Sometimes it’s tough to separate fact from fiction on April Fool’s Day. Did you pull a fast one on someone this week? Or were you fooled? Here are a couple of good ones from the past:

The Spaghetti Tree

On April Fools’ Day 1957, the BBC informed viewers in England about a “spaghetti farm” in Switzerland where pasta grew on trees. The network aired a fabricated video showing Swiss women harvesting spaghetti from an orchard.

At the time, many Brits were unfamiliar with Italian food, and hundreds of viewers called the BBC asking how they could grow their own spaghetti- producing plants. The phone operators instructed the gullible callers to “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.” The prank was so believable that it even fooled BBC staff members— including the network’s general director.

The Taco Liberty Bell

On April 1, 1996, the fast-food chain Taco Bell announced that it had acquired one of America’s most historic relics, the Liberty Bell. Taco Bell went all out by purchasing full-page advertisements in seven major newspapers.

In those ads, the fast-food chain revealed that it not only purchased the Liberty Bell but also officially renamed it “The Taco Liberty Bell.” They also claimed they’d struck a deal with the government whereby the purchase of the landmark would help the country pay off the national debt.

The prank led to angry Americans calling the National Park Service to voice their outrage. Despite public backlash, White House press secretary Mike McCurry joined in on the fun, jokingly announcing, “Ford Motor Company is participating today in an effort to refurbish the Lincoln Memorial. It will be the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.”

The gag paid off, and sales spiked $600,000 the following day.

“How much better to get wisdom than gold!” (Proverbs 16:16 ESV)

You are loved—and that’s no prank!
Susie