Probably the best April Fool’s prank of all time
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
April 1, 2017 9:22am CST
Some members may recall this because I did post about it on Bubblews several years ago, but it is worth recalling.
Here is Britain there is a highly respected current affairs program named Panorama, which is noted for excellent documentaries. Many moons ago in 1957 they showed a documentary on 1st April, describing the bumper crop of spaghetti from the Swiss farms.
It may seem too far fetched for people watching this now, but back in those days the British population knew nothing about the origin or manufacture of spaghetti. This, along with the high reputation of Panorama was sufficient to make the documentary convincing for most people.
Over the years I have seen many outrageous April Fool’s stories run by national newspapers and other establishments, but for me this remains the finest example ever created.
The documentary is very short, but extremely well produced.
The spaghetti tree hoax is a famous 3-minute hoax report broadcast on April Fools' Day 1957 by the BBC current affairs programme Panorama. It told a tale of ...
23 people like this
22 responses
to admit that I'd forgotten to turn on my speakers 
@celticeagle (158958)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Apr 17
Great hoax. I was in my teens and in my room doing my homework on Halloween one year when the local radio station broadcasted the radio show "The War of the Worlds". I had never heard of it before and had quite a scare until the commercial and they notified the listeners that it was not real.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Apr 17
@celticeagle Apparently he was just a local announcer at the time, but the media surrounding this event propelled him to fame.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158958)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Apr 17
@Asylum ......It wasn't the original airing. It was in the late 60's done on the local radio station. Yes, narrated by Orson Wells.
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@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
2 Apr 17
That was hilarious, thank you for that share. I am going to put it on FB a day late but so much fun.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Apr 17
@PainsOnSlate I cannot see it ever being beaten.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
3 Apr 17
@Asylum my friends on Facebook liked it too.
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@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 17
Well now I will have to go watch it. Amazing what people didn't know and what with the internet they now know. The internet is a wonderful invention.
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@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Apr 17
@fishtiger58 Tinned spaghetti is only useful as a quick and easy meal.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
1 Apr 17
@Asylum We still have canned spaghetti for sale, Chef Boyaredee lol, nasty mess that is. I loved the clip very funny.
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@allknowing (130066)
• India
1 Apr 17
I got fooled here when another user wrote about this. Then I checked for that tree and came across what you have posted here.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Apr 17
it was a very impressive stunt
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
5 Apr 17
OMG that is so funny, it is hard to imagine today that anyone would fall for that. lol The spaghetti weevil is too funny.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
7 Apr 17
@BelleStarr What a cruel sadistic suggestion. Leave those poor little weevils alone.
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@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
6 Apr 17
@Asylum Well can't they just play whack a weevil? lol
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@Letranknight2015 (51511)
• Philippines
2 Apr 17
I don't remember this post, I must have focus on another april fools news that day.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
2 Apr 17
Haha Although I doubt my little effort came anywhere near as the BBC's effort. It was probably great of course I am too young to remember it as I was not even born then!
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Apr 17
@garymarsh6 I was concerned that she may stub her toe on that ladder which someone had carelessly left behind.
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@moffittjc (118433)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Apr 17
Very funny! I can't believe people fell for that hoax, but like you said, if people weren't familiar with spaghetti, then it would be easy to convince them of this story!
2 people like this
@nottoooldtowrite (2715)
• Philippines
1 Apr 17
I want a spaghetti tree. If I am a bit more lucky, it may include a fruit with the sauce inside. Yum! 
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Apr 17
@nottoooldtowrite It is 2nd April now anyway.
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@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
6 Apr 17
Yes it is interesting sometimes what people will come up with.
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@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
2 Apr 17
I remember this prank and this post from the 'b' site.
Quite funny!
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@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
26 Apr 17
That was truly funny, Barry. I had to share it with my family even though I'm a bit late. At first I thought the company that put this together found a tree that had those things dangling naturally since I've seen that sort of thing before. I'm thinking spaghetti was actually placed there for the film though. My thought on it was that I wouldn't want all those people touching something I eat if it were produced in that manner, for I'm sure it couldn't be washed.
Anna shared several jokes pulled in the past by well-known newspapers and magazines otherwise I'd find this hard to believe. Somehow she missed this one.
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@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
4 Apr 17
that is a unique April fool's day. i like the idea.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
5 Apr 17
@ridingbet Possibly, but I have never known any.
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@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
5 Apr 17
@Asylum but now, maybe there are better jokes or pranks than that?
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
1 Apr 17
Haha! It's great! It would be hard to top that one!
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@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
2 Apr 17
@Jeanniemaries Obviously it is better known in England.
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@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
2 Apr 17
@Asylum I wouldn't have known the reputation but it was done so seriously and so well, it was really funny!
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