tirsdag, april 01, 2008

Happy April Fools' Day

April 1st: This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three-hundred and sixty-four. (Mark Twain)

I've never thought too much or too highly of April Fools'. I'd rejoice when it was not on a school day. Not that I had any horrible pranks played on me or anything, but I suppose I just didn't (and don't) have that kind of humor. But perhaps I'm beginning to appreciate it on a broader level. In Denmark, it's tradition for the television and media to have a 'aprilsnar' news story, made to look real, but which isn't really. From this year (taken from that authoritative source of all that is, Wikipedia), we learn that:

1) Greenland has been sold to the United States (for about $250 million, which seems like a bargain to me).

2) Single people will get some money from the state every quarter (this mirrors the money the state pays each quarter for those with children). They will also be allowed to start work later on Mondays.

3) Tobacco smoking is a major factor in global warming.

4) A chocolate and ice cream boutique somewhere in Denmark was offering free samples of this season's ice creams earlier today. Flavors include cabbage, bamboo, and gorgonzola.

What I want to know is, how many odd stories which just happen to be true, are reported on April 1st, but nobody believes them? And how many people actually went to that boutique expecting to get a scoop of mock turtle ice cream?

How is it where you are on April 1st? Did you fool anyone, or were you fooled in any interesting ways?

5 kommentarer:

Devil Mood sagde ...

Didn't I tell you about that store in the Algarve with ice creams of weird flavours? Including bacalhau and courato. It is true! They could have imported that into Denmark. ;)

Some stories are really funny. To prevent major upheaval the pranks in the newspapers are not very scandalous and you only find out about it next day, when they announce it.
It's been a long time since I read a good one.
Personally, I can't play pranks on people. I feel guilty and can't lie. :P

N sagde ...

I was hiding in my house fearing for stupid pranks that will happen to me:p

Scholiast sagde ...

I didn't fool anyone (or even try!) but I did pretend to be fooled by the kids a lot... My favourite prank was on Norwegian television in 1967 - a complicated "recipe" on how you could turn your tv into a colour tv (that didn't exist back then), something to do with towels ... Hilarious!

And of course, The Man has a song about it :)

erin sagde ...

Gorgonzola ice cream is actually pretty good.

kimananda sagde ...

Ms. Mood, you have told me about it, and it sounds pretty cool. And I can't play pranks on people either. I just can't bring myself to do it. And I don't think I'd be very good at it anyway.

Bluefish, that's how I'd be in the states. Here it's a lot more low-key.

Scholiast, that television prank sounds great! I'll need to try and find it on Youtube or something.

Erin, really? I'd like to try it. Where have you tried it?