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Anatomy of a Hoax
Happy April, Fools. Since April 1st makes the Internet the most annoying place in the world, I have to decided to go on a media fast for the rest of the day (this IS Holy Week after all and the Internet IS my religion). That said, my wheels did get turning while skimming this year’s parade of yawn-inducing corporate April Fool’s “jokes” (OK, Wikipedia, the wife selling article did make me laugh.). Why do April Fool’s pranks seem so empty when compared to other hoaxes that have managed to have lasting cultural impact? Perhaps it is too hard to pull off an effective hoax on a day when everyone is expecting it. Or perhaps it’s because a typical April Fool’s prank simply has no point. Below are some more clever and successful hoaxes, along with the magic ingredients that made them work so well.
1. Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds”
Magic Ingredients: media savvy, vérité style
Though intended as nothing more than a radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ famous novel, Welles’ broadcast cleverly tricked latecomers who missed the show intro by using a news bulletin format and by broadcasting without commercial breaks. The actual extent of the panic that ensued is still debated, but the stunt generated over 12,000 newspaper articles and created one of the first mega-memes of the 20th century (Hitler even cited the broadcast as evidence of decadence in democratic society).
Listen to Welles’ War of the Worlds broadcast [Internet Archive]:
Posted by on April 1st, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Category: Audio, Ideas, Video | Tags: april fools day, Black Like Me, Clifford Irving, Elmyr de Hory, hoax, Howard Hughes, John Howard Griffin, Orson Welles, The Yes Men, War of the Worlds | Comments
Life is Beautiful at 1000 Frames/Second
Another quick post on the wonders of slowness. For some reason the topic of slowness makes me blog faster. Enjoy these dogs doing what they do best, but at a snail’s pace.
Posted by on March 29th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Category: Ideas, Video | Tags: ad, beautiful, dogs, slowness | Comments
Fashion Finds: Penis Pants!
So I have a new favorite designer. I sincerely hope that these schlong-johns from Isabel Mastache are all the rage in Spain in the fall and winter of 2010.
[via guanabee.com]
Posted by on February 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Category: Fashion, Video | Tags: Fashion, Isabel Mastache, penis pants, Spain | Comments
Dating Advice for Men and Women
If only I had known these tips before Valentine’s Day. Courtesy of the good folks over at Everything Is Terrible. They are doing the Lord’s work. [via a hot tip from @theboomie]
Posted by on February 23rd, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Category: Humor, Video | Tags: 1980s, advice, dating | Comments
Who needs drugs when you have Chinza Dopeness?
Video for “Mogu Mogu” by Japanese rapper Chinza Dopeness. This makes me miss Japan. Natsukashii desu ne…
Posted by on February 22nd, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Category: Music, Video | Tags: animation, Chinza Dopeness, Japan, Music, rap, Video | Comments
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