by Kathleen M. Muldoon
Yvette Silver www.yvettesilver.com
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On April 1, 1998, readers of the national newspaper USA Today were amazed to find a full-page advertisement announcing a new menu item-the Left-Handed Whopper. This had been developed, the company said, for the 32 million left- handed people in America. According to the ad, the ingredients of this special Whopper were the same as the traditional Whopper, only these were all rotated 180 degrees to the left.
Thousands of people flocked to Burger Kings around the country to purchase the Left-Handed Whopper. Some who were not left handed asked when a Right-Handed Whopper would be available. The next day, Burger King issued another press release. Gotcha! The whole “Left- Handed Whopper” was a giant corporation’s April Fool’s Day joke.
I love April Fool’s Day jokes, as long as no one is hurt or “put down” by them. You’ve probably been taken in by such jokes and pranks or have even perpetrated a few of your own. When I was in high school, three friends and I played a great joke on some of the guys. I went to a Catholic high school in which the boys were in one building and we girls in another. We shared the gym, auditorium, and library which were housed in a building that separated the girls’ and boys’ buildings. On March 31, my friends and I sneaked over to the boys’ building and posted this notice on their “Events” bulletin board:
NEEDED FOR GONG SHOW FUND-RAISER, SIX BRAVE SOULS FOR COMEDY ROUTINE “CHORUS LINE.” BEG OR BORROW YOUR SISTERS’ BATHING SUITS AND HIGH HEELS AND REPORT FOR TRYOUTS TOMORROW IMMEDIATELY AFTER SCHOOL IN THE AUDITORIUM.
My girlfriends and I sat in the front of seats in the auditorium the following afternoon. We looked quite official with our clipboards; Mary Ann had a camera. Sure enough, soon about ten hairy-legged guys pushed and shoved each other on stage. What a sight! They were dressed in ladies’ bathing suits and high heels. We laughed so hard we could barely get out our shout of “April Fools!” Fortunately for us, the guys were good sports and laughed as much as we did. They even posed for a photo for our school newspaper. Of course, they vowed revenge!
Did you ever wonder how April Fool’s Day originated? There are many theories, but the most common one is that it began in France, back in 1582. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated on April 1. After King Charles IX changed to the Gregorian Calendar, New Year’s Day was celebrated January 1. But some folks in outlying areas didn’t receive the news for several years, and even after they did, they stubbornly refused to conform and continued celebrating April 1 as New Year’s Day. Other French citizens labeled them “fools” and began playing practical jokes on them. It didn’t take long for April Fool’s Day to catch on in other countries. I like April Fool’s Day. I’ve been the victim of lots of “gotchas” over the years and, fortunately, they’ve all been in good fun. I like the fact that I don’t have to buy greeting cards or presents for the day. It’s just a time when we can forget world problems and family feuds and other things that stress us. Instead, we can laugh at ourselves and with each other and join this international fun-fest.
Have you ever pulled off the perfect April Fool’s Day joke? If so, email it to action@unitedspinal.org or mail it to:
KIDS IN ACTION
United Spinal Association 75-20
Astoria Boulevard
Jackson Heights, NY 11370-1177
Then go to Burger King and ask for a Left-Handed Whopper.
Kathleen M. Muldoon is a children’s book author and writing instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.
