“April Fools is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other 364 days.”
—Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson Calendar,” 1917.
The bard of American humor was always good for a laugh. Of course, neither Twain nor history’s other famous humorists like Samuel Johnson or even Will Rogers can be credited with the idea of April Fools’ Day, but until midnight you can expect jokes aplenty from the sublime to the ridiculous as the world takes pause briefly to have a laugh and let off a little steam.
It’s not quite clear who came up with April Fools’ Day. Legend has it that the hilarious holiday originated somewhere in Europe in the 13th century. Considering this was still the Dark Ages, a little humor—like chicken soup—“couldn’t hurt” the people.
Apparently, the people of a little hamlet called Gotham in England did not want an unpopular king to visit them one April day and decided to act like fools to deter him. The trick worked. The king did not visit and, gradually, the celebration took hold around the world. Also in England, an ancient legend states that April Fools’ Day commemorates the fruitless mission of the Rook (or European Crow) which was sent out from Noah’s Ark in search of land.
Ancient Rome had ‘funny bone’?
The playing of practical jokes, however, may date back to Ancient Rome because such activities were part of Hilaria celebrations held on March 25. This celebration was reportedly associated with the coming of spring and the Vernal Equinox held in honor of the resurrection of Attis, the Roman God of Vegetation. There is even speculation that All Fools’ Day originated in the Hindu festival of Huli or Holi, celebrated in March to commemorate the defeat of evil. Originally lasting for five days, the modern version of this festival still takes place … but for only two days.
The most common explanation of April Fools’ Day finds its origins in 16th century France. During the rule of King Charles IX, the French calendar became Gregorian (circa 1564), thereby moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1. The people who failed to keep up with the change—those who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during spring—had a variety of jokes played on them by the more flexible French. As an example of rib-tickling medieval French humor, pranksters would secretly stick paper fish to the backs of unsuspecting victims and hilarity would ensue. The victims of this prank were reportedly called “Poisson d’Avril,” or “April Fish” which, to this day, remains the French term for April Fools. Also, the sun was leaving the zodiacal sign of Pisces (the fish) and the holiday began to hit its stride (avoiding a banana peel, of course) each year around the spring equinox, which was celebrated practically everywhere from Sweden to India. The madcap monkeyshines and mishegoyim eventually made its way to England by the 18th century and was brought to America by English, Scottish and French colonists.
Joker and jester, fool and fop
It was first called “All Fools Day” (some Americans may relate this title to the tax-deadline day or even election day), although the earliest recorded association with April 1 pranks and playful hijinks may be traced to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales of 1392.
Americans will traditionally play pranks and trade jokes all day, while many other countries will “knock it off” by noon. The joker, court jester, harlequin, fool and fop have all become images associated with the un-official holiday. April Fools’ Day is well known elsewhere such as in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Greece, Holland, Italy, Japan …. see what the holiday starts? There’s literally no limit to the levity. It’s just an opportunity for jovial jocularity or, “a little song, a little dance … a little seltzer down your pants.”
In Scotland, the jokes may go on for two days, with the second installment dedicated primarily to pranks involving the buttocks, hence the jolly “kick me” sign attached to someone’s posterior. Mexicans celebrate the holiday much the same way as in other nations, but on a different day (Dec. 28). Our neighbors to the south call it “Dia de los Inocentes” which Christians set aside to mourn biblical King Herod’s slaughter of innocent children. Overtime, the tone of that “unluckiest of days” has evolved from sadness to good-natured trickery.
The world loves a laugh
People in the Netherlands insist the origin of April Fools’ Day is attributed to the Dutch victory at Brielle in 1572, where the Spanish Duke Alvarez de Toledo was defeated. They even have a proverb which can be translated, roughly, from “Op 1 april verloor Alva zijn bril” or “On the first of April, Alva lost his glasses” with the glasses serving as a metaphor for Brielle. In Ireland, it is still traditional to entrust the “victim” with an “important letter” to be given to a named person. That person would then ask the victim to take it to someone else, and so on. When the letter is finally opened it contained the instructions: “send the fool further.”
Shakespeare got in on the act. He never specifically made reference to April Fools’ Day in any of his plays or sonnets, but many of his works do feature a fool, clown or court jester. Puck and Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the fool character in “King Lear,” and Feste in “Twelfth Night” are perhaps the most notable examples. And to finally put a centuries-old rumor to rest, Sir Francis Bacon did not ghost-write those famous plays nor was there ever any writing team called “Shake and Bake Ltd.”
Jokes are told in Poland and today even the media there gets involved by fashioning “information” to make it more credible to the day’s farfetched urban legend. Serious news is always avoided in so-called media pranks.
India provides numerous references to the holiday in both cinema and in popular literature because many famous persons are jovially associated with the date. One of Bollywood’s most popular and enduring films is “April Fool” from 1964.
Fun between friends and family
Generally on April Fools’ Day, people will play practical jokes on their friends, colleagues, neighbors and relatives. These pranks might occupy the whole day and the victims can range from a single person to a large group, be it in the media, a business setting or any institution bearing people of good will. At long last, the person who plays the tricks proudly shouts out: “April Fool!” The day is meant to represent lighthearted fun between friends and family, and in many cultures tradition dictates that the pranking period must expire at noon April 1 and any jokes attempted after that hour will bring bad luck to the perpetrator. Also, anyone who fails to respond with good humor played upon them are said to attract bad luck unto themselves.
What makes us derive so much pleasure from seeing others startled, confused, slightly upset, or in momentary pain or brief shock? The answer is probably slightly different for each of us, but according to the website funnypracticaljokes.com, it may be based on the basic fact that human beings like to be entertained. We like to watch the reactions of others, when they are placed in precarious, uncertain and odd circumstances in the off chance that the situation will result in a laugh. Often when people are recreating, being entertained, or laughing we tend to relax more and forget about our troubles. Our minds are, at least briefly, at ease and at peace. These breaks from the everyday toils and hardships of life can be useful aids in helping one achieve overall happiness.
TV’s passion for pranks
Television shows have long realized that seeing practical jokes played on complete strangers appeals to mass audiences. One of the first shows to do this was “Candid Camera” which became a testament to how the practical joke has remained a part of our culture and can be an important tool in our lives. Since the days of Alan Funt and sidekick Durward Kirby, there have been a slew of television shows and specials that feature sophisticated scams, concealed cameras, paid performers and, of course, unsuspecting underdogs. Some of the newer versions of “Candid Camera” include “Trigger Happy TV,” “The Jamie Kennedy Experience,” “ Women Behaving Badly,” MTV’s “Punked” and “ Scare Tactics” on the SciFi Channel.
The late Johnny Carson hosted many years ago a special focusing on the art of the practical joke. He remarked that there is something very “enthralling” about performing your own social experiment on a fellow human being. In a way, he explained, practical jokes are akin to conducting your own research using the scientific method: You predict the outcome of how your specimen will respond to certain stimuli (a thesis, if you will), devise the plan, provide the proper environmental conditions, and then sit back and watch your plan unfold. “Sometimes, planning and anticipating the reaction of your prank can be even more exhilarating than the actual outcome,” Carson said at the time.
Keep it clean … never mean
Today there are lots of innocent (and not-so-innocent) pranks people play on one another. These range from changing the language on a colleague’s computer, filling a hair dryer with talcum powder, the old plastic-film-on-a-toilet-seat trick, or even boiling a carton of eggs and placing them back in the refrigerator. Some people have been known to replace Oreo cream-filling with toothpaste and offer someone a cookie. A note can be left on someone’s car apologizing for an accident that never occurred. The tips of pencils and pens can be painted with clear nail polish rendering them virtually useless. If your boss or supervisor is a good sport, you can place a “Please Use Other Door” sign on the entrance to your office building (provided it has only one entrance). At home, remove the shower head and place a cube of chicken bouillon inside the pipe and replace the fixture. This gag works just as well with a hand soap dispenser … just replace the bouillon cube with food coloring. The standard “whoopee cushion,” joy buzzer, or plastic ice cube with a fly in it are April Fools’ Day classics. Also, try placing shaving cream on the palm of someone’s hand while they’re asleep and tickle their nose with a feather.
The best way to orchestrate a practical joke may be to plan ahead. The following tips were offered by funnypracticaljokes.com to ensure that your playful prank begins with fun, never gets out of control, and always leaves ‘em laughing:
—Plan ahead. Early planning means you’ll be ready for the big moment.
— Prank with love. Never pull a mean-spirited prank, and by all means think twice about pranking a stranger.
— Know your victim. Pranks can have consequences, so make sure to think about the outcome.
— Match the prank to the person. For instance, a car prank (placing a thin balloon over the exhaust pipe or putting marbles in a hubcap) is perfect for someone who is fussy about their wheels. Just make sure you don’t damage the vehicle.
—Is it really harmless? Is there any chance that someone could get hurt? Can something get damaged? Consider all outcomes.
—Use your best acting skills. If you don’t think you can keep a straight face, pick a prank where you’ll stay hidden nearby. Better yet, recruit a helper to be the perpetrator.
—Time your reveal. Enjoy the moment, and let the prank sink in before shouting “April Fool.” You never want to call it out too early … or too late.
