By Dan Rosenberg
In my most recent years of internet use, I’ve noticed an interesting trend among websites begin to rise. As the end of March rolls around and April looms its sparkling, springy head, so too do the April Fools versions of my favorite websites. For 24 hours, these sites put on a mask for their own masquerade party, leaving the rest of us – the internet community – chuckling and sharing amongst our friends in the audience.
Among my favorite finds last thursday were:
- Google’s Animal Translator Application
- Justin Beiber’s “buy out” of Funny or Die
- An Article on CNET detailing the arrival of a “future-man” at the LHC
- XKCD’s way-too-geeky “UNIXKCD”
Each of these had its own taste of humor and while it only lasted a day, I relished the chance to see everyone in the digital world laughing amongst themselves. I don’t have much respect for Beiber, but when he said “I autograph lady lumps,” I’ll admit I laughed.
While I’d love to assume everyone did these gags for the sake of the community, it also serves as excellent PR for the host organization. College Humor pranked New York by telling them to be on the look out for an East Coast In ‘N Out Burger – leading to several news articles and even a rebuttal from In ‘N Out themselves. The Digital April Fool’s parade was once only one or two websites teasing their community, but it has grown into so much more as each year a website is forced to outdo themselves and everyone else.
Not to rabble on incessantly, I’d be remiss to say that digitally connected Gen-Yers didn’t have an impact on this phenomenon. As much as programmers and content providers have been laughing amongst themselves, we Millenials butted our heads into the joke and made ourselves a part of it. With AIM, Facebook and now Twitter, we practically took it upon ourselves to spread the word. Millenials love being in on a secret almost as much as they like spilling it. As the parade has grown, so has our involvement as the supremely connected generation.
I’ll shut my digital trap now, in hopes that the conversation will continue below – Which were your favorite April Fool’s sites? Need a reminder? See techcrunch’s “complete” list for more.
The Google Wave notifications had me dying of laughter. They have some of the funniest jokes every year.
Great article, I loved the future man at the LHC, I laughed a lot at that one.
I was recently thinking about things like the International Pillow Fight that happened on the 3rd and the “No Pants” subway ride that happened in cities across the country a few months back now, and it seems to me that, similar to April Fools, these are all starting to become big traditions driven by Gen Y. They grew out of flash mobs, made possible by text messages and cell phones, but now they are pretty established annual events.
Perhaps you could argue that only a few people do them, but just like writing letters to congress, I contend that for each young person who shows up at the pillow fight, there are 20 more that just forgot or couldn't make it and 100 more that laugh about it when they saw the story. Personally, I'm one of the 20 who usually forgets.
I think these things show a great side of our generation's personality. We are lighthearted and pretty silly and I wouldn't be surprised if things like the pillow fight became self perpetuating just like April fools.
@Angela – the google wave guy was awesome – surprisingly kitschy for Google, but I loved it.
@Jason – You make a great point – these inside jokes and secret events have become something Millenials crowd around. It is social currency, with value ranking in how involved you were, ie.
I was there > My friend was there > I found an article it > I heard about an article about it.