April 1: April Fool's
The French call April Fool's Day "Poisson D'Avril" which means
April's Fish. In Grade 2 art class, they had us make cardboard fish and
write Poisson D'Avril on them. The idea was we were supposed to put
these fish on someone's chair. When they felt the cardboard fish beneath
their buttocks, we were to scream "POISSON D'AVRIL!"
I tried it on my dad that night. No one laughed.
A cardboard fish just isn't very funny.
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I have some fond memories of April Fool's Day. April 1 of 1991 was particularly memorable. I think I listened to some Prince music then. Actually, I know I did. Later, plenty of Easter Creme Eggs were consumed.
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For the past 15 years, I have worked at weekly newspapers. It is always a TREAT WHEN THE PAPER COMES OUT ON April Fool's Day. One year I wrote a story about Pierce Brosnan buying the town's commercial hotel. Another year I wrote about town council passing a bylaw stating that everyone had to carry a pineapple with them at all times (at least a couple readers fell for the story and placed angry calls to town hall.)
But the best was the one we did in 2009 when we ran a front page investigative report about a local man leaving his house so he could go to the store and buy a box of Raisin Bran.
The story contained interviews with the man, his wife, the storekeeper, two store employees, some fellow customers, and the mayor. Apparently, people read it with a burgeoning sense of frustration. No one knew why we'd dedicate such space to such a non-event. Later, when they figured it out, the paper was congratulated.
Next year, the paper comes out on April 1 again. I can't wait.
I tried it on my dad that night. No one laughed.
A cardboard fish just isn't very funny.
-
I have some fond memories of April Fool's Day. April 1 of 1991 was particularly memorable. I think I listened to some Prince music then. Actually, I know I did. Later, plenty of Easter Creme Eggs were consumed.
-
For the past 15 years, I have worked at weekly newspapers. It is always a TREAT WHEN THE PAPER COMES OUT ON April Fool's Day. One year I wrote a story about Pierce Brosnan buying the town's commercial hotel. Another year I wrote about town council passing a bylaw stating that everyone had to carry a pineapple with them at all times (at least a couple readers fell for the story and placed angry calls to town hall.)
But the best was the one we did in 2009 when we ran a front page investigative report about a local man leaving his house so he could go to the store and buy a box of Raisin Bran.
The story contained interviews with the man, his wife, the storekeeper, two store employees, some fellow customers, and the mayor. Apparently, people read it with a burgeoning sense of frustration. No one knew why we'd dedicate such space to such a non-event. Later, when they figured it out, the paper was congratulated.
Next year, the paper comes out on April 1 again. I can't wait.
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