Ah, April Fools. A day to join the fun of tricking the gullible, annoying the jaded and testing the limits of your Photoshop skills. This year, social media blew up with posts by everyone from Tom Brady to the city’s biggest food joints. Even sea otters got in on the action.
While Sea Otter Savvy, an environmental non-profit out of Central California, may have fooled some folks online with that one, the trickery doesn't end there. April Fools' Day is a celebration, and everyone is invited to the party – no matter how well you pull off the joke.
Admittedly, some pranks are little less subtle than others. Take the Temecula Police Department (TPD) and the "new" canine racks mounted to their motorcycles.
Some took the bait on Facebook and shared concern over the department's treatment of the dog in the photo – possibly triggered by the "release button…that allows the K9 to be deployed from the motorcycle." Either way, the TPD had to clarify that canine in the photo is "perfectly fine, we promise."
While not a lot of people fell for this one, a huge presence was made by California's national parks. Super Bloom, for example, was captured in full effect on Instagram by Death Valley National Park as rangers rode mutant bumblebees and cowered at 20-foot flowers sprung by growing season.
Death Valley clarified the post by adding, "in all seriousness, check out our website."
A little less on-the-nose was Zion National Park, who gave us some false hope by announcing plans for a zip line that would be installed at Angels Landing. The new feature, they explained, would let visitors repel from the top of the trail and "soar like a California condor," to avoid congestion with other hikers on their walk back.
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The park also was sure to mention, however, that actually putting in a zip line would "distract from the significance and could not improve these magnificent places."
Still not fooled? Maybe you bought into the fake bat signal posted by the Lava Beds National Monument, or the announcement by SecretLA that Runyon Canyon would be closed every Saturday to anyone that isn't a social media influencer.
Don't worry, that last one scared us a bit, too.
By this point, you may have gotten your fill in April Fools-related content clogging up your timeline. But for those with insatiable appetites, restaurants and other food companies gave us an eclectic menu to choose from.
Thirsty? Maybe you saw the new cold brew from Peet’s Coffee:
The company clarified that "The Eekhojorntjesbrodord," comes with a tasty combination of salty licorice and Boerenkaas cheese to celebrate their "founder’s Dutch heritage."
As a main course, Trejo's Tacos announced their expansion into Korean Barbecue:
Or perhaps you wanted a little more bang for your buck – taking home a complimentary puppy with your Dog Haus hot dog.
To top things off for desert, Oreo's unveiled their newest "Cookie & Cremes" cookie as a way to put a spin on a snacking classic.
After all this, you’re probably stuffed. The jokes, the trickery, the deception – it’s all so exhausting. Is Justin Beiber really a father? Does San Bernardino have a new area code? Who even knows anymore!
You deserve a break. To relax, Queen Mary suggests kicking back and renting out one of the rooms at their legendary hotel. Just a warning, though, we’ve heard some spooky stuff has been going on over there.
Happy April Fools!
