I’m not a big fan of foolish pranks

/ April 3, 2014
(Public domain from clipart.org)

(Public domain from openclipart.org)

Now that we’ve made it to April 3, I’m pretty sure I’ve now gone another year without somebody either scaring the crap or making an ass out of me.

I am not a fan of April Fools jokes.

I saw the big pile of posts about the April 1 tradition on Monday and thought to myself: Why?

Does the idea of making somebody else look and feel dumb really make you feel good about yourself?

If the answer is yes, again: Why?

According to its wikipedia page, April Fools has been around since medieval times. Oh, that was a fake lance you just poked me in the chest with? Ha-ha. Oh, you took the alligators out before you threw me in the moat? Yuck-yuck.

Just call me the bah-humbug guy when it comes to April Fools jokes, and pranks in general. Misery interrupted is still misery, after all.

I do not laugh at the thought of a hot foot.

Pies in the face do not make me guffaw.

These sort of physical pranks long associated with sports team locker rooms are one short step away from bullying and one larger step away from assault.

The gag that appeared to be making the rounds the most Monday on WordPress ended with somebody being told that hey, that pregnancy thing? Not true.

My unfunny punchline has the husband or boyfriend or prospective grandparent replying: Pardon me while I go change my underwear and take apart the crib.

And so, on this third day of the fourth month, I say:

April Fool? Not if I can help it.

Did you play pranks or try to fool somebody on April 1?You can tell me. I won’t snap at you. Or unfollow you, even. Promise.

Here’s the source for April Fool graphic.

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46 thoughts on “I’m not a big fan of foolish pranks”

  1. Test – I’m still trying to get e-mail notification of your posts mark. i am currently in my wordpress “follow” page and you are still not there. I have tried unfollowing and then refollowing to no avail. i’ll get it working yet. 🙂

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  4. Ever since my dad pulled an April Fools on me when I was about six that left me crying hysterically, I have hated the whole April Fools thing. I so agree, pranks to make other people feel humiliated or upset are just cruel and I’ve always thought they reflect a meanness of spirit in those who pull them.

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  8. …not a big fan of April Fools as well… Plus I am so gullible……
    Unless it is just silliness and that makes me smile!
    😀 😀 😀 Happy April Fool’s Day!

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      • Yahooooooooooooo! Can’t wait to see what you came up with!!
        But first you must stop over and see Spring in the Desert! To witness Spring here in the desert … well it’s just breathtaking! More photos will be coming!

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  9. I was played – big time – by NPR and, perhaps innocently by cartoonist Jeff Parker (of Dustin comic) who passed along the story about Keanu Reeves remaking “Citizen Kane.” They had a poster, an audio clip from the movie, a cast. I was mortified: “Is nothing sacred.” Then I found out it was a prank and laughed long after I found out. Those kind of gags ARE funny. No one was hurt – except maybe movie purists. ;lol:

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  10. I guess that sometimes I accidentally laugh when someone trips and fully expect others to laugh if I trip; as long as no one is hurt. The pies in the face, I don’t mind either or at our work, the dunking tank where you hit the button to get the manager to fall into the dunking tank. That is so funny, to me! I don’t like pinches or bites or other abusive pranks. I do think that the famous Dick Van Dyke falling over the piece of furniture that his wife had moved while he worked all day, was funny. Pratfalls… oh well, I did a joke and didn’t think it hurt anyone. I like Beth’s sunny outlook and her jokes with the little kids, too! Smiles, Robin

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  11. not a one. tried to explain what the day was to the kinders. told them it can’t be mean or hurt anyone. they told me jokes and it was really cute. i prefer this kind of fun.

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    • I love humor. Just not mean and cruel stuff, which so much of April Fools has morphed into. I like the kinders telling you jokes. A lot. Great day for all of you, I’m sure, Beth.

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      • i completely agree. i love humor as well, but have never understood the concept of humor at other people’s expense. and their joke telling was hilarious, just the process alone was so funny. i tried to teach them that it was a day to act foolish and have fun. nothing to do with being mean.

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      • thanks so much mark, that’s really nice. i know i’m a bit of an idealist, but i know they will encounter things in their lives that will be cruel and if i can help them to see the world in a positive rather than negative way, maybe they can help others to see that too.

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  13. I forgot all about it till it was dinner time when our son told us that his form tutor had fooled her entire class – but in a genuinely funny way that I think the whole class enjoyed.
    A few years ago here (probably a lot of years ago!) the BBC ran a report about the place where they grow spaghetti – pictures of spaghetti plants and a very serious interview. It was very funny.Not cruel – I don’t like jokes that are at someones expense.

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  14. One time coworkers moved my car on me. Unfortunately, it didn’t work… the prank. A couple of us were headed out to lunch, I was asked to drive, but other coworkers followed us outside as well. When I reached where I parked, my car wasn’t there. I let out one, “Ha!” before turning around and noticing it on the other side of the lot. The extra coworkers, who attended to get my reaction on film, who were blatantly walking with their phone ready to record, were disappointed at my calm and collected reaction.

    I’m not a prankster myself; however, in order to get me, it has to be undeniably good… and with cohorts who can keep a straight face.

    My former roommates, however, gave me a good scare a couple nights before Halloween.

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  15. Another prank hater. Can’t watch Johnny Knoxville or any of that. I can only watch “America’s Funniest Videos” if it’s not hurting another person with skateboards, pipes, trash cans, etc. Sometimes I wonder if surgeries were required after major falls and accidents. And the things high school boys to each other just to prank them! After suffering miscarriages (including one exactly a year ago this month), I could never post the pregnancy prank. I was hoping no one I knew would facebook one bc it can be painful.

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  16. I hate pranks and slapstick. Can not stand anyone being made a fool of (except for maybe politicians of either party or nationality).

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  18. Mark, you’re right. Pranks can be bullying just as my father used to say tickling causes a kind of pain. If someone tickles me, it throws my back into uncontrollable spasms. I guess most people don’t mean to be mean.

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  19. I stayed at home with the door locked all day. No one was going to try anything on me, and believe me, this building is full of people with the IQ of a mosquito. The best plan was to stay out of sight for 2 days, just to make sure it was safe. I even passed up the ice cream social in fear of having it land in my lap, courtesy of one of the idiots living here.

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