April Fools Day

Yep!  It's that time of year again.  Tomorrow (and Monday likely) silly jokes will be played on people all over.  I used to play tons of April Fools jokes.  One year I wrote a scathing resignation letter that detailed just how terrible our boss was, then I photo copied one of our best employees signatures onto the bottom of the letter.  Folded it up, put it in an envelope, and I sat back and watched the carnage unfold!  The look on her face was priceless.  Some people can take a joke, other can't.  Lucky for me, all parties involved in that one had a great sense of humor.

Where did April Fools come from?  The earliest recorded connection between April 1st and playing pranks was in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in 1392. (thank you again wikipedia)  April Fools day is a global phenomena.  Not just done on April 1st, traditions vary from only being done before noon on April 1st to being held on May 1st in Denmark.  Then French translate the day into April fish and the goal is to attach a paper fish to someones back without them noticing.  Thank goodness it's not a real fish.

Some well known companies have been known to pull a joke or two on April 1st.  Here are a few I thought were well done:

1.  Google Comic Sans:

Most people know of the Comic Sans font.  Most people hate it.  Last year, Google decided to play a little joke on everyone by rolling out the "new" font for Google.

2.  Richard Branson buys Pluto

You are one of the richest people on the planet.  Is it so far fetched to believe that they wouldn't buy a planet?  Unhappy that it was downgraded from planethood, Branson announced he was buying Pluto and having it reinstated as a planet.


3.  Groupon acquires April Fools and you can't use it!

Groupon goes all out by creating a whole website to announce the intellectual trademark and that it will crack down on anyone who infringes upon it.

4.  Bring on the Wolfpigeon!

Qualcomm, in an effort to bring Wifi to the masses, released its plan.  Flying wolf-pigeon hybrids that would bring Wi-Fi around the world.


5.  World record Rickroll

Youtube decided to play this massive prank in 2008, they redirected every video on the home page to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up video.  Even today, rickrolling is pretty funny, back then it was hysterical.  For those who dont know what a rickroll is, check this:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickroll.  For the funniest rickroll of all time (in my opinion) watch this (but be aware, its contains some inappropriate words): 

Good luck tomorrow!

What is the best April Fools joke you have ever played or had played on you or ever saw.  Please share and comment below!