Category: Hoaxes and Pranks

Joseph Boskin, Scholar of Humor and April Fool’s Prankster, Dies at 95

To oblige an eager reporter, he invented a story about the holiday’s origin. He didn’t realize it would turn out to be his “Andy Warhol moment.”
The Comedian Who Anticipated Our Reality-Bent World

A new documentary shows how Andy Kaufman’s upside-down world of anti-comedy prefigured our own.
Halloween’s Mutation: From Humble Holiday to Retail Monstrosity

Americans once made their own costumes and candy. Now, the holiday has rapidly commercialized, transforming into an economic juggernaut.
Is the Meta A.I. Post on Instagram Real?

A message on Instagram falsely claims that whoever shares it can legally bar Meta from sharing their data and photos. Don’t fall for it.
¿Por qué la drástica pérdida de peso de un ‘youtuber’ se hizo viral?

Nikocado Avocado, un popular videobloguero conocido por su contenido donde aparece comiendo, dijo que había pasado los dos últimos años planeando la sorpresa para sus seguidores.
Who’s Behind the Fake ‘And Just Like That’ Filming Notices?

New Yorkers have been baffled by posters with fictitious plotlines for the show “And Just Like That …” We tracked down their creator.
Exxon Mobil Wants Me on a Rig: Exploring TikTok’s New Prank

To get in on TikTok’s stunt du jour, users are prank calling loved ones to tell them of an exciting (fake) opportunity creating sponsored content on an oil rig. Bafflement generally ensues.
Sunday Nobody: The Viral ‘Meme Artist’ Behind Art That No One Asked For

The artist who goes by Sunday Nobody has found millions of viewers with his elaborate, absurdist projects. They are not, he insists, “a waste of a human life.”
New York’s Best (Fake) Steak House Opens Up

Mehran’s Steak House was just a name, created as an in-joke. But when its waiting list drew hundreds, the pranksters decided to stage dinner — for one night only.
Barbie Hoax Targets Mattel and Fools Some News Outlets

The false campaign by environmental activists claimed that the toy giant was launching a new line of decomposable Barbies and would stop using plastic by 2030.
Russian Pranksters Trick the Fed Chair, Based on Internet Videos

Videos circulating online show Jerome H. Powell, the Federal Reserve chair, answering basic questions about the American and global economy.
Twitter’s Logo Changes to Doge as Users Await Blue Check-Mark Removal

The promised changes to the platform’s verification program have been slow. Attention has focused instead on the image of a doge in place of the blue Twitter bird.