If only this one were true . . .
Three years ago. . . In a 2011 April Fool’s Prank, the guys in HANSON pretended to have a SLIPKNOT cover album in the works. And to sell it, they leaked a video of the band rehearsing the Slipknot song “Wait and Bleed” in their hotel room.
Two years ago. . . In a 2012 April Fool’s Prank, MITT ROMNEY’Scampaign staff had Congressman Paul Ryan introduce Mitt at a pancake breakfast, that was supposedly filled with supporters . . . but when Romney walked in, the room was empty.
One year ago. . . In a 2013 April Fool’s Prank, SHARON OSBOURNE”announced” that she’s pregnant. She said she went to an in vitro clinic, got a donor egg, mixed it with OZZY’S sperm and had it implanted in her 60-year-old womb.
What’s the best April’s Fools Day prank have you pulled or experienced?
