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canidmajor's avatar

April Fools Day! Love it or hate it?

Asked by canidmajor (21538points) April 1st, 2021

Do you enjoy pulling pranks on people you know; do you enjoy the pranks pulled on you?

Personally, I don’t like it, but I grew up in a family where clever meanness was rewarded, and I was a literal minded child, which made me a perfect target.

But I do enjoy how clever and funny some of the advertising can be.

Please share some of the great pranks you’ve seen or pulled.

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17 Answers

chyna's avatar

As long as they aren’t cruel pranks, and done to me, I like April fools jokes!

jca2's avatar

I wouldn’t say I love it or I hate it. The jokes can be kind of funny. I saw some today on social media where you just knew the jokes were fake, and they were cute. Kind of like “The Onion.”

I’ve not had anybody do any real pranks on me as far as April Fools’ goes, just some “OMG” things and then “April Fools!”

chyna's avatar

This one pulled off by one of my brothers on the other brother:
Brother 1 was staying with brother 2 and had bought a lottery ticket. Brother 2 got up early and saw the ticket laying there and wrote the numbers down on a piece of paper. Brother 1 got up and asked 2 to call and see what the winning numbers were. Brother 2 pretends to call and rattles off the numbers on the ticket! Brother 1 was going crazy thinking he had won!!! Brother 2 had to tell him the truth before he had a heart attack.

janbb's avatar

I like some of the witty ones but I don’t like those that mock or make fools of individuals. I’m usually not really aware of April Fools’ Day much at all.

One I did fall for years ago on the Brian Lehrer show was a lengthy piece about how NYC was outlawing smoking in one’s own apartment because contractors coming in would be exposed to second hand smoke. There was quite a reaction and it wasn’t til the next day that they said it had been for April Fools.

zenvelo's avatar

A well done one can be hilarious.

I belong to a bicycle club. A long time ago, the April newsletter came out early, and had a small article about a special deal. A catalog had a misprint offering a $4000 titanium bike for only $400. “To avoid false advertising charges” they had to sell the bike for $400 but only if you called at 9 a.m. on April 1.

About a half dozen people wrote nasty emails to the club email list about the company not honoring the $400 price. Finally, someone sent out an email that just said “April Fools!”

rebbel's avatar

The Dutch Ministry of Interior Affairs has announced English will become the second official language of the Netherlands.

It comes as no surprise, with the Dutch already topping the charts as some of the best non-native English speakers in the world.

“Tens of thousands of internationals immigrate to the Netherlands every year,” said a ministry spokesperson. “It’s unnecessary to make them all learn the language if the Dutch already speak English.”

Between 90% and 93% of Dutchies claim to be able to converse in English. Expats have often been frustrated at how hard it is to practice Dutch in the Netherlands because the Dutch tend to immediately switch to English.

Official Dutch names to be converted
As part of incorporating a second official language, the government will also change the names of official bodies in order to increase accessibility for expats.

As a nod to the Dutch heritage, governmental agencies will be renamed with the Dutch royal family in mind. For example, the tongue-twisting Belastingdienst will update its name to “His Royal Majesty’s Tax Authority.”

Scrapping Dutch place names
The names of some Dutch towns and cities will also be changed to names that are easier for English-speakers to pronounce. IJsselstein will now be called Islington, Groningen will become Grantham, and Utrecht will be Youbourne. To avoid international confusion, Amsterdam will keep its name.

Ulterior motives for changing the national language
There are rumours that the government is changing the official language of the Netherlands to win favour with British and American pharmaceutical companies.

In the wake of both English speaking countries steaming ahead with their vaccination programmes, the Dutch government may want to align itself with the frontrunners of coronavirus vaccinations.

All the Dutch speak great English:

As it stands, the Dutch government is yet to make a formal declaration of this decision. Their official statement is that this is a move to further include the international community in the Netherlands.

However, sources in The Hague have said they have noticed more Pfizer and Biotech branded mugs in the parliamentary break rooms. There have even been reports of a pair of union jack underpants being found in the cabinet meeting room.

There have been no new vaccination deals as of yet, but a diplomatic gift of 12,000 kilos of Marmite has been received by the government.

ragingloli's avatar

I usually do not care for it.
But, sometimes, I get to enjoy things like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJwjqZZgcWk

janbb's avatar

Note to self: Sit on hands. Do not – I repeat, do not – click on link that loli provides.

Darth_Algar's avatar

I don’t really have much of an opinion one way or the other. Honestly, the day barely registers with me.

mazingerz88's avatar

It just dawned on me donald trump is not really a douchebag.

KNOWITALL's avatar

I enjoy it and it’s especially relevant to me personally.
Trust no one haha!

Zaku's avatar

I tend to like fun chaos and clever pranks and shaking up people’s experiences and expectations… but I also haven’t been particularly inspired or organized enough to do much for April 1 in a long time.

filmfann's avatar

I don’t care for this kind of trickery.

Kardamom's avatar

I’ve never cared for practical jokes. Sometimes they are mean, occasionally dangerous, and mostly just inconvenient.

Brian1946's avatar

I like them when an annoying person bites the big one.

I also enjoy one that doesn’t single out anyone, but does provide a smidgen of fun for the participants:

https://www.fluther.com/200014/once-the-sale-of-fluther-to-breitbart-is-finalized-what-will/

Brian1946's avatar

I got this email today from the Climate Center:

Biden Yosemite proposal draws immediate rebuke from climate advocates and conservationists
Vast amount of carbon-intensive concrete only part of the problem

April 1, 2021 Washington D.C.

By R.U. Khidingmi, UPI

This morning President Biden convened a news conference to announce a dramatic plan, intended to generate clean power, improve public safety, and restore American pride after four years of international embarrassment.

“This one plan makes the highest and best use of our federally-owned lands by tapping into woefully underutilized resources and addresses several important priorities of my administration,” the President stated, as members of his Administration helped to explain the plan.

At the news conference, the President held a photograph of Yosemite’s Half Dome, with a prominent black streak, apparently drawn with a thick black Sharpie pen, showing what appears to be a completed dome for the world famous natural national icon. “I visited Yosemite once,” the President stated. “It is a disgrace that we only have half a dome. The greatest country of all time should have a whole dome.” Observers were quick to note the odd similarity to the episode where Biden’s predecessor used a Sharpie to validate his claim that a hurricane impact zone had extended beyond its borders.

;-0

si3tech's avatar

@canidmajor It reminds me of an atheist complaining that Christians had their own special days and atheists do no. The judge told him they do have a special day. April fool’s day.

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