Known for being slightly gullible, I distinctly remember years ago listening to NPR’s “All Things Considered,” with Robert Siegel and Noah Adams, about the Starbuck’s Coffee Pipeline. This pipeline, costing more than a billion dollars, was to span from Seattle to the East Coast carrying freshly roasted coffee. I remember thinking, “Really? That’s cool. But, no, really? Can’t be. Maybe?” Embarrassingly, I actually told someone, “I heard this thing on NPR . . . ,” only to discover that I had just been introduced to the annual ritual of April Fools’ Day media hoaxes.
Various theories offer suggestions about the origin of April Fools’ Day. Depending on the story, the tradition comes from celebrations in ancient Rome, from the equinox, from an old French holiday, and so on. Regardless of its origin, this holiday persists.
The famous Spaghetti Tree broadcast from April 1, 1957 is a must watch. The BBC current affairs program “Panorama” showed a family harvesting spaghetti from trees. The idea for the hoax came from the program’s camera man, Charles de Jaeger. Between de Jaeger’s story and the voiceover by Richard Dimbleby, a revered broadcaster, the prank became quite believable for some listeners. According to the BBC, hundreds of viewers called requesting sources for the plants, so they could cultivate their own spaghetti in their gardens. I had fun reading the memories people have of listening to the spaghetti spoof.
Since being duped about the coffee pipeline, I remain vigilant for the annual ritual of media hoaxes! Here are some fun ones for 2018.
- Have you tried the Burger King Chocolate Whopper?
- Every parent’s dream: the Lego VacuSort.
- Every outdoors enthusiast needs an REI ZipAll.
- Amazon can now deliver your favorite author to your front door!
- Revolutionize your viewing experience with Roku Happy Streaming socks.
- Use your 23andMe genetic test to determine which Lexus is right for you.
Why do we keep celebrating April Fools’ day? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because, as Stephen Hawking said, “Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”
Mary
Darn, I just read your April Fools post on April 3rd; guess I need to wait another 362 days. These are a hoot! Great post; we all can use a good laugh.
Suneeta
As another gullible soul, I really enjoyed this article. Looking forward to my very own gluten free spaghetti tree when the order gets shipped:)
Margie
I too am quite gullible. My brother-in-law is fond of saying that one of the reasons he likes me is because I believe everything he says.
I would purchase the Lego Vacusort in a heartbeat.
Joan Neumiller
I want the zipper suit!
Lori
Fun post. Thanks for the chuckle. And love that killer quote by Stephen Hawking.