It Is Not The Time for April Fools, Even If It’s Well-Intentioned
April Fools’ Day is a holiday that loses its charm quickly, especially as you grow older. Some pranks are funny, and maybe amongst friends you all have something to laugh about. But when you get online, and brands and important political figures begin to engage on it–poorly–it begins to feel like a cheap laugh at your expense. Luckily, however, it seems like many companies have read the room and are not participating.
I, personally, love a bit of whimsy on April Fools’ Day. Archive of our Own (AO3)’s cheeky joke? Absolutely amazing. That’s the kind of harmless humor the holiday should be about. I remember a time when people would have to have moratoriums on April Fools’ Day pranks in their households. But with everything going on in the world currently, it is understandable that some people would be adverse to April Fools’.
Unfortunately, we then have United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. hopping in for a decidedly unfunny joke about him purchasing “artificially dyed candies in bulk.” Again, politicians should not be joining in on this, and especially ones like RFK, who has zero medical training or any experience at all to be placed in this position. Sorry, RFK, but you and Kid Rock have no credibility here.
In the trend of politics, there is also another account that is counting down the days until President Donald Trump’s…demise, shall we say. This morning, they posted a “confirmation” that Trump had passed away. A hound with nasal congestion could have even sniffed this out as a joke. It’s such low-hanging fruit that it bypasses funny entirely and lands right on annoying.
It’s just not funny. Regardless of your feelings, April Fools’ is not meant to celebrate somebody’s death. Its spirit lies in foolishness. Persistent posts like this one and past brand engagements are part of the reason why the general public has soured on the idea of the holiday.
If you’re thinking about April Fools-ing…maybe don’t
Or do, if you’re funny and you have people around you who appreciate it. Just make sure they’re into it. Consent is fun! Tumblr, home to many a prank over the years, fell victim to the spirit this year, teasing something using a play on words that led fans to believe it would involve some sort of announcement about the final installment of Good Omens. While not ill-intentioned, this is the kind of joke we’re talking about. At least they apologized.
Ultimately, we’re all just stressed, and people love to think they’re comedians the other 364 days of the year. A user on X said, “being online during april fools is like mainlining hundreds of bad late-night writing packets” and I’m inclined to agree.
(featured image: NBC)
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